The Elder Scrolls 6 release window and platforms have been revealed through an internal document, showing how long we will still have to wait. PlayStation gamers will probably be disappointed.
Starfield just released and became a great success for Bethesda and Microsoft. But, you know how it is: people always want more. So there is already a lot of attention on Elder Scrolls 6, Bethesda’s next game.
While we obviously will have to wait a while for the game to come out, we now at least seem to know how long exactly it will take.
Elder Scrolls 6 Release Window Revealed By Microsoft
Elder Scrolls 6 (ES6) was internally set for release in “2026 or later”, according to a newly-leaked document from the FTC vs Microsoft court case. This document shows a table of Bethesda/Zenimax games and how Microsoft plans to handle them after their acquisition.
During the trial, Elder Scrolls 6 already became a topic of discussion. Back then, a Microsoft lawyer mentioned a “projected release” in 2026 for the game. This seems to have stemmed from this document which we’re seeing now.From Microsoft's responses in the FTC vs Microsoft case. Elder Scrolls VI listed here as Xbox and PC and releasing 2026 or later.During testimony at the hearing, Xbox's Phil Spencer went on to say the game was at least five years out and platforms were technically TBD pic.twitter.com/Kto9bE5U8C
— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) September 18, 2023
However, there’s some confusion about the game’s release window. Xbox boss Phil Spencer said during the trial that ES6 would take at least five years to come out. This would point to a release window around 2028, which actually sounds more realistic.
Starfield apparently started development in 2015, three years before the announcement and a whopping eight years before release. However, part of Starfield’s development was the upgrade of the Creation Engine, which will presumably be used again in ES 6.
So while Microsoft is communicated a potential launch in 2026, a release window around 2027/2028 still seems more realistic for The Elder Scrolls 6.
PlayStation Users Will Once Again Be Left Out
Another interesting detail from this document concerns the platforms. The Elder Scrolls 6 is not planned for release on PlayStation consoles. One of the columns in the leaked table, titled “Released on PlayStation?”, has a big red X for The Elder Scrolls 6.
This shouldn’t be a huge surprise, as Starfield was already Xbox-exclusive. However, this is now as close to a confirmation as we got so far that ES6 will follow this trajectory and that PlayStation users will once again not get a new Bethesda game.