The Epic Evolution of Bethesda's Gaming Universe: Fallout 5 and The Elder Scrolls 6 on Collision Course!

Highlights

Starfield's commercial success has given Bethesda a new lease of life, which is important as it moves toward The Elder Scrolls 6.

The pre-production phase of The Elder Scrolls 6 has recently concluded, signifying its early stage of development. With games like Starfield known for their lengthy development cycles, fans might need to exercise patience and wait for up to five years before The Elder Scrolls 6 hits the market. Consequently, the release of Fallout 5 could potentially be further postponed.

Starfield, despite its divisive reception, proved to be the success that both Bethesda and Xbox needed. While some fans criticized aspects such as the excessive loading screens, poor enemy AI, and slow start, the game still performed well commercially, receiving mostly mixed reviews rather than outright negative ones. Bethesda, rejuvenated by this positive response, now looks to the future with their confirmed next project, The Elder Scrolls 6.

Announced over five years ago in June 2018, The Elder Scrolls 6 has recently completed its pre-production phase, marking a significant milestone for fans of the franchise. However, for those who favor Bethesda's Fallout series, this confirmation may bring a bittersweet feeling, as it suggests that Fallout 5 is still far from being released.

How Elder Scrolls 6's Development Is Going to Effect Fallout 5

The development of The Elder Scrolls 6 will have a significant impact on Fallout 5, particularly in terms of its development timeline and eventual release. Bethesda, the studio behind both games, has likely focused most of its resources on Starfield rather than The Elder Scrolls 6. Pete Hines, the senior vice president of marketing at Bethesda, recently confirmed that The Elder Scrolls 6 has completed its pre-production phase and has now entered early development. While the exact details of its progress are unknown, it is safe to assume that the game is just beginning to take shape. This suggests that Bethesda has only established a basic outline for the game's story, gameplay, and characters. It is worth noting that Starfield, a previous project by Bethesda, took eight years to develop, with three years dedicated to pre-production. It entered full development after the release of Fallout 76 in 2018 and took another five years to be released. Therefore, it is possible that Elder Scrolls fans will have to wait for quite some time before the next installment is available.

The Elder Scrolls 6, although not an entirely new IP, poses a significant challenge for Bethesda. Despite having some existing groundwork, the developer has a lot riding on this project. Bethesda is likely to take their time to ensure that The Elder Scrolls 6 meets expectations, which means fans may have to wait up to five years before it is released.

Unfortunately, this also means a substantial delay for fans eagerly anticipating Fallout 5. Todd Howard confirmed back in June 2022 that Fallout 5 would be Bethesda's next game after The Elder Scrolls 6. Considering that The Elder Scrolls 6 won't be out until around 2028, and Fallout 5 will likely have a similar development period, fans may have to wait until the early 2030s at the earliest to play it. Todd Howard has only mentioned having one page of ideas for Fallout 5, and with multiple major projects ahead, the next installment in the Fallout franchise won't be released for quite some time.

The Elder Scrolls 6 is in development.