Starfield Taught Bethesda That Fans "Really, Really, Really Want Elder Scrolls 6"

Summary

• The big takeaway Bethesda had from developing Starfield is that "Fans really, really, really want Elder Scrolls 6."
• However, it's far from done with Starfield. We have a second expansion to look forward to, and studio design director Emil Pagliarulo has teased more to come beyond that.

In an interview with GamesRadar, studio design director Emil Pagliarulo was asked what developing Starfield and its expansion Shattered Space taught Bethesda — "Fans really, really, really want Elder Scrolls 6."

It has been a long time since the last mainline TES, with Skyrim turning 13 this year, and even Bethesda is starting to miss Tamriel. Development has finally begun for The Elder Scrolls 6, but the team isn't done with the Milky Way just yet. We know it has another expansion in the works, but Pagliarulo added that he feels "great about Starfield's future", teasing more to come.

Bethesda's Lead Writer Says Starfield Is The Best Game The Studio Has Ever Made

He calls Starfield a "technical marvel."

"I'm excited about the stuff we're working on now, and the stuff we've got coming past that. And it's insane what our mod community has already accomplished. I think we're now coming to the point where Starfield is transcending its status as a game and becoming something of a platform for science fiction and space content."

Just Look At Shattered Space's Reviews

Shattered Space launched to "Mixed" reviews on Steam earlier this week, and his since dipped down to "Mostly Negative", but a lot of these reviews don't have anything to do with the DLC itself. Instead, they're complaining that Bethesda focused its efforts on Starfield instead of The Elder Scrolls 6.

DLC reviews work a little differently on Steam. They don't display playtime because it's indistinguishable from the base game, so people who received the DLC through Starfield's Premium Edition can log a review without ever touching the expansion.

While many reviews are genuine, complaining about everything from the Chosen One trope to the lack of new weapons and its shorter length, there are plenty who have clearly left a review out of spite before playing.

That being said, Pagliarulo is on the money: fans are desperate to return to The Elder Scrolls series. We don't have a release window yet given how early in development it is, but it's worth noting that Bethesda was at least playing through a rumamentary build back in March. However, given that Todd Howard regrets announcing TES6 so soon to quiet fans, I doubt we'll see much until Bethesda has something more concrete to show.

The Elder Scrolls 6

The Elder Scrolls 6 is a long-awaited, upcoming RPG from Bethesda. In pre-production, little is known about its contents, although speculation suggests is could be set in Hammerfell.