What is The Elder Scrolls VI?
The Elder Scrolls VI is Bethesda Game Studios’ long-awaited return to its fantasy RPG franchise — the first mainline entry since Skyrim shipped back in 2011. Built on the new Creation Engine 3, it moved into active production in 2023 once Starfield wrapped up, and it’s headed to Xbox Series X|S and PC. Director Todd Howard has been blunt about the ambition: he wants this to be the “ultimate fantasy-world simulator.”
Getting started
Because The Elder Scrolls VI is still in development, there’s no release date or playable build to learn yet — but that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare. The series has a very consistent design language: a large open world you explore in first or third person, character creation, quests you can tackle in almost any order, and a skill system that improves the abilities you actually use. That loop is the heart of every Elder Scrolls game, and everything announced so far points to more of it.
If you’re completely new to the franchise, the single best way to start is to play Skyrim first. It’s the closest reference for how Bethesda builds these worlds, and it’s still easy to pick up on modern platforms. It teaches the habits that carry over: talk to everyone, follow curiosity over the quest marker, and don’t rush the story.
On the practical side, confirm your platform. The Elder Scrolls VI is confirmed for Xbox Series X|S and PC, and if you subscribe to Game Pass, the publisher’s track record suggests you may not need to buy it separately. Beyond that, follow the official Bethesda channels — release date, system requirements, and gameplay reveals will all land there first.
Tips for beginners
These tips follow the series’ established patterns, so treat them as a head start rather than confirmed mechanics:
- Play Skyrim or Oblivion beforehand. Learn the open-world, skill-based design in a game you can play today.
- Wander more than you quest. The best content is usually found climbing that mountain or reading that odd note, not following the marker.
- Talk to every named character. Offhand lines often point to dungeons, treasure, or a whole new questline.
- Save often, and keep multiple saves. Bethesda’s systems interact in unpredictable ways, and a single save can leave you stuck.
- Commit to one play style. Spread too thin and you’ll feel weak everywhere; pick sneaky archer, spellblade, heavy warrior, or similar — then lean in.
- Mind your carry weight. Loot is tempting, but being over-encumbered slows you to a crawl; learn what’s actually worth hauling.
- Expect your choices to matter. Factions and moral calls tend to come back later, so role-play deliberately.
Is it worth playing?
Honest answer: it isn’t out yet, so nobody can guarantee it. What we do know is encouraging — Bethesda’s single-player RPGs have serious staying power (Skyrim is still being played more than a decade on), and The Elder Scrolls VI represents the franchise’s biggest leap in over ten years. If open-ended fantasy RPGs are your genre, it’s an easy wishlist. Just keep expectations reasonable: wait for launch reviews, system requirements, and performance reports on your hardware before committing time or money.