The Elder Scrolls 6 Release Date May Still Be Very Far Away

The Elder Scrolls 6 release date may still be very far away, despite being announced now over four years ago. When will the game get a release date? Well, right now, there's no indication it will be anytime soon. Bethesda isn't saying a word about the game, let alone talking about o even hinting at its release date. However, previous games from Bethesda Game Studios -- like Skyrim -- may actually give us a pretty good idea of when the long-awaited new Elder Scrolls game is going to release. To this end, using Skyrim and other games from Bethesda Game Studios, it looks like The Elder Scrolls 6 won't be releasing until 2026 at the earliest.

Skyrim was released on November 11, 2011, roughly three years after the release of Fallout 3. The latter was released on October 26, 2008. Why is this relevant? Well, because it was after its release Skyrim went from pre-production to full production. So, after entering full production, it took Bethesda three years to release Skyrim. After Skyrim was released, Fallout 4 entered full production, taking four years to release. These were Bethesda Game Studios' last two proper releases, so they are good reference points. 

This brings us to The Elder Scrolls 6, which is currently in pre-production and has been since it was announced in the summer of 2018. This won't change until Starfield releases. Right now, the sci-fi RPG is scheduled to release sometime in the first half of 2023. If this date holds, it means The Elder Scrolls 6 will enter full production in the first half of 2023. If the game takes as long as Skyrim to make, it will be out in 2026. If it's more akin to the development of Fallout 4, it will hit the following year in 2027.

Video game development -- by and large -- takes longer than it did when Skyrim was made. This is for a variety of reasons that are neither here nor there. The point is, expecting a 2026 release may be wishful thinking. 2027 seems like a safer bet. And this is assuming development goes well. If it doesn't, fans of the series may end up waiting until 2028 to play the game. 

Of course, this is all just speculation, but it's based on real observations, patterns, and knowledge of the industry. As for when we will hear and see more of the game in an official capacity, it won't be until Starfield releases. E3 2023 seems like a possibility for the game to resurface with a new trailer, but this may even be too soon.