The Elder Scrolls 6 is “expected 2026 or later”, according to new court document

The Elder Scrolls 6 trailer screenshot
(Image credit: Bethesda)

According to a new court document revealed from the FTC v. Microsoft case, The Elder Scrolls 6 is expected to be released sometime during or after 2026, and is seemingly planned to be released solely on PC and Xbox (via The Verge). 

This information was revealed in a chart showcasing “Microsoft’s approach following acquisitions since 2018”. The same chart makes reference to other titles, including Starfield, Deathloop, Ghostwire: Tokyo, and Redfall, all of which were detailed with release dates (or expected release windows), along with a “statement on exclusivity”. To be exact, for The Elder Scrolls 6, the chart states that its release date is “TBC, but expected 2026 or later”.

The “statement on exclusivity” attached to the upcoming Elder Scrolls installment is, as The Verge points out, a quote from Xbox boss Phil Spencer, sourced from a 2021 interview with GQ. It reads: “In order to be on Xbox, I want us to be able to bring the full complete package of what we have. And that would be true when I think about Elder Scrolls 6.”

It was recently confirmed by Bethesda’s head of publishing, Pete Hines, that The Elder Scrolls 6 has left pre-production and is in early development. However, he added that Bethesda’s focus will remain on Starfield for now. 

“No time soon are you going to be hearing anything at all about The Elder Scrolls 6,” he told Vandal (translated from Spanish). “Starfield is our focus for now and will continue to be our focus for some time before we talk about anything else.”

The Elder Scrolls 6 director Todd Howard spoke more about the upcoming title last month, and teased that he wants it to be the “ultimate fantasy-world simulator”. However, when asked if the game may have been revealed too early, he said: “I have asked myself that a lot. I don’t know. I probably would’ve announced it more casually.”

Keep up with more future video game releases with our handy roundup of upcoming games. For some recommendations of games to play right now, you can also check out our list of the best Xbox Series X games.

TOPICS
Catherine Lewis
News Writer, TechRadar Gaming

Catherine is a News Writer for TechRadar Gaming. Armed with a journalism degree from The University of Sheffield, she was sucked into the games media industry after spending far too much time on her university newspaper writing about Pokémon and cool indie games, and realising that was a very cool job, actually. She previously spent 19 months working at GAMINGbible as a full-time journalist. She loves all things Nintendo, and will never stop talking about Xenoblade Chronicles. 

Read more
The setting for The Elder Scrolls 6. Mountains, grasslands and an ocean in the distance
The Elder Scrolls 6 - everything we know so far
The two protagonists hold up a store
New Xbox Series X games 2025 - the most anticipated Xbox release dates
A hand reaches for the hilt of a sword
Xbox confirms Fable has been delayed to 2026, shares new pre-alpha gameplay footage offering a brand new look at the game
Fallout 76 Wastelanders screenshot showing three characters in Power Armor, standing side by side at the bottom of a sun drenched canyon
Fallout 5 - everything we know so far
Where to buy Xbox Series X stock pre-orders
The next Xbox console is reportedly now 'fully in production' and targeting a 2027 release
The Fable 4 protagonist sitting next to a knight, both holding the hilt of a sword
Fable 4 - everything we know about the new Fable game so far
Latest in Consoles & PC
Asus ROG Ally using Steam
I think Asus could be the perfect partner for an Xbox handheld – but I have questions
Astro Bot PS5 bundle
Sony officially announces new Astro Bot PS5 bundles and they're available from PlayStation Direct right now for bargain prices we can barely believe
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered
Future PlayStation games could have AI-powered characters, if this leaked prototype of Aloy is anything to go by
The artwork for The Last of Us Limited Edition DualSense controller
Where to pre-order and buy The Last of Us Limited Edition DualSense controller today - UK pre-orders are live but stock has sold out already
Playing games on the Razer Handheld Dock Chroma without an external display.
The Razer Handheld Dock Chroma offers Steam Deck owners a premium design and, of course, plenty of RGB
Image of GTA 6 protagonists and PS5
GTA 6's console-only launch reminds me of how much I despise console exclusivity - is it worth waiting years for PC ports?
Latest in News
Google Pixel 8a in aloe green showing
Google Pixel 9a benchmark link teases the performance of the upcoming mid-ranger
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #1148)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #379)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #645)
Apple iPhone 16 Pro HANDS ON
Leaked iPhone 17 dummy units may have given us our best look yet at all four models
A super close up image of the Google Gemini app in the Play Store
It's official: Google Assistant will be retired for phones this year, with Gemini taking over