The Elder Scrolls 6 Director Says “We Have Millions of People Playing Our Other Games”

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Even though The Elder Scrolls 6 is taking a long time to develop, director Todd Howard isn’t in a rush to reveal more details. He explained in a recent interview, as reported by GamesRadar, that Bethesda has a dedicated player base enjoying games like Skyrim and Fallout 76, which keeps fans engaged. Howard also pointed out that, besides Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6, Bethesda’s games usually have relatively quick development times.

He joked that he didn’t want to include The Elder Scrolls 6 when considering development times. He pointed out that Starfield took a long time to create, but most of their games are relatively quick to develop. He explained that Starfield took so long because it was a completely new game, not a continuation of an existing series. The development process was also complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic and Bethesda being acquired by Microsoft.

Bethesda is currently doing well, largely due to the continued popularity of games like The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim and the Fallout series. However, this success presents a new challenge: keeping players of these older games happy and engaged while also attracting a new audience for future titles. As one representative explained, they’re working to balance serving their existing millions of players with building a new player base.

Bethesda has been expanding its development teams because they’ve reached a limit with external partners – around 400 to 500 people is generally the most they can effectively work with. According to Howard, their growth is slower than other companies in the industry, but this is intentional. They want to maintain their identity and focus on quality game development.

Howard explains that game development begins with extensive planning and design. They focus on establishing a strong core concept before expanding the team and accelerating production. He points out that a common challenge in the industry is determining the right time to increase investment in a project.

Many studios are currently facing challenges with profitability. It’s a question of how much they can afford to invest in a game, especially given the high development costs. They’re all trying to figure out if a project will actually make money, and each studio is approaching this problem differently.

During the interview, Howard also revealed that most of the developers at Bethesda Game Studios are currently focused on The Elder Scrolls 6. He explained, “The vast majority of the studio is working on The Elder Scrolls 6,” adding that returning to that world after working on other projects like Starfield and Fallout feels fantastic. He emphasized how distinct developing for The Elder Scrolls is compared to those other franchises.

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2026-03-20 15:13