The Elder Scrolls VI—much like its elusive cousin, Grand Theft Auto VI—remains shrouded in mystery, leaving fans perpetually starved for information. So, it’s perhaps unsurprising that the community has seized upon any scrap of news, even a character creation competition, to fuel release date speculation.
Bethesda recently announced its latest Make-A-Wish project: a chance to collaborate with Bethesda Game Studios to design an NPC for The Elder Scrolls VI. The proceeds from the auction will directly benefit Make-A-Wish, supporting children battling life-threatening illnesses. While a noble cause, this initiative has ignited a firestorm of speculation among eager fans.
The community is drawing parallels between this Make-A-Wish project and a similar one Bethesda ran for Starfield. The theory? The timing of these announcements might reveal The Elder Scrolls VI’s development stage and, by extension, its release date.
Reddit user "FartingSlowly" noted that Bethesda's Starfield character creation contest was announced approximately two and a half years before the game's September 2023 release. Based on this, they predict a September 27, 2027, release for The Elder Scrolls VI. However, they readily admit this is far from a definitive indicator.
This prediction has been met with skepticism. Some point out that Starfield's Make-A-Wish announcement coincided with its then-projected November 11, 2022, release date, suggesting a potential November 2026 launch for The Elder Scrolls VI instead.
AnswerSee ResultsIt’s been a considerable wait since Bethesda’s January 2018 announcement of The Elder Scrolls VI. In fact, by June 2024, the game’s announcement was as old as Skyrim was when the announcement was made. Bethesda confirmed The Elder Scrolls VI entered "early development" in August 2023, with "early builds" available by March 2024. Even Bethesda’s Todd Howard acknowledged the lengthy wait.
Initial speculation pointed towards a 2028 release at the earliest, possibly coinciding with the next generation of consoles. If this proves true, it would mark an incredible 17-year gap since Skyrim's release. Until then, we eagerly await further news. In the meantime, you can find more information in our comprehensive overview: Everything we know about The Elder Scrolls 6.