Cassie Gardner 
A former Bethesda Game Studios employee has offered up some gameplay details on The Elder Scrolls 6 in what is arguably the biggest information dump on the game since its original reveal.
Ex-Bethesda developer Bruce Nesmith discussed a number of possible paths the Skyrim successor might take in an interview with MinnMax, including some gameplay details. Nesmith retired from Bethesda in 2021 and also gave insight into what the actual development process may look like given the names attached to the game at this point.
Nesmith discussed Todd Howard in particular and that Howard likely already knows what he is looking for from the game at this point, given that he is serving as director. The tidbits given out by Nesmith are enough to get fans of the series excited for the next game, even with a potentially long wait ahead for The Elder Scrolls 6.
Will The Elder Scrolls 6 be like Skyrim?
The Elder Scrolls 6 will likely use the same magic and level-up system that Skyrim had, tasking players with using skills to increase their level.
Skyrim featured a level-up system that required players to use skills to level them up, a departure from the common “level-up point on a skill tree” system that many games use. This included anything from sneaking to using shields, and the system was generally popular with fans.
Nesmith also suggested that the next Elder Scrolls game may feature a magic system more akin to Skyrim than Oblivion. Oblivion kept strong magics gated to the late game, something Skyrim dialed back on. This would allow gamers to have an easier time accessing stronger magic in the earlier stages of casting.
The next Elder Scrolls game just went into full development recently, which shouldn’t be a surprise with Starfield having just been released. With post-launch changes still in the works including the likely implementation of the Creation Club and performance updates for new hardware, the company is still likely dedicating significant resources to the game. Fans can likely expect some details on TES6 to start trickling out as the game’s development advances.
Since Nesmith is no longer working at Bethesda Game Studios, any ideas he has about the future of The Elder Scrolls 6 aren’t a firsthand account. The former Bethesda employee worked as lead designer on Skyrim and senior developer on Starfield. No word was given on the decision to make the game an Xbox and PC exclusive but he did confirm that the release date is far in the future.
Fans will still have until around 2028 to see if any of this is true, as the game will still be in development for a long while. Nesmith added that the best time to start releasing information about an upcoming game is six months before release, meaning fans could have an incredibly long wait ahead for official details on The Elder Scrolls 6’s gameplay.
