The Elder Scrolls 6 is one of the most hotly anticipated releases across the entire gaming industry, with over a decade having passed since the last mainline release for the popular RPG franchise. With this in mind, it is no wonder that there has long been a huge amount of conjecture over what kind of experience the title will provide upon its eventual launch.
While a lot of discourse has been held over things such as the potential setting of The Elder Scrolls 6, not much has been discussed regarding what kind of brand-new game mechanics the release will bring to the franchise. The likely ambition and scale of the title will surely foster some surprising new implements, and the rumored setting of the release may bring about mechanics akin to what the Ubisoft title Skull and Bones is attempting to curate.
The Rumored Setting of The Elder Scrolls 6
Each mainline installment of The Elder Scrolls franchise is usually typified by its setting, with games taking place largely within a single province of the fantastical continent of Tamriel. These settings are so important that installments to the IP are typically named after the provinces in which they are set, so it is no wonder that so much debate is already raging regarding what province The Elder Scrolls 6 will be set in.
The most dominant theory related to this sees many fans believe that The Elder Scrolls 6 will be set within the province of Hammerfell. This particular province has not had a focus in the franchise for some time, and possesses the relevant size and lore befitting of an expansive release such as The Elder Scrolls 6. Fans have also scoured the almost five-year-old announcement video for TES 6 when discussing the game's setting, with many believing that Hammerfell best matches the brief glimpse of landscape that the trailer portrayed.
The Elder Scrolls 6: Hammerfell and Skull and Bones
When thinking of what kinds of new mechanics a Hammerfell-set The Elder Scrolls 6 could introduce, the rich and sprawling coastline that the province boasts offers the most obvious answer. Mainline The Elder Scrolls titles can be said to lack a competent range of travel options, and the coast of Hammerfell could foster deep ship-sailing mechanics within The Elder Scrolls 6.
The coastal regions and cities of Hammerfell are known within The Elder Scrolls lore to have historically harbored pirates, with the prospect of a pirate guild or substory within TeS 6 being a fascinating one. This could be a serious focus for the title, which could attempt to recapture the piracy experience offered by the likes of 2013's Assassin's Creed Black Flag. Many titles have attempted to recapture audiences in the same way Black Flag did a decade ago, with the long-awaited upcoming Ubisoft project Skull and Bones being a testament to how there is still a clear desire for this kind of experience within the gaming sphere.
Skull and Bones began development as an iteration of Black Flag as early as 2013, but has been the subject of numerous development issues and delays ever since, now being tentatively slated for a release window of 2023-2024. The Elder Scrolls 6 could make its own case for capturing this kind of experience, with full-scale naval travel and combat being a huge departure from what fans have come to expect from the franchise. While it remains to be seen what kind of gameplay The Elder Scrolls 6 will eventually provide, it would be remiss for Bethesda to not capitalize on Hammerfell's nautical connotations and the wider desire for a pirate adventure within the gaming industry.
The Elder Scrolls 6 is currently in development.