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Bethesda
The highly anticipated release of The Elder Scrolls 6, the next installment in Bethesda's beloved ARPG franchise, seems to be even further away than anticipated. Xbox Game Studios boss Phil Spencer recently confirmed during his testimony in the ongoing Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Microsoft trial that the game is still "five plus years away." Fans who had been eagerly anticipating The Elder Scrolls 6 with hopes of a sooner release date have been understandably disappointed by this revelation.
Fans of the franchise have expressed their concerns over the potential 20-year gap between the release of Skyrim (The Elder Scrolls V) and the upcoming sixth installment, deeming it to be a ridiculous length of time to develop a sequel to a successful game.
Bethesda's Starfield Launches Soon, But The Elder Scrolls 6 Still Years Away
Microsoft is currently engaged in a legal battle as it seeks clearance to consummate its intended acquisition of Activision Blizzard, for a substantial sum of $69 Billion USD. This proposed transaction has faced opposition from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which asserts that the deal will have adverse effects on competition and innovation, ultimately resulting in detriment to consumers.
The topic of console exclusivity for Bethesda's games, including The Elder Scrolls 6, was brought up during this trial. However, Spencer was unable to provide a definitive answer regarding which platforms the game would be available on, as even he is uncertain at this stage.
While there is some discrepancy in the various transcriptions of his statement, journalist Stephen Totilo quoted Spencer as saying, "We're talking about a game that's five-plus years away." If the game indeed launches in 2028, it would mean a full decade would have passed between the initial announcement and its actual release—an excruciatingly long wait for fans who have been eagerly anticipating its arrival.
The distant and unknown release date of The Elder Scrolls 6 should not come as a complete surprise to fans. Back in 2020, Bethesda's Pete Hines asked fans to manage expectations and said that The Elder Scrolls 6 was years away. “If you’re coming at me for details now and not years from now, I’m failing to properly manage your expectations,” he said.
Bethesda Game Studios is currently preparing to launch Starfield in September of this year, which will be available on the Xbox Series X and S, as well as PC. The Elder Scrolls 6 is the studio's next major project. Bethesda Games Studio director Todd Howard confirmed that the game was in the design phase in 2021.
