'The Elder Scrolls VI' is 'likely five-plus years away,' says Xbox chief

Bethesda announced The Elder Scrolls VI five years ago at E3 2018, but the new fantasy RPG is still “five-plus years away,” according to Phil Spencer. The chief of Microsoft’s Gaming division revealed the game’s potential release timeframe during day two of the hearing where the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is seeking an injunction to block the company’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

“I think we’ve been a little unclear on what platforms it will launch on given how far out the game is. It’s difficult for us right now to nail down exactly what platforms that game will launch on," Spencer said in response to questioning by an FTC lawyer, as reported by IGN. "As I said with Elder Scrolls VI, it’s so far out it’s hard to understand what the platforms will even be at this point. It’s the same team that’s finishing Starfield, which comes out this September. So we’re talking about it being likely five-plus years away."

If you’ve been following any bit of news Bethesda has shared about The Elder Scrolls VI, the game’s distant release date should come as no surprise. Back in 2020, Pete Hines, the publisher’s senior vice president of marketing and communications, said Bethesda wouldn’t have anything substantial to share about the title for another few years. "It’s after Starfield, which you pretty much know nothing about," he tweeted at the time. “So if you’re coming at me for details now and not years from now, I’m failing to properly manage your expectations.” Based on Spencer’s comments, The Elder Scrolls VI may skip the current generation of consoles entirely. Last week, Bethesda Game Studios Creative Director Todd Howard said the Elder Scrolls VI “may be the last game” of his career.