When Starfield was released in September 2023, it attracted mostly positive attention from both players and critics alike. It was easy to initially praise Starfield's take on Bethesda's traditional formula, including its unique world and seemingly limitless exploration opportunities. However, as time has passed, the same happened with noticing and pointing out Starfield's shortcomings, especially as it was advertised to be a long-term experience rivaling that of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. Now, The Elder Scrolls 6 is the next big game in production by Bethesda, but it seems to already be off to a rough start due to Starfield's late average reception.

Despite likely being years away from completion and having almost nothing to show of itself so far, The Elder Scrolls 6 is already garnering criticism on account of Starfield's shortcomings. Some who have found Starfield to be an average experience are preemptively setting their expectations exceedingly low for The Elder Scrolls 6, but there are some compelling reasons as to why this is largely an unfair perspective on the next Elder Scrolls game and how it may negatively affect its development.

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Starfield Isn't Necessarily a Sign of What's to Come in The Elder Scrolls 6

Obviously, it's impossible to know the full extent of what The Elder Scrolls 6 will be like once it releases, as the game was only confirmed to have entered active production in 2023 after Starfield's launch. However, judging by past The Elder Scrolls titles, it's fairly safe to say that The Elder Scrolls 6 will be an entirely different game from Starfield. Starfield, for instance, is a Sci-Fi space exploration game, whereas The Elder Scrolls franchise is a fantasy series heavily influenced by the Middle Ages. With the two being so starkly different from one another, Starfield isn't necessarily a sign of what's to come in The Elder Scrolls 6.

Despite both games being unique experiences, Bethesda will more than likely be taking what it has learned from Starfield's performance and translating it over to The Elder Scrolls 6. Certain features, like Starfield's in-depth character customization and New Game Plus mode, may find their way over to The Elder Scrolls 6. Even if this does happen, however, The Elder Scrolls 6 will still be no more like its Sci-Fi predecessor than it was before. As such, perhaps The Elder Scrolls 6 shouldn't be preemptively criticized on account of Starfield's sins.

The Elder Scrolls 6 Shouldn't Be Preemptively Criticized for Starfield's Sins

Regardless of its initial reception, Starfield didn't rise to meet the expectations of a significant portion of its fan base in the long run. Many noted Starfield's neglect of iconic Bethesda features, along with what ultimately felt like an empty universe, despite possessing over 1,000 planets to explore. The game's host of planets eventually began to blend together, despite early marketing claims that each one was handcrafted and unique. Additionally, the game's story divided its audience, with some saying it was one of Bethesda's best, and others saying it was one of the developer's worst.

Starfield may have fallen short in several areas, but it was also a brand-new experience for Bethesda, and arguably their most ambitious game yet. In light of that, holding The Elder Scrolls 6 responsible for Starfield's shortcomings doesn't really make sense, as it is the next installment in a well-established franchise with roots that simply can't be abandoned, rather than being something entirely new like Starfield​​​​​​ was. In that case, the hope is that The Elder Scrolls 6 will thoroughly exceed expectations and prove itself to be set apart in the best ways from its Sci-Fi predecessor.

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