Todd Howard explained why Bethesda is delaying the release of The Elder Scrolls VI

What caused the delay of The Elder Scrolls VI? – Todd Howard Explains

Bethesda Game Studios announced the release of the new fantasy RPG *The Elder Scrolls VI* almost eight years ago, but the project still isn’t rushing toward a launch. In an interview with GamesRadar, studio head Todd Howard explained why the timelines are stretching.

1. Balancing support for old and creating new games
Howard noted: “We have a huge audience that plays our previous projects, and we’re trying to meet their needs while working on new material.” This means resources must be divided between updating existing franchises (such as *Skyrim* and *Fallout 4*) and developing the next masterpiece.

2. Fans as a factor of delay
In the interview Howard emphasized that “fans buying re‑issues of old games don’t let us fully focus on *Elder Scrolls VI*. Their interests influence staffing and budget allocation.”

3. Limited team growth
Bethesda isn’t growing as fast as other large studios: “Together with partners we reach a four‑to‑five‑hundred person team. That’s essentially our ceiling.” Such a team size leads to long pre‑production periods during which the core of the game is formed.

4. Project status
*Elder Scrolls VI* entered active production in summer 2023, but since then there have been no public demos. Howard admitted that the announcement came too early and urged fans to “pretend the game doesn’t exist” to reduce pressure.

In short: the project’s delay is explained by the need to support popular old games, limited team resources, and a desire to satisfy a large audience. Bethesda continues working on *Elder Scrolls VI*, but no exact release dates have been announced yet.