The Elder Scrolls VI Isn't Coming to PlayStation 5, Won't Release Before 2026

By Kate Irwin

The sixth planned installment of Bethesda Game Studios’ acclaimed Elder Scrolls series won’t be released for at least another three years—and apparently won’t be available on the PlayStation 5 at all, according to a chart released as part of the FTC’s legal case against Bethesda parent company Microsoft.

The chart, which is labeled as “highly confidential,” offers details on seven different games in Microsoft’s release pipeline since 2018 as a part of its many acquisitions, including Bethesda Softworks-published titles like Deathloop, Fallout 76, Starfield, and The Elder Scrolls 6. 

Notably, none of the games mentioned offer cross-platform gameplay, and the three most recent games on the chart—Starfield, Redfall, and The Elder Scrolls VI—won’t be released on PlayStation consoles at all. Starfield just came out earlier this month, while Redfall shipped back in May.

Image: Microsoft.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the smash fantasy role-playing game that was first released back in 2011, is available for the PS3, PS4, and PS5, as well as older Xbox consoles, Windows PCs, and even the Nintendo Switch. Now, it looks like the sequel may not be available on nearly as many platforms.

The chart notes that the release date for The Elder Scrolls VI is still "to be confirmed, but expected 2026 or later." The game was first announced in 2018 with a teaser trailer, and Bethesda publishing head Pete Hines recently said that the title is in "early development."

In 2021, Microsoft's Xbox head Phil Spencer told GQ that The Elder Scrolls VI would only be released for Windows PCs and Xbox, like Starfield. A few months ago, however, Spencer appeared to retract this assertion, claiming in June that he “can’t recall” stating that the next Elder Scrolls game would be an Xbox and PC exclusive.

For now, it’s looking like The Elder Scrolls VI won’t offer a PlayStation release—and fans will have to wait a few more years for the next “decade game” from Bethesda.

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