The Elder Scrolls 6 Might Get Lapped by a Fellow Xbox RPG Franchise

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As a long-time fan of both The Elder Scrolls and The Outer Worlds franchises, I must say, it feels like watching a slow-motion race where one competitor is on a roller skate and the other is stuck in quicksand. The wait for The Elder Scrolls 6 has been excruciatingly long, even more so when you consider that The Outer Worlds 2 is set to be released before it.

Back in 2018, we got the news about The Elder Scrolls 6, with the most recent installment of the main series, Skyrim, having been launched in 2011. Initially, it was labeled as an exclusive for Xbox, although the era of console exclusives seems to be fading away. Nevertheless, games tailored for specific consoles, especially for established franchises, continue to surface. With The Elder Scrolls 6 taking so much time to materialize, there’s a chance it might be overtaken by The Outer Worlds 2, which is planned for a 2025 release.

In contrast to Skyrim, which was released back in 2011, The Outer Worlds came out in 2019. Interestingly, while sequels to AAA video games typically take more time than before for multiple factors, Obsidian Entertainment plans to release both Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 as early as 2025. Despite being smaller in scale compared to Bethesda’s productions, these upcoming titles from Obsidian will help bridge the gap left by longer development cycles at studios like Bethesda and others.

The Long Wait for The Elder Scrolls 6

The two gaming series, namely “The Elder Scrolls” and “The Outer Worlds”, are significantly distinct. To put it simply, “The Outer Worlds” is much smaller in scale compared to “The Elder Scrolls”. However, it’s worth noting that the delay for “The Elder Scrolls 6” has been substantial enough that another role-playing game series on the same console has not only debuted, but has grown with subsequent releases. The trailer for “The Outer Worlds 2” at the 2024 Game Awards was warmly received, and it seems that Obsidian is preparing to deliver a fun, engaging gaming experience for players.

Modern AAA video games are taking longer to create and release, with some titles requiring as much as ten years or more. Not all games are in production for this entire period; instead, internal teams often switch between various projects, extending the gap between game releases. This is especially frustrating for RPGs with complex narratives or open-world settings. Factors like restarting projects (like BioWare’s Dragon Age: The Veilguard) and games being in pre-production for extended periods before actual development begins (possibly The Elder Scrolls 6) can also prolong the development process.

Obsidian and the Changing RPG Landscape

Since Bethesda had primarily devoted their resources to developing their new intellectual properties such as Starfield and Fallout 4 in recent times, the progress on The Elder Scrolls series had been delayed for quite some time. Now that both Fallout 4 and Starfield have been successfully launched, it seems that The Elder Scrolls 6 is now receiving Bethesda’s undivided focus. Unfortunately, fans of The Elder Scrolls may need to wait several more years before the next installment becomes available, as a project of this scale would likely require multiple years of dedicated development from the entire team at Bethesda.

In the upcoming scene, Obsidian will launch not one but two highly anticipated role-playing games – “Avowed” and “The Outer Worlds 2”. These games seem poised to fill the void left by Bethesda in the RPG genre. Although they might be smaller than Starfield and “The Elder Scrolls 6”, Obsidian has built a strong reputation for crafting stories, characters, and gameplay that are nothing short of extraordinary in the realm of RPGs. Players who adore role-playing games often find themselves drawn to Obsidian’s creations. In the meantime, while we wait for Bethesda’s return, Obsidian is demonstrating that perhaps the magic of RPGs isn’t solely dependent on the grandeur that AAA studios typically require.

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2024-12-19 22:33