Elder Scrolls 6 Is "still in a design phase", According To Bethesda's Todd Howard

Microsoft's Xbox Conference in collaboration with Bethesda was arguably the toast of E3 2021.

Yet whilst it might have given fans plenty of news about upcoming exclusives such as Starfield, Redfall, Forza Horizon 5, Halo Infinite. But it was also lacking in news about other titles we know are in production too.

Where was Perfect Dark or Fable and for Bethesda fans, how come there was no news on Elder Scrolls 6?

Apparently, we now know why the next adventure in Tamriel was missing from the event, thanks to a new interview with Bethesda’s Todd Howard.

According to Howard, speaking with The Telegraph [Via VGC], Elder Scrolls 6 is still in the very early planning stages. So if you're hoping for a release date anytime soon, you'll be waiting some time.

One positive from the conversation appears to be that the existing work going into Starfield - scheduled for release in November 2022 - to will assist Elder Scrolls 6 in the long run, as both games will utilise the companies new Creation Engine.

Here's the full quote:

“The [new Starfield] technology, Creation Engine 2, is sort of built for both. It’s like a new tech base. The vast majority of our development development work is on Starfield right now but everybody works on everything so the projects kind of intertwine.

"It’s good to think of The Elder Scrolls 6 as still being in a design [phase]… but we’re checking the tech: 'Is this going to handle the things we want to do in that game?' Every game will have some new suites of technology so Elder Scrolls 6 will have some additions on to Creation Engine 2 that that game is going to require.”

Back in March when Xbox acquired Bethesda, Howard appeared to suggest that the new Creation Engine would be the companies largest engine overhaul since Oblivion, which released in 2006.

With each new console cycle, we evolved together. From bringing mods to consoles with Fallout 4, now over a billion downloads, to the latest technologies fueling Xbox Series X/S. These new systems are optimized for the vast worlds we love to create, with generational leaps not just in graphics, but CPU and data streaming as well. It’s led to our largest engine overhaul since Oblivion, with all new technologies powering our first new IP in 25 years, Starfield, as well as The Elder Scrolls VI.

So it sounds like we're going to be waiting quite sometime before we see, let alone play, Elder Scrolls 6. But when it does arrive, it's likely going to be spectacular.