Pete Hines doesn’t think we’re close to hearing about the next Elder Scrolls game.
In less than three months, Skyrim will celebrate its fourth anniversary. Fourth anniversary! Sometimes it’s hard to believe that this groundbreaking game launched so long ago. Legions of hungry fans still play the game religiously, traveling from Riften to Solitude and all points between, seeking adventure and finding it. The world of Skyrim is imaginary, but it’s a world we all know and love.
Despite our love for Skyrim and its people and places, fans are anxiously awaiting the next installment of The Elder Scrolls series. In an industry where profits trump vision more often than not, it seems only natural that Bethesda would launch a Skyrim sequel as quickly as possible to cash-in on the game’s success. Thankfully, Bethesda isn’t that type of company. You can’t rush art, and The Elder Scrolls VI will be here when it’s ready.
But when?
Release Date News
As we all know, team Bethesda is very tight lipped when it comes to sharing news on developing projects, but earlier this week VP of Marketing Pete Hines shared some information regarding a Skyrim sequel with DualShockers.
In short — we’re in for a long wait.
In what may be disappointing news for Skyrim fans, Bethesda focuses on one game at a time, and for now that game is Fallout 4. According to DualShockers:
Hines mentioned that he doesn’t think we’re close to hearing about the next Elder Scrolls. Currently Bethesda is working on Fallout 4, and that takes the entire studio, which is 100% focused on it… Hines believes that it’ll be a “very long time,” before the team will talk about what they’ll be working on after Fallout 4.
Pete Hines wearing a Fallout 3 T-shirt in front of a Skyrim building.
Release Date Best Guess
So what’s a “very long time?” Using past history as an example, our best guess for a Skyrim sequel isn’t until late 2019. Consider this:
November 11, 2011:Skyrim launches.
April 15, 2013:Bethesda announces they’ve stopped working on Skyrim to focus on Fallout 4: “Parts of our team have also been in pre-production on our next major project, and that game is at the point where it requires the studio’s full attention to make it our biggest and best work yet.”
November 10, 2015:Fallout 4 launches.
From Skyrim’s launch to Fallout 4 it’s taken 4 years. Assuming Bethesda is truly 100% focused on Fallout 4 (as Hines tells us they are) it’s not unreasonable to believe that it’ll take the same amount of time before The Elder Scrolls VI is here.
A 2019 Skyrim sequel release is pure speculation at best, and I for one would be thrilled to be proven wrong. Wishful thinking says the game will launch much quicker than that, but unless Bethesda hires more staff or changes their focus earlier than they did with Skyrim, 2019 sounds plausible.
But what do you think? Am I crazier than an Orc freebasing skooma, or does 2019 make sense. When do you believe The Elder Scrolls VI will launch and why? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below.
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Shane Scarbrough
Shane Scarbrough is the founder of the Skyrim Fansite. He's a business owner, video game journalist, and role playing game aficionado. When he's not working he enjoys reading, writing, and playing video games. He's currently on his third playthrough of Skyrim, and is playing as a Templar in The Elder Scrolls Online. You can find Shane on Google+ and FaceBook.
It might take a bit more than 2019 for a sequel because I believe the game is likely to take place on multiple provinces on Tamriel.Another reason is Bethesda game studios did not grow much since Skyrim (hope it grows fast in time!) Bethesda released skyrim after working(heavily focusing) on it for almost 3 years(they worked very less after oblivion and before fallout 3) and yet skyrim initially had many problems(but it was still a great game and is now).Fallout 4 will be released this November 10th,so the studio worked on it for 4 years(Bethesda worked very less on it after fallout 3 and before skyrim.Fallout 4 was in almost heavy development during the development of skyrim dlc’s but was completely heavily focused for almost two years after the release of Dragonborn dlc pack) and yet many people aren’t satisfied with fallout 4’s graphics and some animation systems.If the sixth Elder Scrolls game exists we know that this game won’t just be a game but is going to be a masterpiece! But for that we have to wait for a while because we don’t know how much time bethesda will spent on fallout 4 dlc’s(if they exists).The third elder scrolls game probably worths even more development time and effort from skyrim and fallout 4, since we want the game to be even unique than all other rpg’s. Skyrim would have been much more better if bethesda worked on it for a bit longer. I am a huge fan of skyrim and is anxious for it’s sequel and can wait till the last of 2020 .I want Bethesda to take their time and make their best Elder Scrolls game ever!!
