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Grand Theft Auto 6 is on the calendar for a release later this year, which will make it a dozen years since its predecessor came out. On the other hand, The Elder Scrolls series has been on pause for an even longer stretch—fourteen years and counting. These extended development timelines, paired with the increasing demands placed on game developers, raise important questions about the well-being and endurance of both the creators and their iconic gaming series.
Bethesda Game Studios has long been known for keeping fans waiting between new releases. When Skyrim debuted in 2011, the five-year gap since Oblivion felt extensive compared to the typical two to three-year development cycles of that time. However, the ongoing wait for The Elder Scrolls 6 is out of the ordinary. The release of GTA 6, another much-anticipated title, only underlines this point further.
Gamers eagerly awaiting Rockstar’s next big project can expect some major shifts in the gaming world when GTA 6 finally drops in 2025, rumors even suggest a hefty $100 price point. Rockstar is well-regarded for shaking things up, leading some publishers to adjust their schedules to steer clear of its launch period. Bethesda, however, may not be overly concerned about this.
Predicting when The Elder Scrolls 6 might arrive is no easy task. Bethesda dangled a teaser in front of fans back in 2018, seven years after Skyrim’s debut. Since then, details have been few and far between. Speculation points to a possible release in 2026, though even that might be optimistic given the studio’s quietness on the matter.
It’s not that Bethesda has been resting on its laurels. Fallout 4 hit the shelves in 2015, Skyrim got a facelift with the 2016 Special Edition, Fallout 76 launched in 2018, and most recently, Starfield took off in 2023. Yet, this pattern reveals an emerging trend that’s cause for concern.
Spin-offs and remasters chip away at development resources, which naturally prolongs the wait for mainline entries. For instance, the gap from Oblivion to Fallout 3 was two years, while Skyrim to Fallout 4 stretched to four years, and it took eight years to move from Fallout 4 to Starfield, with Fallout 76 occupying some of the interim.
Bethesda is large and capable of juggling numerous projects simultaneously. It’s reasonable to assume The Elder Scrolls 6 has been percolating for some time, hinted at by promotional spots like featuring the beloved creator “Skyrim Grandma.” Major strides likely commenced once Starfield hit the market, marking its full production phase.
However, Starfield’s delay by nearly a year likely pulled significant focus away from The Elder Scrolls 6. Although its eventual release stirred mixed reactions, with discussions around Bethesda’s design principles becoming a hot topic, this might have prompted introspection within the company about The Elder Scrolls 6’s direction, possibly delaying further development.
The situation presents a paradox. The sooner The Elder Scrolls 6 arrives, the lesser the wait, yet delaying it further potentially allows more refinement, potentially increasing demands for higher quality from an increasingly expectant audience. Regardless of what transpires, the game is not expected anytime soon. For now, Bethesda faces the challenge of surpassing Skyrim, a title that fans hold in ever-growing affection as the years go by.
