The Elder Scrolls 6 Fans Marking Their Calendars For March 26

The Elder Scrolls 6 fans are back at it again, getting their hopes up for a rumored announcement that some say will come on March 26. The successor to the smash hit Skyrim was announced now almost eight years ago, with a cryptic teaser trailer at the now-defunct E3 gaming expo. We’ve heard almost absolutely nothing about it since.

In a Reddit post self-awarely titled, “Who’s ready to create a false narrative and get disappointed again,” TES fan blakerdavison discusses the possibility of an Elder Scrolls 6 trailer being shown at the Xbox Partner Preview on March 26. Microsoft has promised new reveals at this event, but there’s little to suggest a TES reveal. But that sort of thing has never stopped fans from dreaming.

Some fans have hope

To my knowledge, there’s no reason to expect TES 6 to get any kind of update at this week’s showcase or, frankly, anytime soon. Apart from the simple fact that Bethesda is a Microsoft partner, there’s no reason to expect it to have anything to show. Bethesda hasn’t commented on it, no leakers have suggested it, and Microsoft hasn’t confirmed or denied it.

What we do know will feature in the showcase includes a new trailer for Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s Stranger Than Heaven and a major update for GSC Game World’s S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. That’s all fairly exciting, but TES fans are yet hopeful.

There have been promises of world premieres and as-yet-unannounced games, a sweet nothing that Elder Scrolls fans have taken and run away with. It’s not the first time, either; TES fans tend to grasp at straws, latching onto tiny details seen during Starfield events and the promise of every single Microsoft livestream that ever was.

It’s essentially become a fandom in-joke at this point, the cycle of desperation and disappointment. Even though there’s no sign of anything to come at this week’s livestream, Elder Scrolls fans will surely be watching in droves.

Xbox Is Unlikely To Drop TES6 News At This Show

All signs point to no

But is there really any chance of The Elder Scrolls 6 being shown at the Partner Preview on Thursday? I’m gazing deeply into my crystal ball but coming up empty, and here are all the reasons why.

First, in an IGN interview earlier this month, Bethesda director Todd Howard downplayed the possibility of a TES release any time soon. When asked about TES 6, Howard encouragingly replied, “Just pretend we didn’t announce it. Doesn’t exist.”

If I had to guess, I’d say Bethesda is likely focused on developing a new Fallout game first and foremost, putting The Elder Scrolls on the back burner. The sustained success of Prime Video’s Fallout streaming series seems to have proven that IP’s viability to Bethesda, and, the sooner they can get a tie-in game on shelves, the better.

And, as some commenters on the Reddit post above point out, Xbox Partner showcases tend to focus on third-party devs, like the aforementioned RGG Studio and GSC Game World — not Microsoft-owned studios like Bethesda or Activision. In light of that distinction, there’s basically zero chance of any TES-related announcements showing up during the livestream.

So TES fans are bound to walk away disappointed if they expect anything from the Xbox Partner Preview, but some still hold out hope for the summer. Some still insist that the big reveal is coming during Summer Game Fest this year, the successor to the doomed E3 at which TES 6 was first announced. Still, I wouldn’t get my hopes up for The Elder Scrolls 6 anytime soon, in light of Todd Howard’s comments.