The Elder Scrolls 6's "Classic Style" by Bethesda Game is a problem (for gamers like me)

Everyone knows The Elder Scrolls 6 is still years away, which means any updates will be small in the grand scheme of things. As such, it's not saying much that Bethesda director/executive producer Todd Howard's latest comments about the sequel were the biggest revelations yet. And unfortunately, these confirmations on The Elder Scrolls 6 provides little to no relief for players like me.

To be clear, I loved growing up with and playing Bethesda games. I'll swear up and down that the original Oblivion is the best Elder scrolls game, although I have also purchased Skyrim several times. I was the perfect mark for Oblivion remasteredand I've played every one Fall-out game since then FO3 (although I think New Vegas is best). I also put in my fair share of hours Starfieldeven though it wasn't really what I liked about previous games. Dealing with it, I've had to come to terms with the fact that Bethesda games haven't really changed.

In a recent interview with Kinda Funny Games, Howard gave some official insights on The Elder Scrolls 6. He revealed that the team is about to reach a major milestone, but that the release is “still a while away.” He revealed that Bethesda has been working on upgrading the Creation Engine, bringing it up to Creation Engine 3, which will power The Elder Scrolls 6.

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But where it gets troubling is Howard's comments about the nature of the game The Elder Scrolls 6 will be: “In some ways, in many ways, Fallout 76 and Starfield is a bit of a creative departure from that kind of classic Elder Scrolls or Fallout.” He continued, quote Skyrim, Fallout 3, Fallout 4and Oblivion as a classic, and went on to say,

“When we come back to The Elder Scrolls 6, we're coming back to the kind of classic style that we've been missing and that we feel really, really well.”

And that wasn't exactly the news I wanted to hear about The Elder Scrolls 6.

Why Fallout 76 and Starfield are 'creative detours'

Not to argue with anyone in charge of the games, but I see neither Fallout 76 or Starfield as “creative detours”. It's no secret Fallout 76 was decried at release for its emphasis on multiplayer, but the last few years have been spent building it up into a great Fall-out game. Every season of Fallout 76 expands on it, and it's well worth playing today. It's no secret either Starfieldas an RPG, hasn't lived up to Bethesda's reputation, but I'd argue that's a result of nostalgia since it's a classic Bethesda game with planet-travel loading screens.

Take away how these games “deviated” from “classic Bethesda games” in terms of style and direction, and they are classic Bethesda games through and through. As much as I love Fallout 76 for its story, events and world-building, the fact remains that exploration is not that different from others Fall-out game. As much as I thought Starfield was basic as a sci-fi game and RPG, the fact remains that its most basic elements are not that different from those of other “classic Bethesda games.” Again, I love Fallout 76 and consider its “classic Bethesda elements” as its weakest parts, while I was largely disappointed Starfield due to its “classic Bethesda elements”.

The gaming industry is big on words like 'innovation' and 'evolution', and sometimes this is just marketing language more than anything else. But there is a problem here. It's hard to say Fallout 76 and Starfield are not “classic Bethesda games” when there are no real “modern Bethesda games”.

Let's do a thought experiment. Let's say The Elder Scrolls 6 takes place in the region of Hammerfell, let's say it starts with the player as a prisoner, and let's say the player is some kind of chosen one. Let's just say the exploration and world design is just like Skyrimwhich you may have played a dozen times and bought half a dozen times. Let's just say it's the most technically polished Bethesda game ever, the story is as good as you'd expect, and everything lives up to the expectations of a “classic Bethesda game.” Does that sound like something you'd play to be finished by 2030?

For context, everyone had the chance to play a “classic Bethesda game” in 2025. Oblivion remastered was released and performed well by key metrics such as Game Pass and direct sales. But only half Oblivion remastered players reached 15 hours, and it's a great remaster, in addition to being a classic Bethesda game, at its best Elder scrolls game. Who is going to put in 100 hours The Elder Scrolls 6: Skyrim 2? I have already played that game many times.

If Oblivion remastered is any indication, if the way RPGs and open world games have changed and grown since 2012 is any indication, then maybe “classic Bethesda style” isn't enough for The Elder Scrolls 6. Hopefully this is just marketing parlance (people love nostalgia), and Bethesda is looking to genuinely innovate – not use the marketing definition – its otherwise arguably antiquated approach to gaming.