More discussion is being had aroundThe Elder Scrolls 6as the hype forStarfieldlulls in the wait for its Shattered Space DLC. While it is undeniable thatStarfieldwas one of the most expansive and ambitious releases that has come from Bethesda in some time, it seems inevitable that the next entry to the studio’s massively popular fantasy RPG franchise will eclipse the space-faring title.
Fans have been waiting forThe Elder Scrolls 6for well over a decade at this point, with the expectations surrounding the title growing with every passing year. Despite being officially announced in 2018, Bethesda has been eerily silent in relation to the project ever since, but the hype aroundThe Elder Scrolls 6is still as high as ever. The legacy ofThe Elder Scrollsand the huge fan base it has amassed over the past three decades speaks for itself, andTES6should be spared from the same restrictive console availability thatStarfieldcontroversially employed.
The Elder Scrolls 6 Should Have Much Better Platform Availability Than Starfield
It was no wonder thatStarfieldattracted so much industry-wide attention in the run-up to its release, with the game marking the launch of Bethesda’s first brand-new IP in over 25 years. WithStarfield’s early marketing stressing uninhibited explorationacross over 100 solar systems and 1,000 planets, it’s not surprising that so many people were keen to get their hands on such an ambitious title.
However, many fans were shocked as more details began to release regardingStarfield, particularly in regard to the news that the game would only be available on Xbox consoles and PC. Of course, this wasmade possible due to Microsoft’s ownership of Bethesda, having acquired the popular studio through the purchase of its parent company, ZeniMax Media, in 2021 for $7.5 billion.
With Bethesda now falling under the Xbox Games Studio name,Starfieldacted as the first glimpse into a new life for the studio’s most high-profile titles, with Microsoft leveraging its ownership tomuscle PlayStation out of the Bethesda market. As a brand-new IP, keepingStarfield’s console presence limited to Xbox hardware was not as controversial as it otherwise might have been, but this same strategy should not be used forThe Elder Scrolls 6.
The Elder Scrolls' Reputation is Too Large For Console Exclusivity
Bethesda has built up the reputation and community ofThe Elder Scrollsover the past 30 years across a wide range of platforms, with its more recent releases having strong communities across most console names. IfThe Elder Scrolls6was to release solely on PC and Xbox, it would run a great risk of alienating huge portions of its pre-existing fan base, many of which have been waiting over a decade forTES6to finally release.
While it is only logical that Microsoft would use console exclusivity tactics to get a return on its massive acquisition investments, using this strategy for a franchise as large asThe Elder Scrollsmay be more harmful than lucrative. It is fair to say thatStarfieldwas not as successful as Bethesda may have hopedit would be, and this stigma may carry forward into the launch ofTES6, meaning non-Xbox console users may be more inclined to simply not play the game whatsoever.
Reducing the available platforms forThe Elder Scrolls 6may be a gamble that Bethesda and Microsoft cannot afford to make, but above all else it would be an insult to fans who have waited so long for the title. With Microsoft stressing its ethos of ensuring that gaming remains “for everyone” afterits acquisition of Activision Blizzard, it only seems right that a title as anticipated asThe Elder Scrolls 6should involve completely different platform plans from the restricted console availability ofStarfield.
