Fallout is the main attraction in Bethesda’s latest note to fans. From the announcement that Fallout 5 is in pre-production on Creation Engine 3 to remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas and a new Fallout from Obsidian, the future appears secure.
But what about The Elder Scrolls 6? Besides confirming that The Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios is working with Bethesda on the franchise, what’s the status of the long-awaited sequel? Well, even with all these other projects, it remains the studio’s “primary development focus today,” and it reaffirmed that “the majority of our team” is “currently working on the next chapter of the franchise.”
“With over 65 million copies sold, players are still exploring Skyrim 15 years later, but we know it’s been a very long wait for the sequel.” It then went on to assure that, “We’re where we planned to be, loving how it looks, and playing it every day.” So still no release date or even a release window more than eight years after its announcement, but hey, it’s still in the works.
That part about how the studio is “where we planned to be” is interesting, given concerns reported by current and former employees at Bethesda about development following layoffs. There were concerns about crunch and bringing on contractors unfamiliar with the Creation Engine, which could result in delays.
Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier previously reported that The Elder Scrolls 6 may be two or more years out from release. You have to wonder how Bethesda will get it across the finish line, lending even more credence to ZeniMax Online Studios serving as a support studio. Time will tell, as always, so stay tuned for updates.
