The Elder Scrolls VI And Starfield Announced At E3 2018
This is not a drill!
After weeks spent wondering whether Starfield or The Elder Scrolls VI would be the big game to round out Bethesda's E3 2018 showcase, the publisher did the unthinkable and confirmed both projects as the final exclamation point on their conference.
The former was shown off first, with its official unveiling by Todd Howard being followed by a purposefully vague teaser trailer revealing nothing but a planet and a logo. Though details are still scant, it was explained that the sci-fi RPG is in fact Bethesda Game Studios' next release, and their first original property in 25 years, with it being touted as a "next-gen single-player experience".
However, it was the final announcement of The Elder Scrolls VI, the long-anticipated follow up to 2011's Skyrim, which subsequently took the internet by storm. Although it's still a ways off yet, fans now know for sure that the next instalment in the franchise is coming, though based on the extremely vague teaser, what form it will actually take is entirely up in the air. Likewise, the description on the official trailer indicates that it's still in pre-production, confirming Todd Howard's claim that the team will begin work on the project proper once they've shipped Starfield.
The double announcement is a rather strange shift in strategy for Bethesda themselves who, unlike other industry giants, usually prefer to keep their cards close to their chest.
In the past they've set a precedent for quick turnarounds from announcement to release, famously revealing and shipping Fallout 4 within the space of six months. Both Starfield and Scrolls are much further out, with the early reveal potentially being a means to combat the inevitable leaks that have already swamped the internet over the years, and will no doubt have ramped up alongside the production of both games.
Consequently, the release dates for both titles are anyone's guess, but we do now officially know that Starfield is Bethesda's next RPG, and that a new Elder Scrolls is right around the corner.