Skyrim Has Sold 23,000,000 Since Its 2011 Release
Having sold about 23 million copies – since its release in 2011 – The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim is often considered overdue a worthy sequel. It’s coming has been confirmed by Bethesda Director Todd Howard, though he says that “it’s a very long way off”.
Despite this: rumours regarding the next single player instalment of the franchise (many fans having been sceptical of the exclusively multiplayer Elder Scrolls Online) have naturally run amok on the web. Below is a quick summary of the 9 most exciting rumours about TES VI - for fans of the Elder Scrolls.
9. Maybe Multiplayer?
According to a Bethesda job listing – posted by Gameranx – Bethesda are recruiting people who preferably have “experience developing for online multiplayer environment”.
Now I know what you’re thinking. The Elder Scrolls Online had diehard Elder Scrolls fans feeling sketchy. After all: the introduction of multiplayer flies in the face of what has so far been a successful single-player formula. So why change things up?
MMOs aren’t the only form of online multiplayer however. It would be entirely possible for TES VI to be a single-player-centred experience – all-the-while allowing for optional online co-op. You could venture alone – soaking up all the glory as the sole champion of Tamriel –or you could build a fellowship of merry adventurers.
Provided have a choice: Bethesda has an opportunity to please lone-wolves and team-players alike.
The Elder Scrolls Online introduced multiplayer to a single-player series…a change unwelcomed by many fans.
8. A Whole New Engine?
Since The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind, Bethesda have essentially been updating the same engine repeatedly - patching up the same ship for as long as they can keep it sailing.
Things might be about to change, however. A Bethesda job listing – posted sometime last year – stated that they were searching for an “Engine Programmer” required to develop “cutting edge technologies”.
Though it’s possible that they’re being brought in to keep the old ship afloat: it isn’t impossible that a brand new engine could be in the works.
This would spell a HUGE graphical and physical overhaul, allowing for a game which massively differs from the now-familiar feel of the current Fallout and Elder Scrolls games…
Engine overhaul: TES VI could an entirely new experience, visually and physically…
7. Ultra-Fantasy-Immersion Using VR
If you’ve played Skyrim at all: you’ll know that the Elder Scrolls is immersive as-is. With the introduction of VR technology: you’ll be one step closer to losing yourself entirely in the deep fantasy realms Bethesda crafts for us.
With the help of certain mods: you can already make Skyrim VR-compatible. With VR technology in widespread use – and the possibility of an entirely new engine built by Bethesda – saying that TES VI could be VR-compatible isn’t too far-fetched a prediction.
You’ve played as a Dovahkiin…but are you ready to feel like you are one?
The modding community has enabled VR adaptability in Skyrim…perhaps The Elder Scrolls VI will come VR equipped.
6. A Trip Through Black Marsh/Elsweyr?
While these locations are more uncertain than the one we’ll mention later, Bethesda has yet to touch either of them…so the potential is there.
If your interest in the Elder Scrolls goes beyond the casual, you’ll probably know that Black Marsh and Elsweyr are the homes of the Argonians and Khajit respectively (that’s: the lizard people and kitty people to those who are only casually interested).
Black Marsh seems the least likely of the two – though not impossible – given that it’s mainly just a gassy swamp covered in water. The Argonians generally resort to using underwater tunnels to get around. Obviously: this would make adventuring somewhat difficult.
That leaves Elsweyr - which is mainly desert and rock. Given that recent Elder Scrolls’ games have been set in lusher, forested terrain: an adventure through barren desert could be an inviting change of scenery…or just major Déjà vu for Fallout fans.
From rolling mountains to…gassy swamps? A picture of Black Marsh as seen in The Elder Scrolls Online.
5. Build Your Own Village
Building your own house was one thing.
With the release of the Hearthfire DLC: Bethesda prompted players to become Lords of mansions and houses built by their own hands.
Fallout 4 saw players designing their own settlements, along with underground Vaults (nuclear shelters) with the addition of the Vault-Tec Workshop DLC.
TES VI could very well see players designing their own villages (just like those apocalyptic settlements), castles, or even dungeons – if it’s going to be bigger and bolder than either of these previous games.
A village as seen in TES: V Skyrim
4. See More of Nirn
If you’re a casual fan of the series: you probably didn’t know that there was more to TES universe than just Tamriel.
So far, we only know what we’ve glimpsed from in-game books and dialogue references. There does, however, seem to be at least 6 continents outside of Tamriel! That’s a lot of undiscovered stuff.
The best-known continent – besides Tamriel – is Akavir. Akavir seems to be the centre of conflicts and kingdoms entirely separate from what we’ve seen in previous Elder Scrolls games.
Oh, and it has a nation of monkey people living in it. Loads of story potential there in any case…
What lies beyond the Sea of Ghosts? Screenshot of the sea in Skyrim.
3. You Could be the Villain…
(SKRYIM SPOILER ALERT)
When it comes to moral decision-making: Fallout has so far been the less-linear series. There was – however – a gradual progression from moral linearity into a moral grey area.
To put it simply: you could do more bad stuff as the series progressed. The decision to go full-on supervillain was introduced in Fallout New Vegas – when you were given the option of vouching for Caesar’s Legion.
The Elder Scrolls has seen more choice for the player recently, however. In Skyrim: you were given the option of assassinating the Emperor. You could also battle for or against the independence of the people of Skyrim.
With some tiring of always playing the good guy: perhaps it’s time we were given the option of unleashing destruction upon Tamriel – maybe as a servant of Oblivion or something. Maybe we could open a few Oblivion gates for a change, rather than having to close them all the time…
The Chorrol Oblivion Gate – as seen in Oblivion
2. Fully-Voiced Protagonist
Now this one’s been on the minds of many Elder Scrolls’ fans out there. One of the biggest changes Fallout 4 brought – to the Fallout franchise – was a fully-voiced protagonist.
Previously: the main heroes and vault-dwellers of the Elder Scrolls and Fallout series respectively had been quiet types.
Could the next Dovahkiin/Hero of Kvatch have his/her own voice? While this might not be exactly what fans of The Elder Scrolls are hoping for, it would certainly change the overall atmosphere while travelling the wilderness.
It would make things far more exciting if there was an option to choose whether the protagonist has a voice or not. I imagine this’d be the safest approach, if the fan reaction to Fallout 4’s voiced PC is anything to go on.
Conversations in Skyrim were eerily quiet…but many players prefered it that way. Pictured above is a conversation in Skyrim.
1.Valenwood a Highly Likely Location
Back in 2014: a Bethesda memo was unearthed, which tipped people off about the Fallout 4 DLC: Nuka World. That same memo also said that Bethesda employees should refrain from ever publicly mentioning the term “Project Greenheart”.
Greenheart is a city located in the province of Valenwood. Valenwood is a forested land that is otherwise known as the home of the wood-elves. This would spell good things for all you archers out there…
While Valenwood has been featured in Arena and TESO, it’s yet to have its own story. This would make it prime stomping ground for TES VI.
The Wood-Elven home of Valenwood, as seen in The Elder Scrolls: Online.
While there is no certainty as to when we might be seeing the next instalment of the Elder Scrolls franchise (Todd Howard of Bethesda having only mentioned that it is at some undisclosed stage of development) there is much forseeable potential for Skyrim's sequel. Skyrim was a multi-million, multi-award-winning game of epic proportions - and the Elder Scrolls 6 could prove to be grander and greater.
Can wait to get your hands-on TES VI? Read some of our articles on The Elder Scrolls while you wait:
