Bethesda Reassures Fans That Next Elder Scrolls Remains on Schedule

Bethesda Game Studios has moved to address worries about its next major release after recent job reductions at Xbox, with the studio stating "The next chapter is on the way. We're where we planned to be, loving how it looks, and playing it every day."

Studio doubles down on its main project. In a note issued today the developer stressed that its upcoming title "is our primary development focus today, with the majority of our team currently working on the next chapter of the franchise." The message also recognised the extended gap since the last single-player entry, pointing out that more than 65 million copies of Skyrim have been sold and fans are still exploring that world 15 years on.

Layoffs triggered the public update. Accounts following last week's reductions at Xbox alleged that "key" staff from the development group had lost their positions and that spirits inside the studio had dropped sharply. The company had described the reorganisation as a move to concentrate resources around its biggest properties, with this franchise among them.

Zenimax Online Studios will collaborate on the series. The note added that the team behind The Elder Scrolls Online, which was reportedly also hit hard by the cuts, "will partner closely with Bethesda Game Studios on The Elder Scrolls franchise" in addition to its ongoing work on that multiplayer title. The goal is to draw the internal groups "closer together" and "create even better experiences for players."

Creation Engine 3 powers the new game. As anticipated, the next single-player adventure will run on Creation Engine 3, the technology the studio has been refining since Starfield shipped. Fallout 5, revealed the same day, will likewise be built on it.

Todd Howard discusses the decision to share plans now. Speaking to Bloomberg, the studio head said the roadmap disclosure, which also confirmed a new Fallout project being made with Obsidian, aims to clarify the company's direction "and why". "We do realise we need to find a way to say a bit more so that our fans understand what we're doing and why," Howard explained, "while also protecting that moment when you really see the game and you press play." He observed that this marks Bethesda's 40th anniversary and the firm has navigated shifts in the past. The sequel was first shown eight years ago.