Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to finally release later this year, making it a whopping 12 years after the last game in the series. Meanwhile, fans of The Elder Scrolls have been waiting even longer, as it’s been 14 years since the last installment. With game development cycles stretching out, it begs the question: Is this pace healthy and sustainable for developers and their beloved franchises?
Bethesda long ago settled into a pattern where game development takes quite a while. Back in 2011, the five-year wait between Oblivion and Skyrim felt extensive compared to the two to three-year norm. Yet, with The Elder Scrolls 6 still not out, this stretch feels even more unusual, especially when compared to GTA 6’s similarly lengthy journey.
Unless delayed, Rockstar’s next big release is expected to make waves in 2025, with a rumored price tag of $100. Known for being an industry game-changer, Rockstar has led some publishers to rearrange their release timetables to steer clear of their launch period. However, this likely won’t be a major concern for Bethesda.
Trying to predict a release date for The Elder Scrolls 6 feels like guesswork at best. The teaser Bethesda released in 2018, seven years after Skyrim, was the only tidbit offered before the silence that followed. Optimistically, fans speculate the game might arrive in 2026, but given Bethesda’s quietness, even that seems uncertain.
Bethesda hasn’t been twiddling its thumbs, though. They launched Fallout 4 in 2015, refreshed Skyrim with a Special Edition in 2016, released Fallout 76 in 2018, and most recently pushed out Starfield in 2023. But a concerning trend is evident with these gaps.
Spin-offs and re-releases consume some development bandwidth, slowing the main series advances. Even absent these, the time between major releases keeps growing: two years from Oblivion to Fallout 3, four years from Skyrim to Fallout 4, and eight years to arrive at Starfield, not forgetting the detour for Fallout 76.
Bethesda’s size allows for juggling multiple projects at once, and it’s reasonable to assume The Elder Scrolls 6 has been in some stage of development for a while, as showcased in promotional content. However, full attention likely only shifted to it after Starfield wrapped up development.
This shift presents another challenge for The Elder Scrolls 6. Starfield faced delays and eventually released in 2023 amid mixed reactions that sparked discussions about Bethesda’s design choices. This would certainly prompt the developer to reconsider what The Elder Scrolls 6 needs to achieve, potentially pushing its timeline further out.
Hence, waiting for The Elder Scrolls 6 feels like a catch-22. Releasing it sooner would mean a shorter wait, but taking extra time could result in a finer product. Yet, as time drags on, fan expectations only soar higher. Regardless of the timing, what’s clear is that toppling Skyrim’s enduring legacy is a daunting task demanding a significant amount of effort from Bethesda.
