Few action RPGs in recent gaming history have achieved the levels of success of one of Bethesda's flagship franchises, The Elder Scrolls. It's been more than a decade since the franchise received a new entry, with Skyrim dominating the category's scene for a significant amount of time after its release, gaining a reputation as one of the best games ever made thanks to its intricacies and advanced features for its era. Bethesda officially announced The Elder Scrolls 6 through a teaser trailer in 2018, and because of the developer's seemingly undivided focus on Starfield, updates have been scarce. However, with Starfield set to release this year, The Elder Scrolls 6 could look to recent RPG titles like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet to provide lessons on narrative-building and gameplay.
Bethesda created one of the most comprehensively detailed games ever in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, furnishing the virtual world of Tamriel with one of the biggest maps in open-world gaming history. Such a massive land expanse in an open-world setting demanded a plethora of quests, and Bethesda filled the map with a variety of side quests to keep gameplay fresh and interactive long past the completion of the main storyline. However, a common complaint was the lack of depth in Skyrim, and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet could show Bethesda how to incorporate multiple main storylines to give the elusive sense of a deeper, immersive plot in The Elder Scrolls 6.
Scarlet and Violet's Mode of Storytelling Could Liven Up The Elder Scrolls 6
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet had their bright spots, and the unique storytelling spin of intertwining three different plots into one grand finale was a creative masterstroke on Game Freak's part. All three storylines, including Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Victory Road, Starfall Street, and Path of Legends, had to be completed for players to finish the game officially. To maximize the gaming experience, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet got rid of the linear progression that was a common feature in most other Pokemon games, allowing players to take down Gyms, Team Star Squads, and Titans in any order.
The impact of different paths that could be explored in any order on replay value can't be underestimated, as each playthrough can feel refreshingly unique. Usually, Elder Scrolls games have a single main campaign and plenty of side quests, but having multiple main storylines that entwine in the end would be a great addition to the series. Another area Bethesda could emulate from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are the streamlined travel options.
In Skyrim, the two main means of player transportation were by foot or horse. For an open world of its size, Skyrim would have benefited from other engaging forms of movement, although gaming has come a long way since the title's release. The Elder Scrolls 6 should bring the franchise up to speed with other RPGs, and Scarlet and Violet have provided a blueprint for Bethesda with their vertical travel options, which are becoming ever more popular in the gaming community.
Using a combination of the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's hard lessons and innovative storytelling, The Elder Scrolls 6 can gain a competitive advantage over its rivals in the RPG category. Bethesda ideally shouldn't have any major issues with performance or graphics in new releases given the spectacle that Starfield seems to be, which would put The Elder Scrolls 6 in a great spot right off the bat. Ultimately, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's storylines could serve as reminders for Bethesda that a story focused entirely on its protagonist can easily be made more enthralling by meshing multiple stories together, and that would work in Tamriel as it did in Paldea.
The Elder Scrolls 6 is currently in development.
