The release of The Elder Scrolls 6 has been a long time coming. Development was officially announced back at E3 2018 when Bethesda released a short teaser following the announcement of Starfield. The teaser didn't show much aside from some countryside, mountains, and a distant castle keep. Of course, this was enough to excite fans, who were quick to speculate on the new setting for the game. But after all these years, there has still been no official word on the status of the game. Considering the last Elder Scrolls game was released over ten years ago now, the need for an "in-between" game before the release of The Elder Scrolls 6 is more clear than ever.

Bethesda's Fallout series is a perfect example of how in-between games can not only serve to hold off the release of main numbered games in a franchise but also stand on their own. Fallout: New Vegas is a shining example of how outsourcing can work in favor of a franchise. Fallout 3 reestablished the franchise in the modern era by utilizing elements of Bethesda's Elder Scrolls series combined with elements of the original Fallout games from Black Isle Studios and Interplay Entertainment. And while Bethesda moved on to focus on Skyrim and eventually Fallout 4, Obsidian was able to develop a truly unique game that fans can enjoy between releases.

Related

Rare Skyrim Items That Shouldn't Return in The Elder Scrolls 6

Some Artifacts in Skyrim reflect the player's unique experiences in the game, which is why these items shouldn't appear in The Elder Scrolls 6.

Why The Elder Scrolls Should Outsource Developers

The Elder Scrolls Needs A New Vegas

It is not entirely uncommon for studios to outsource sequels. BioWare's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic had a sequel developed by Obsidian, the same developers of Fallout: New Vegas. Even the Call of Duty franchise often alternates developers with each release. It is this staggered release schedule that allows for more games to come out in a reasonable time frame. Of course, not every game needs to be as extreme as having a yearly release, but sooner than every ten to fifteen years would be appreciated.

Not only does the "New Vegas" model of the game allow for more reasonable release schedules, but it also creates an opportunity for different voices to work with the material. Obsidian managed to embody the essence of Fallout 1 and 2 in a way that Fallout 3 hadn't while still building upon what Bethesda accomplished. The result was a unique game that stood the test of time. The writing and design elements of New Vegas could only have been done by Obsidian, and it would be interesting to see another developer attempt something similar with The Elder Scrolls.

What A Non-Bethesda Elder Scrolls Can Be

With so many great developers today, there are seemingly endless options for studios to take on The Elder Scrolls. Some developers that could have an interesting take on the franchise could be:

• Larian Studios
• CD Projekt Red
• Blizzard
• Obsidian

Now that Xbox owns Activision Blizzard and ZeniMax Media, there is ample opportunity for collaboration between great RPG developers. Bethesda and Obsidian are under the same roof, so to speak, as is Blizzard. Seeing either of these studios take on the world of The Elder Scrolls could certainly be special.

Other interesting alternatives could be CD Projekt Red, developer of The Witcher series and Cyperpunk 2077, as well as Larian Studios, the developer behind Baldurs Gate 3. Each of these studios has a very different take on RPGs, but each of their unique styles could potentially do well in the Elder Scrolls universe. Although it may be too late to see an "in-between" Elder Scrolls game before The Elder Scrolls 6, perhaps in the future the series will consider doing so.

The Elder Scrolls 6

Franchise

The Elder Scrolls

Platform(s)

PC , Xbox (Original)

Developer(s)

Bethesda Game Studios

Publisher(s)

Bethesda Softworks

Genre(s)

RPG