Without a doubt, The Elder Scrolls and Fallout are some of the biggest franchises owned by Bethesda and is practically the company's flagships. However, recent years have dedicated more to the latter than it has the former, disregarding the various ports and remasters of Skyrim. 2011 saw its release, whereas 2015 received Fallout 4 and 2018 received Fallout 76. Now, the latter did grow out of a multiplayer idea for FO4, but the relationship there is a peculiar one, whereas the relationship between Skyrim and the Elder Scrolls 6 is a boisterous one.
Looking forward, The Elder Scrolls 6 is in development but was announced incredibly early, likely to offset confusion cause by the Fallout 76 announcement. However, Fallout 5 will also likely happen but is the child of a now-altogether different beast. In fact, this relationship between Skyrim-ES6 and Fallout 76-Fallout 5 is incredibly similar but bodes well for the former and ill for the latter.
From Skyrim to The Elder Scrolls 6
When Skyrim first released, GameStops and retail stores the world over were packed for midnight releases. Fans were excited to get their hands on the follow-up to Morrowind and Oblivion, and it's clear that it blew all expectations. Skyrim is often used as a benchmark for contemporary RPGs in its treatment of a main story and diverging questlines, it has been the source of hundreds (if not thousands) of memes, it still has a solid following to this day, it has players who still have not searched every nook and cranny, and it has cemented its place in gaming history. When people think of Bethesda, Skyrim may just be their go-to.
And to be honest, that's daunting. It'll be hard for The Elder Scrolls 6 to live up to Skyrim, which may be part of the reason that a decade or more is likely to pass before it sees the light of day. At the same time, stores may no longer be packed, but fans will no doubt be ready to download the game as soon as the time comes. The Elder Scrolls 6 practically sells itself because it is Skyrim's child; it would almost need to be something incredibly drastic for it not to.
Actual reception, of course, remains to be seen, but on the chance it is indeed a flop (such is the case with all big titles), it'll likely retain followers who enjoy it on next-gen systems. As such, The Elder Scrolls 6's secret weapon is that it cannot genuinely fail. "The Elder Scrolls 6: The Long Awaited Sequel to Bethesda's award-winning Skyrim" may appear everywhere and is more than it needs to find its following. Still, it cold flop, it could live in Skyrim's shadow, but it cannot fail."
From Fallout 76 to Fallout 5
Earlier, the caveat to The Elder Scrolls 6's success was an announcement that drastically changed its identity; indeed, this is a mistake not likely to be repeated after Fallout 76. The game's announcement that it was only multiplayer only and had no NPCs shook the industry, with fans up in arms unwilling to even try the game. Fallout 76 has come a long way since those days, perhaps to something that many could even enjoy, but the damage is there. The damage is done.
Whereas being a successor to the highly beloved Skyrim bodes well for the Elder Scrolls 6, regardless of what may come, being the successor to Fallout 76 means a potential Fallout 5 may launch to an entirely different atmosphere. Now, it's worth mentioning that Todd Howard has already stated a Fallout 5 would be a single-player experience, that Fallout 76 was a worthwhile experiment, and that Bethesda could have done better with it from the get-go. But those words may be long forgotten when the game arrives.
What won't be forgotten is Fallout 76 itself; despite being in a much better state today, there are many who may be devoted to being contrarian to all things Bethesda. Fallout 5 has to be a hit as a result. It has to be big, as it does not have the luxury of being The Elder Scrolls 6. It is not following a majorly successive title but one that divided its fanbase. If it's anything less than Fallout 3 or Fallout 4, fans will not forget, and those even willing to give it a chance may instead wait and see how it plays out. There's no packing into stores, waiting for that download, or immediately guaranteed success, at least for those who feel burned by Fallout 76.
Either way, this all remains to be seen. It would be nice to see, regardless of the contextual situation, Bethesda knock both The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5 out of the park.
The Elder Scrolls 6 is in development.