The Elder Scrolls 6 could still be ‘five-plus’ years away

Possibly next-gen?

We’re already painfully aware that Bethesda is taking its sweet time with The Elder Scrolls 6. However, there may be longer to wait still, as even the Head of Xbox Gaming, Phil Spencer, admits he doesn’t even know what platform it’s going to be on. There may be a few more years to go until the anticipated sequel ever sees the light of day.

And exactly how long are we talking? Well, according to journalist Stephen Totilo, (reporting on the Microsoft/Activision court case), Spencer npted that Elder Scrolls 6 could be “five-plus years away.” If true, this would put the elusive Skyrim follow-up on track for a 2028 release at the earliest. As such, it could mean that the long-awaited Bethesda RPG is actually on deck for gaming’s next generation.

Asked about Elder Scrolls VI platforms: "It’s so far out it’s hard to understand what the platforms will even be…" … "We’re talking about a game that’s five-plus years away"

Spencer fuzzy on whether he previously made a public statement saying it'd be Xbox-only

— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) June 23, 2023

According to a recent report from The Verge, Spencer did say in a 2021 interview that it will be exclusive to Xbox, though it doesn’t necessarily mean it will be this generation’s Xbox. When questioned about this today, the executive doesn’t recall ever making such a statement. And so, it stands, we’re not really any closer to understanding what’s happening with the next Elder Scrolls installment. A couple of years ago, Todd Howard said the game was still in early development.

All we can really hope is that once Starfield is released this September, then Bethesda will be willing to spill a few more beans. We can assume that, for now, the studio is just keeping its cards close to its chest.