The Elder Scrolls 6: 9 Things It Must Do Better Than Skyrim
3. Companions
Pack Mules. That's what Skyrim's companions amount to. Vanilla, underdeveloped NPCs that serve no purpose besides hauling your unwanted crap halfway across the country just to sell it. No character development, unique abilities or interesting side stories to tell, just an expressionless face that more often than not would go missing out in the world, waiting for their master to come and retrieve them from inside after no-clipping into a wall.
Granted, Bethesda seems to have somewhat learned its lesson since 2011 - Fallout 4 featured a memorable cast of compatriots with believable motives for tagging along - but there's still room for improvement. Why not take a leaf out of BioWare's book and give each available comrade their own unique skill set to promote or compliment a specific playstyle?
Do that, as well as fix the ropey AI, and there may actually be a purpose to hiring additional muscle besides a means to circumvent the encumbrance mechanic.