The Elder Scrolls 6 Announcement Trailer is Officially Five Years Old

We're probably going to see Skyblivion and Skywind release before TES6...

When they first dropped the trailer, my coworker said it would be out within the year because “why would they show it if it wasn’t ready?”. I bet him $100 if it released by next summer, and $20 for me every year it didn’t release. I don’t work with him anymore and it wasn’t a fair bet anyway, but I always think fondly of that when TES6 release comes up

Just send it to collections.

Honestly with how shit Bethesda has been, and my low opinion of Skyrim compared to the earlier Elder Scrolls games, i'm not that excited. Like all AAA games nowadays its gonna be a buggy and unplayable mess. And once it gets fixed, people will realize it wasnt even a good game in the first place.

I came in on Oblivion and loved it. For as much of a mess as Skyrim was, I enjoyed it. I've found it very, very hard to go back and play Morrowind (or earlier games) as a newcomer without a pair nostalgia goggles. I agree, like all Bethesda releases, it will be a buggy mess. But I'm still looking forward to it. I just want another entry in the series to get lost in, but that's probably just my depression and me looking back at more than a decade ago with my own nostalgia goggles.
- I never cared for RPGs growing up but when KotOR came out when I was in college I was immediately hooked! My next serious dip into the RPG pool was Oblivion and I loved it!
  Skyrim, for how much it improved on Oblivion didn't capture me the same way. Despite it red-ringing my 360 the seemingly endless random dragon attacks made me outright quit the game. It wasn't until last year I gave it another shot on XBone with the anniversary edition and even then it wasn't as enthralling as everyone makes it out to be
Been in and out of the gaming community, so explain like I'm five; Do you think it is because the work they put into the Fallout franchise?
- Fallout has also been an absolute mess for a while. Fallout 4 and 76 were terrible games, and I personally dislike the new direction of the Bethesda games.
- I don't think im qualified or knowledgeable enough to say why their games have been really bad, I can only give my opinion that they are. And because of that, I probably wont be coming back to buy their stuff.

For all the complaints over the years (from myself included), there are very few options for games like Elder Scrolls main games.

These kinds of games are extremly difficult to build. Skyrim still does things I haven't seen any game other than Fallout 4 do since.
- What things would that be? Im trying to think of something that hasnt been replicated / improved in another game, but I am drawing a blank personally.
I would like to have it explained to me by someone au fait with GameDev as to what's stopping a smaller studio going after something with the scope of Morrowind or Oblivion.
Bethesda are so blessed to have their own unique niche that's so stupidly popular.
- Just piles and piles and piles of work. Imagine all the trees, grass, rocks, terrain, buildings, props - and then character and creature models, animations, sounds, writing it goes on and on!

Not really that surprising that we haven't gotten much (if anything) new since. It was pretty clear that the trailer was basically just a statement of "we plan on this being a thing that exists at some point". IIRC, we knew that it was extremely early in development and that Starfield would come first.

As a side note: I remember people theorising that it would be subtitled Redfall, since Bethesda had trademarked the name around the same time.

As a side note: I remember people theorising that it would be subtitled Redfall, since Bethesda had trademarked the name around the same time.
I also remember Todd later saying in an interview, after lot's of speculation, that they had no idea yet for the game, basically debunking any speculation as just that.
I also thought the rumor was on trademarking "The Elder Scrolls: Redguard" or something, which is easily explained as just an old spin-off from 1998 that they likely had to settle some stuff for. Besides, all game titles have been prime location. I think the word "Redfall" was a different rumour than the trademark one.
An old Twitter post suggested Highrock which also matched the trailers look. However, the next ESO chapter became Highrock and they never went back in a main game before, obviously ignoring Arena. So it may have just been about that. An apperantly leaked internal note spoke of project Greenwood, possibly setting it in Valenwood (second most rumoured place) but that is alleged.
In the end, Bethesda still has us talking and speculating, and has me writing 4 paragraphs, with just releasing one shitty 5 year old trailer. And that while, as I said at the start, pretty all rumours where debunked as "we don't know yet". Damn they got me. They still got me...

Bethesda really has no incentive to actually make TES6 so long as they have healthy subscribers for TES Online, I’m not surprised at all the game has likely been put on ice until the next generation.

Fortunately Starfield looks amazing and will hopefully fill that void for most of us who want a single player experience.

