As part of Microsoft’s continuing legal battle with the Federal Trade Commission over its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Xbox Head Phil Spencer hinted at a release date for The Elder Scrolls 6. His revelation about Bethesda’s long-awaited game came on the second day of a preliminary injunction hearing on the FTC’s quest to halt Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition.
The Elder Scrolls 6 announcement, made five years ago on June 11, came in the form of an E3 CGI teaser showcasing some mountainous region of what’s usually assumed to be either Hammerfell or High Rock, one of nine provinces on the mythical continent of Tamriel.
And, even though at least one fan became a military veteran while waiting for The Elder Scrolls 6, the game does not appear to be any closer to release than it was in 2018.
While appearing in front of a San Francisco court on June 23, Spencer reinforced that state of affairs; when asked if The Elder Scrolls 6 will be accessible on PlayStation, the Xbox CEO said Bethesda’s upcoming RPG is so far away that any conversation about its target platforms is silly at this moment.
Spencer elaborated on this attitude by referring to the next entry in the long-running franchise as “a game that’s five-plus years away.” His remarks are consistent with Bethesda’s previous declaration that The Elder Scrolls 6 will not begin active development until Starfield is out. After repeated delays, that requirement will finally be met on September 6.
Check out the tweets that are listed below here:
Spencer asked a lot about ZeniMax exclusivity, internal chats about pursuing exclusives. Nothing really solid here. Spencer saying PC/Xbox is case-by-case, other platforms decided after
— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) June 23, 2023
Following the release of Fallout 4, Starfield began full-scale production in late 2015. So, even if Bethesda starts to buck the trend of ever-lengthening AAA production cycles, the nearly eight-year gap between its last two games makes Spencer’s prognosis sound optimistic.
This executive insight into the project’s status also portrays the current fan demand for The Elder Scrolls 6 to relinquish Xbox exclusivity as far too early. During the same hearing, Spencer revealed that Microsoft wasn’t even sure Starfield would be coming to Xbox before acquiring ZeniMax Media a year later.
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The remark could be in response to a September 2020 report that Sony sought Starfield as a timed PS5 exclusive. Regardless, Spencer’s statement was intended to demonstrate how platform availability decisions are made relatively late in a game’s production cycle, so Spencer refused to speculate on The Elder Scrolls 6 target platforms. The Elder Scrolls 6 is currently in development.
