If you've been waiting for a sign that The Elder Scrolls VI is actually, genuinely happening, Todd Howard just gave you one. In a wide-ranging interview with IGN, the Bethesda Game Studios head confirmed that the majority of the studio has shifted its focus squarely onto the next Elder Scrolls entry, moving past the pre-production phase and into full-scale development.
From small team to full studio push
Big Bethesda projects don't just spring to life fully formed. Howard explained that studio productions typically start with a smaller crew during a two-to-three year pre-production window, a period focused on figuring out the direction before bringing in the full team. The Elder Scrolls VI has cleared that hurdle.
"We're at that point with The Elder Scrolls 6 where the bulk of the studio is on it, a lot of our partners are on it, and we know, 'Hey, this is what we're doing,'" Howard told IGN. That's not just a reassuring soundbite. It marks a concrete shift in where Bethesda's resources are actually going.
Playable builds running every day
Here's the thing that actually matters for longtime fans who've been waiting since that 2018 title card reveal: the game exists beyond a logo. The Elder Scrolls VI has reached a point where playable builds are consistently available for the team.
"We've had more days than we've ever had where the build is good, there's new stuff in it, and we can play it," Howard said. That's a meaningful milestone. It means the game isn't just a concept doc and a dream. People are actively playing and iterating on it inside the studio right now.
Howard's hint about character builds
Beyond the studio update, Howard dropped something interesting when the conversation turned to RPG design philosophy. Referencing Oblivion specifically, he pushed back on the idea of punishing players for build mistakes made hours into a playthrough.
"I don't want someone to be like, 'I made a mistake several hours ago and I have no way of correcting it,'" Howard said. But he also acknowledged that some games do a great job with build scarcity, where choices carry real weight. His question going forward: "Is there a way to have the best of both worlds where you can course correct, but there's still some scarcity?"
What most players miss in that comment is how directly it contrasts with Starfield, where skill point reallocation isn't currently an option. It strongly hints that The Elder Scrolls VI could give players more flexibility without fully removing the consequence of choices.
Bethesda still has other plates spinning
None of this means Bethesda is abandoning its live-service commitments. Fallout 76, Elder Scrolls Online, and ongoing Starfield content are all still in the picture. The studio is also bringing Starfield to PlayStation 5 in April, alongside a major update Howard described as the game's biggest yet.
Still, the message is clear: The Elder Scrolls VI is the main event. Everything else is running in parallel, not competing for the same attention.
What this means for the wait ahead
None of this shortens the wait. Bethesda hasn't given a release window, and given the scale of what a new Elder Scrolls game represents, it's still likely years away. But "the bulk of the studio is on it" is a very different sentence than "we're still in early development," and that distinction matters. Make sure to check out more:
