The Elder Scrolls VI: Release Date Speculation Fueled by Make-A-Wish Campaign

Fans of The Elder Scrolls VI, much like those eagerly awaiting Grand Theft Auto VI, are starved for concrete information. This has led to rampant speculation regarding the game's release date, fueled by little more than an official "create-a-character" competition.

Bethesda recently announced its latest Make-A-Wish initiative: a silent auction offering the chance to collaborate with Bethesda Game Studios to design a non-player character (NPC) for The Elder Scrolls VI. Proceeds from the auction directly benefit Make-A-Wish.

While a commendable charitable effort, this announcement has ignited a firestorm of speculation within the gaming community. Fans are drawing parallels to a similar Make-A-Wish project Bethesda ran for Starfield. The timing of that campaign, relative to Starfield's eventual release, is being used to predict The Elder Scrolls VI's launch.

Reddit user "FartingSlowly" noted that Bethesda's Starfield character creation campaign launched approximately two and a half years before the game's September 2023 release. Based on this, they posit a September 27, 2027, release date for The Elder Scrolls VI. However, they readily admit this is tenuous speculation.

This prediction has been met with skepticism from other community members. Some point out that the Starfield Make-A-Wish competition was announced closer to its original November 11, 2022, release date, suggesting a potential November 2026 launch for The Elder Scrolls VI instead.

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It's been a considerable wait since Bethesda's January 2018 announcement of The Elder Scrolls VI. The studio confirmed the game entered "early development" in August 2023, with "early builds" available by March 2024. Even Bethesda's Todd Howard acknowledged the lengthy development time.

Initial estimates placed the release in 2028 or later, potentially coinciding with the next generation of consoles. A release then would mark an incredible 17-year gap since Skyrim. Until official confirmation, the wait continues.