I don't buy this. TES Online and actual TES games are so fundamentally different that they do not have the same audience. There are probably millions of people who will buy TES6 but have no interest in playing an MMORPG.
- ESO's story arcs, despite being within an MMORPG, can be played single player if one is feeling particularly antisocial. There's a ton of story quests since the game has been out for a decade now that you could probably fit the entirety (content hours wise) of the Morrowind/Oblivion/Skyrim quest lines into it. Probably why the game is like 100 GB lol.
  Of course, as an MMO, the storyline is constrained a bit (your choices functionally don't really matter too much) since the game world can't change drastically, so you won't have an Imperial/Stormcloak type showdown that forever altered the landscape.
  Still, ESO scratches the Morrowind itch, especially their latest Necrom expansion.
  There's also Tamriel Rebuilt (Morrowind mod) that also has Necrom, but I haven't had a chance to check what they've done recently. (Last time I installed it, Firewatch was the farthest east they've gone but that was a long time ago).
- In any case I'd imagine TES 6 would only serve to strengthen TES online and the entire TES franchise, so I don't think that's any reason for them not to make it.
- Plus, if TESO is even a thing, it's because Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim paved the way by creating an interesting lore and gathering an audience. TES6 adds up for TESO, rather than resting from it.
You definitely haven't played ESO

Honestly, the amount of time it takes AAA titles like this to launch is crazy. Buuut if that's the price we pay for getting a finished, somewhat bug free experience, then so be it. I'd rather that that crunch leading to burnout and a product that gets rushed out to appease shareholders (stares in 2077).

Expecting a somewhat bug free experience from Bethesda... also, while games take long nowadays, 12 years isn't a normal amount. Nor is announcing 5 years prior then never speaking of it again... Pretty sure we're past the "modern games take a lot of time to develop" stage by now.
- I highly doubt they've been working on it since Skyrim.
- That's true. Skyrim is like 4 editions in and still has bugs. I definitely don't expect something flawless from Bethesda but I guess I'd still rather wait than it be horrible or put undue stress on the people working on it.
  I would definitely agree that announcing it and then going radio silent isn't the way to go. At least give some kind of update as to the progress.
I would agree, if that's actually what's happening.
However, looking at how the gaming industry does things… I think it's more likely that it takes so long because the game has either been put on ice or they have a completely understaffed team working on it slowing, development to a crawl. And then, once the company suddenly decides they want to release it, they're going to force crunch time, anyway.
I'd be very happy if my suspicions turn out wrong, but…
- Yeah... I'm trying to remain somewhat optimistic but in all likelihood you're right.
I'm not sure what to expect at this point. I would hope it's very well polished. But it is Bethesda. So who knows. Haha.
- It can't be worse than FO76? Maybe?

Rock and a hard place. They were 7ish years from their last elder scrolls release, and knew they had at least 7 (probably) for the next one. Their poor planning caused it, but the fans were so loud that they had to do something.
And what an underwhelming something. Studio could have started work on ES6 shortly after Skyrim and had another amazing game out by now, but dawdled. They were at their peak, they could have doubled the number of teams and pumped out fallout and es every other year. But they wasted their opportunity.

That was such a weird thing to do, considering that Starfield isnt even out yet.

My guess it that TES6 won't be out for a good 6-7 years more.

Considering that for years Bethesda couldn't fart without their fans asking "Where is ES6? Just let us know ES6 exists!", I'm not too surprised. They rushed a teaser just to shut people up, but in the process set themselves up for years more of "Show us more ES6!"
Peak Bethesda for me was announcing Fallout 4 six months before release date. None of this 10+ years to build up hype that the game can't live up to.

I mean you got at least 5 remakes of Skyrim, what do you want
- We're probably still a few more special edition releases away from hearing a launch date

I just realised the other day, that with the common definition that retro is older than the last two generations, Skyrim's original release is retro as it was a PS3 game originally....

Arena released in 1994.
Daggerfall 2 years later in 1996.
Morrowind in 2002, 6 years later.
Then Oblivion came in 2006, 4 years.
Skyrim was 2011, 5 years.
Now 12 years later, all we got is a 5 year old trailer and Todd once telling us they where still thinking aboht the setting.
Just let that sink in...

Elder Scrolls Online must still be generating a decent amount of income.
- But that's made by Zenimax Online. Outside of Bethesda handing over lore to use, they have nothing to do with that...
  Point is more about how long Todd has just sat there by now living of Skyrim's fame and rereleases...
Not only is it 12 years later, but when the game does finally come out it's going to be the usual Bethesda bugfest. And I'm sure that'll be left to modders to patch, as is tradition.
But because it's Bethesda, most people will eat it up.
- Honestly for Skyrim I ate up the world building, lore, and freedom. And for that and the modding capabilities I have thousands of hours in the game. The questlines where fun enough, but the sidequests where meh and the gameplay too simplefied compared to previous games. I'd expect the next one to get even worse in that.

Talk about jumping the gun with that announcement. I'll honestly be a bit surprised if we see the game this decade.

It's the same situation as with Metroid Prime 4. It's more to just confirm people that "yes we will make it at some point so stop fing asking. Buy Skyrim for the 5th time while you wait"

When it actually releases I'm sure there will be tons of articles and news that it was rushed and is unfinished

Tbf that's because it'll be rushed and unfinished.

Oh man. That just feels like yesterday. Still haven’t found any game that’s close to Skyrim. Only game I can think of that similar yet different in its own unique way that I absolutely love is Dragons Dogma. Can’t wait for Capcom to show more of DD2 on Monday!!

