The Elder Scrolls 6 is set to be a massive title, with fans having waited well over a decade for the last mainline release for the franchise. While little information is available for the game, there are some official sources that fans can take from to theorize major details such as its setting.
Of course, The Elder Scrolls 6 will have to exceed the expectations set by previous entries to the franchise if it is to be successful. Despite this, it would be remiss for Bethesda to not look towards even the earliest franchise entries in its approach to TES 6. Given the dominant theories surrounding The Elder Scrolls 6's setting, the best title that Bethesda could take lessons from is perhaps The Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey.
The Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey and The Elder Scrolls 6
The Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey is one of the least-known franchise titles, being developed exclusively for the N-Gage in 2004. Despite this, the title holds one of the most unique settings in the IP, focusing extensively on the region of Hammerfell. While other titles such as Daggerfall have also explored the region in part, Shadowkey offers the most detailed glimpse of the region.
Hammerfell holds relevance to The Elder Scrolls 6 as it is the front-runner for the title's setting in the eyes of many fans. This primarily comes from the 2018 reveal trailer for The Elder Scrolls 6, with many theorizing that the landscape of the video best matches up with the arid and mountainous Hammerfell. As one of the largest and culturally significant provinces in Tamriel, it is clear to see why fans are so sure that Hammerfell is TES 6's location of choice.
The Potential Lessons From The Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey
One of the largest takeaways that Bethesda can take from Shadowkey is its portrayal of Hammerfell's most important cities. For example, the northern city of Dragonstar features extensively in Shadowkey, being between the borders of High Rock and Skyrim as a geopolitically unstable settlement. This tension is smartly displayed within Shadowkey with Nordic forces controlling parts of the city, a factor that should be implemented in TES 6 to aid its world-building.
Although Hammerfell takes center stage within Shadowkey, the game allows the player to travel between other provinces such as Skyrim and High Rock as a part of its story. This variety in experience is something that 2011's Skyrim lacked, and could be shrewdly implemented to The Elder Scrolls 6. While these alternative locations should not detract from Hammerfell, having small portions of other locations in Tamriel that the player can travel to is a great lesson for TES 6 to consider.
In this frame of thought, TES 6 should also take a lesson from the variety behind the Hammerfell locations of Shadowkey. For example, Shadowkey features a subterranean settlement called Fearfrost that is home to passive goblins. This adds literal depth to the game-world of Shadowkey, and similar locations should appear in The Elder Scrolls 6 to further portray the range of species that are indigenous to the region.
Of course, Shadowkey is limited by its time of release and the hardware it was created for, yet the game still has a lot to offer. As the most comprehensive portrayal of Hammerfell within the IP, Shadowkey should play a huge role in informing how Bethesda builds-up the environment of TES 6 and makes it feel alive.
The Elder Scrolls 6 is currently in development.