The Unveiling of Elder Scrolls 6: Insights from a Former Bethesda Developer
Discover the intriguing reasons behind the early announcement of Elder Scrolls 6! Gain insight from a former Bethesda developer on why the highly anticipated game was unveiled in 2018, despite being in its early stages of development
Highlights
The only reason why The Elder Scrolls 6 was announced early was due to constant fan demand for a sequel to the immensely popular Skyrim.
Bruce Nesmith, a former Lead Designer for Skyrim, acknowledges that the decision to announce TES 6 prematurely was a misstep. Nesmith believes that game details should only be disclosed approximately six months ahead of the release date. In a recent revelation, the ex-Bethesda developer disclosed that the early announcement was driven solely by the incessant demands from fans. This demand can be attributed to the tremendous success of its predecessor, Skyrim, which sold over 60 million copies in a span of 12 years. Naturally, the anticipation for a sequel was high among fans, hence the eagerness to acquire more information.
The Elder Scrolls 6 was initially revealed at E3 in 2018. However, it has only recently entered the early stages of development. Some fans and Bruce Nesmith, the Lead Designer for Skyrim, believe that Bethesda made a premature announcement due to fan demand. Nesmith and Todd Howard share the opinion that the gaming industry has a short memory, and it is more effective to start sharing information about a new title approximately six months before its release, as they did with Fallout 4. Nesmith also hinted that Bethesda may hold back on revealing much about TES 6 until shortly before its release, keeping most of the details under wraps.
During the interview, Nesmith mentioned the possibility of incorporating various features from Skyrim into TES 6. Despite his departure from Bethesda, Nesmith expects The Elder Scrolls 6 to adopt a similar leveling system to that of Skyrim. He also suggested that his influence will be evident in the magic system of the game, as the team is likely to build upon his previous work in Skyrim. However, since TES 6 is still several years away, the exact mechanics of the game remain unknown until the official reveal takes place.
Bethesda has recently revealed that Fallout 5 will be their upcoming game following The Elder Scrolls 6. If the development of Fallout 5 takes a similar amount of time as Starfield or The Elder Scrolls 6, fans might have to wait until the 2030s for its release. This early announcement could potentially lead to frustration among fans. Additionally, it is worth mentioning that The Elder Scrolls 6 is currently in development.