Yeah, it's strange to think that even outside of Bethesda no one has really been able to come close to replicating the gaming experience you get with Skyrim. I still end up booting it up now and then when I'm in the mood because if I want that style of game that's all there really is (not including Morrowind/Oblivion of course).
- I agree. I will boot up the game once in a while to scratch that itch and then stop. I do the same with FO4 for some reason. I don't know why but I am hoping they tease ES6 at the showcase. Extremely slim to none of a chance
I thought Kingdom Come: Deliverance came pretty close to delivering that "Bethesda-style" immersive RPG experience.
- Interesting. Never really tried that game. Does it have fantasy elements and magic?

.... I'm starting to feel old. Was that really 5 years ago? The pandemic really screwed with my sense of time...

The Pandemic Years just feels like a singular lump of time, somehow feeling like infinity and a singularity at the same time.

It was just an announcement. It is quite normal for huge AAA games to take more than 5 years to develop. Bethesda was and probably is not in full time production for TES 6. But sure time flies very fast and feel old now...

Let's be honest here, it's not even in full production yet, not until Bethesda releases Starfield.
- I'm sure Starfield will release in a broken state and require at least a year of patching to be mostly playable, so we'll also have to factor that development time in as well.

This seems on brand for elder scrolls

Very much so. Question I wanted answered is; How much progress have they made in those five years? If Starfield has taken 90% of the studio's resources, then it'd essentially mean that they've started working on TES6 in earnest not too long ago. So maybe we'll see it in 5 more years? The thought saddens me.

Coincidentally, Metroid Prime 4 announcement trailer is turning 5 on June 13th, although they did scrap everything and started over again. Let's just hope the games turns out great and the wait is worth it.

Xbox Games Showcase is on Sunday so hopefully we'll see new trailer or something

I doubt it. It will be years before we hear anything of it again
- Yeah, I don’t think they want to take any attention away from Starfield.
If there is it'll be a pre-rendered trailer like the one shown 5 years ago. They're way too busy on Starfield to have started any real work on TES6.

Every Article About The Elder Scrolls VI https://piped.video/watch?v=rfJHbGHs7U

Maybe by the time my son is old enough to play with me, lol

Is he born yet?
- I'm still in the "find a girlfriend" stage

It's okay. We'll get Skyrim for the PS6.

This trailer will be able to vote before the game releases.

With all the recent big releases crashing and burning lately I can't help but feel jaded by this. I guess we'll see how Starfield is at launch...

Yeah I’m really scared on how that will turn out. I want to believe in Bethesda but I can’t after all those releases…

And starfield hasn’t even released yet cry at this rate the trailer will be as old as skyrim was at the time of the announcement before we get a release

That’s okay. Take your time, Bethesda, and give us an amazing TES6 whenever it’s ready.

Until then, to be fair, the modding community is still doing amazing things to TES5, so I’m okay to wait.

Considering how much time I hope to get out of Starfield, once that releases I won't mind the wait.

There was an announcement trailer? I tune all of it out until there's a release date, I didn't know a single thing about starfield until today. Looks rad, hopefully it delivers.

Agreed. Came to the thread to be upset about Skyrim slowness but am now just excited for Starfield.

That TES Online trailer trolled me so hard when I watched the showcase, I thought it was Elder Scrolls 6 and I just forgot that game existed.

What 💀

Feels bad man :(

It's normal. They announced they're working on the game. Making big games takes years.
That's how it goes.

We will get it one day sigh

Five years, eh? Maybe I’ll make some room and re-install/re-mod Skyrim at some point in the summer. Haven’t touched it in, like, two years, but I’ve been kinda missing it. Or maybe I could try ESO again.

Gotta sympathize with people who were watching the Elder Scrolls Online trailer during the direct, thinking it might have been ESVI.

I feel like I keep getting little Elder Scrolls releases in the form of mods made my incredible, passionate mod developers. I find it so fascinating and wonderful to see people who care so much about making great content that they'll do it for free and it often turns out better than some professional teams could do.

I've been replaying Skyrim to teach myself German, but I'm also using quite a few mods, such as Inigo and Helgen Reborn. I also have some that take me to other lands. Some mods just increase graphics or change gameplay mechanics a bit. There's just so many amazing things people have made, it really keeps things fresh.

It'll be cool when the next game comes out, sure, but for now I can keep supporting mod creators and having a blast finding new things :)

Oh yeah mods added an extra 100 hours to that game for me at least! Not to mention trying to fix load orders etc, a game of sorts unto itself!

So glad that other developers like Obsidian have stepped in to filled the Elder Scrolls and Fallout shaped holes in my chest

Something, something Metroid Prime 4 :(

At least Nintendo came out and said "we messed up already and need to try again" instead of "here's a shit game, gimme AAA price for it because title."