The Elder Scrolls VI Moves Into Active Development as Starfield Launches

September 1, 2023

A new report indicates that the highly-anticipated The Elder Scrolls VI has finally moved into active development at Bethesda.

Per an interview with Vandal (translated by GamesRadar+), the release of Bethesda’s Starfield on September 1 paved the way to move The Elder Scrolls VI into production. According to Bethesda Head of Publishing Pete Hines, members of the studio’s development team began work on The Elder Scrolls VI in the days leading up to Starfield’s release. However, Bethesda will continue to prioritize its sci-fi role-playing game for the coming months.

Why is The Elder Scrolls VI taking so long?

Despite its move to work on Elder Scrolls VI, Bethesda has already unveiled a lengthy post-launch life for Starfield. Apart from its collector’s editions and pre-order bonuses, Bethesda has already revealed a story expansion for the game titled Starfield: Shattered Space. Details about the project remain limited, but Hines indicated that whatever Bethesda has planned for Starfield, it will keep the developer busy for some time.

News of The Elder Scrolls VI entering active development comes five years after Bethesda announced the game — and 12 years after the original release of its predecessor, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Since Skyrim, fans of the series have had to content themselves with mods and The Elder Scrolls Online. Meanwhile, Bethesda has remained tight-lipped about any further details for the sixth mainline installment.

Recently, Bethesda’s Todd Howard — who led production on the universally acclaimed series entries The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Skyrim — revealed he regretted how Bethesda announced The Elder Scrolls VI. “I probably would’ve announced it more casually,” he said. In regards to what he hoped to achieve with the next entry, Howard gave a vague response. “I will say that we want it to fill that role of the ultimate fantasy-world simulator. And there are different ways to accomplish that given the time that has passed,” he said.

Bethesda has not yet revealed a projected release date for The Elder Scrolls VI. Starfield is available now on Xbox Series X|S and PC.

Julia Anderson is a freelance writer and editor. A lifelong gamer and bookworm, she spent most of her childhood either glued to a novel or the computer. As a teen, she found herself deeply embedded in the fan fiction community and discovered her talent for writing and editing. Since then, she's run her own freelance writing and editing business, Anderson Wordsmith. When she isn't reading or playing D&D, RPGs, or stealth-based games, Julia is usually found imitating old age: drinking herbal tea in her favorite chair, crocheting, and watching a Shakespeare or Jane Austen adaptation with her faithful dog, Ben.