Thanks for your comment, Elderknight. You make some excellent points, and the release may indeed take longer than 2019. Multiple-provinces? I like it!
Dr. Eagle Talon
9 years ago
It would be good to point out Elder Knight that Elder Scrolls VI: (?) will not be the third game, it’s the fifth. You must be only including Oblivion and Skyrim. Arena and Daggerfall are excellent Elder Scrolls Games as well. And are 1 and 2 in the series respectively. Shane, you have excellent writing and really enjoyed the piece. I also play a Templar on ESO. I also have a Guild, successful, large, and community oriented. Please contact me in game @DrEagleTalon and we can play.
Thanks for your comment, Dr. — really appreciate your kind words. I’ll contact you in-game soon.
Jamres Dunmore
8 years ago
I think Bethesda will announce The Elder Scrolls 6 in 2018 at E3 with a release date of March 25th 2019, the reason I think for the release date is that is the 25th anniversary of The Elder Scrolls Arena.
KingGaming
2 years ago
This discussion is very sad… Shall we say 2025?
DeWayne
9 years ago
Don’t you mean 2021 for any follow ups to Skyrim. Bethesda has a very different vesion of timed when releasing games and then dragging their feet to get it out for consoles versions !!!
It might take a bit more than 2019 for a sequel because I believe the game is likely to take place on multiple provinces on Tamriel.Another reason is Bethesda game studios did not grow much since Skyrim (hope it grows fast in time!) Bethesda released skyrim after working(heavily focusing) on it for almost 3 years(they worked very less after oblivion and before fallout 3) and yet skyrim initially had many problems(but it was still a great game and is now).Fallout 4 will be released this November 10th,so the studio worked on it for 4 years(Bethesda worked very less on it after fallout 3 and before skyrim.Fallout 4 was in almost heavy development during the development of skyrim dlc’s but was completely heavily focused for almost two years after the release of Dragonborn dlc pack) and yet many people aren’t satisfied with fallout 4’s graphics and some animation systems.If the sixth Elder Scrolls game exists we know that this game won’t just be a game but is going to be a masterpiece! But for that we have to wait for a while because we don’t know how much time bethesda will spent on fallout 4 dlc’s(if they exists).The third elder scrolls game probably worths even more development time and effort from skyrim and fallout 4, since we want the game to be even unique than all other rpg’s. Skyrim would have been much more better if bethesda worked on it for a bit longer. I am a huge fan of skyrim and is anxious for it’s sequel and can wait till the last of 2020 .I want Bethesda to take their time and make their best Elder Scrolls game ever!!
Thanks for your comment, Elderknight. You make some excellent points, and the release may indeed take longer than 2019. Multiple-provinces? I like it!
It would be good to point out Elder Knight that Elder Scrolls VI: (?) will not be the third game, it’s the fifth. You must be only including Oblivion and Skyrim. Arena and Daggerfall are excellent Elder Scrolls Games as well. And are 1 and 2 in the series respectively. Shane, you have excellent writing and really enjoyed the piece. I also play a Templar on ESO. I also have a Guild, successful, large, and community oriented. Please contact me in game @DrEagleTalon and we can play.
Thanks for your comment, Dr. — really appreciate your kind words. I’ll contact you in-game soon.
I think Bethesda will announce The Elder Scrolls 6 in 2018 at E3 with a release date of March 25th 2019, the reason I think for the release date is that is the 25th anniversary of The Elder Scrolls Arena.
This discussion is very sad… Shall we say 2025?
Don’t you mean 2021 for any follow ups to Skyrim. Bethesda has a very different vesion of timed when releasing games and then dragging their feet to get it out for consoles versions !!!