After years of radio silence and “creative detours,” Todd Howard is finally speaking up about the direction of The Elder Scrolls VI. In a recent appearance on the Kinda Funny Gamescast, the Bethesda lead addressed the elephant in the room: the studio’s recent shift in design philosophy with titles like Fallout 76 and Starfield.
According to Howard, those games represented a bit of a departure from the “classic” Bethesda loop that fans have come to expect. But for those worried that the next chapter of Tamriel might lose its soul, Howard has a clear message: Bethesda is going home.
“We are coming back to that classic style that we’ve missed, that we know really, really well,” Howard stated. He acknowledged that while Starfield and 76 explored new territory, TES VI will focus on the deep, grounded world exploration that made Skyrim and Oblivion legendary.
It’s an interesting admission from the studio head. It seems Bethesda has heard the feedback loud and clear—fans miss the seamless, handcrafted exploration of a single, dense continent rather than the procedurally generated vastness of space. Howard noted that while the team is sticking to their roots, they aren’t playing it safe: “There is a lot of innovation to be done there still.”
Perhaps the biggest technical bombshell was the confirmation of Creation Engine 3. Howard revealed that The Elder Scrolls VI—and all future Bethesda titles—will run on this brand-new iteration of their proprietary tech. After the mixed reception to the engine’s performance in Starfield, a jump to “Version 3” suggests Bethesda is finally overhaulng their tools to handle the next generation of RPG depth.
We all remember that teaser trailer from 2018—nearly eight years ago. Howard admitted he still questions if announcing the game so early was the right move, noting he probably should have done it “more casually.” But as former veteran Bruce Nesmith once put it, fans were practically at the gates with “pitchforks and torches.”
Howard wrapped up by saying the team is “happy with where it’s headed.” While we still don’t have a release date, the pivot back to the “classic” formula is exactly what we wanted to hear.
