It has been 11 years since the release ofThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim,and there seems to be no end to the wait forThe Elder Scrolls 6.The series has not had a new entry in a little while, and whileSkyrimis a great game, there are only so many times that players are willing to go through the same story. Bethesda has not really given them another choice as it continues work onThe Elder Scrolls 6, but that could change if the studio was willing to take a trip back through Tamriel’s history.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimmay be the most well-known title in the series, but that could partly be because Bethesda has not given the other games much of a chance to shine.WhileSkyrimhas been re-released numerous times, Bethesda has not given any of the otherElder Scrollsgames that same treatment. If players want to explore pastElder Scrollsgames they have to be willing to play through some dated titles, but Bethesda could fix that if it was willing to take another look at these classics during the long wait for its sixth entry.
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The Elder Scrolls 6 is a Ways Off
Not many people know how far alongThe Elder Scrolls 6is outside of Bethesda. The studio is currently hard at work on its first new IP in years,Starfield, which will bring Bethesda’s RPG formula to an expansive galaxy. That title is set to finally launch in 2023, and then the studio will supposedly focus onThe Elder Scrolls 6. However,the game was still in pre-productionas of January 2022.
Bethesda has a lot of work ahead of it asStarfieldnears release, and many people have speculated thatThe Elder Scrolls 6will not hit store shelves until at least 2026. All that Bethesda has shown off is a 36-second teaser back in 2018, and there has been no news since. In the meantime,The Elder Scrollsfans havebeen able to repeatedly playSkyrimor adventure throughThe Elder Scrolls Online. While both of those titles can be fun, they deserve to have something more to fill this long gap between entries.
There is More to The Elder Scrolls Than Skyrim
Skyrimhas received a Legendary Edition, a Special Edition, a VR version, and finally an Anniversary Edition. That is a lot ofSkyrimfor players to enjoy, and if they want to explore some of the other parts of Tamriel thenthey can head toThe Elder Scrolls Online. That has givenThe Elder Scrollsfans something to do while they wait, but remastering older titles may be a better option.
The Elder Scrollsfranchise is vastand has been going strong since 1994’sThe Elder Scrolls: Arena,which cemented Bethesda as a major player in the RPG landscape. The lessons that it learned in the fantasy genre were taken to the apocalypse forFallout, and will now be taken to the stars forStarfield. The series has also gone on to win numerous Game of the Year awards, and many of its entries are considered the best that the RPG genre has to offer. Even with all of this success, Bethesda has chosen not to revisit anything outside ofSkyrim.
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The Elder Scrolls Series Needs a Facelift
The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionseems like the most obvious choice for aremaster, but Bethesda has elected not to make one. The game was immensely successful during its time, and is often compared toSkyrim. Some players even claim that the story of Cyrodill is a lot more engaging thanSkyrim’s. ZeniMax revisited the setting inThe Elder Scrolls Online, butBethesda has not looked back toOblivionyet.
The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowindwould also be a strong contender for a remaster as it is considered one of the best games ever made.The story of Vvardenfell and the Dunmerthat call it home is often praised for its writing, and many players have been yearning to return to its shores. ZeniMax used this setting for the firstElder Scrolls Onlineexpansion pack, but that has only made players want to revisit Morrowind in a single-player RPG.
The first twoElder Scrollsgames would also make great candidates for a remaster. Bethesda could giveThe Elder Scrolls: ArenaandThe Elder Scrolls 2: DaggerfallHD remasters to let fans revisit the earliest days of Tamriel. Both games show their age, but a remaster could give these classics a nice fresh coat of paint and serve as a way to celebrate the history of this critically acclaimed franchise - especially as the 30th anniversary in 2024 is fast approaching.
The Elder Scrollsseries is vast and filled with critically acclaimed games that deserve more time in the spotlight. All of these titles would make great candidates for HD remasters, and they would be a pretty good way to alleviatethe long wait forThe Elder Scrolls 6. WhileSkyrimandThe Elder Scrolls Onlinecan be a lot of fun, it is time for Bethesda to set those aside and revisit the rest of its series.
The Elder Scrolls 6is currently in development.
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