Summary

  • Obsidian once pitched a Fallout: New Vegas-style sequel for Skyrim, but Bethesda rejected the idea.
  • The proposal aimed to fill the gap between main Bethesda releases, similar to Fallout: New Vegas.
  • Fans may have to wait over 15 years for The Elder Scrolls 6, but can enjoy Starfield updates in the meantime.

A former Obsidian writer revealed that a Fallout: New Vegas-like sequel was considered for The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. Fallout: New Vegas was released in between Fallout 3 and Fallout 4, and allowed players to continue enjoying the Fallout universe while waiting for the series' next flagship release.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim was released over 12 years ago, and it looks like The Elder Scrolls 6 is still at least a couple of years away. Although The Elder Scrolls Online has released in the meantime, fans of Bethesda's classic, fantasy RPG series have been left hanging for well over a decade.

Chris Avellone, a former writer and co-founder at Obsidian, explained that he pitched the idea of a Fallout: New Vegas-style sequel to Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. It would have served the same purpose as Obsidian's popular Fallout game, by providing players with additional adventures in The Elder Scrolls universe, without departing too much from Bethesda's core gameplay and presentation. However, Bethesda shot this idea down and it apparently never gained much traction. Avellone further explained that he took some inspiration from the massive success of Call of Duty at the time, which released, and continues to release, a new game every year. The idea was for Bethesda to develop "core releases," while Obsidian would develop follow-up titles set in similar settings.

This would have helped alleviate the long gaps between Bethesda's main releases. By the time The Elder Scrolls 6 releases, 15 years or more may have passed since the release of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. Fallout: New Vegas bridged a seven-year wait between Fallout 3 and Fallout 4, and was so popular that Fallout: New Vegas is the favorite game of many Fallout fans to this day.

Although it's going to be a long wait until The Elder Scrolls 6, Bethesda fans can enjoy Starfield's wide range of features in the meantime. Bethesda confirmed that it plans to consistently update the game for the foreseeable future.

Some Starfield fans wish that Bethesda would borrow the best parts of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim and incorporate them into the new sci-fi exploration game. Although Starfield is an impressive creation, some fans have reported that the game struggles to keep them entertained over long periods.

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Skyrim Tag Page Cover Art

Skyrim

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Released
November 11, 2011
ESRB
M for Mature: Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes
Developer(s)
Bethesda
Publisher(s)
Bethesda
Engine
Creation
Expansions
Skyrim: Dragonborn, Skyrim: Hearthfire, Skyrim: Dawnguard
Franchise
The Elder Scrolls
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DIGITAL
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Skyrim is a beloved game for a reason. There is so much to do in the game, and with the new anniversary updates, even veteran players will have a fresh experience if they haven’t played it in a few years. The modding community around the game is beyond active with some fans even using Skyrim's foundations to rebuild previous entries into the Elder Scrolls series.

Winner of more than 200 Game of the Year Awards, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition brings the epic fantasy to life in stunning detail. The Special Edition includes the critically acclaimed game and add-ons with all-new features like remastered art and effects, volumetric god rays, dynamic depth of field, screen-space reflections, and more.

Skyrim Special Edition also brings the power of Bethesda Game Studios Creations to PC and consoles. New quests, environments, characters, dialogue, armor, weapons and more – with Creations, there are no limits to what you can experience.

Platform(s)
PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox One X, Xbox Series S, PS4, PS5, Switch
Genre(s)
RPG, Action, Adventure