In a preamble to finally revealing the long-rumored Oblivion Remastered, Bethesda studio head and creative director Todd Howard reaffirmed the studio’s current work on The Elder Scrolls 6. The highly-anticipated fantasy RPG has been elusive since its announcement all the way back in 2018 at the now-defunct E3.

Near the beginning of the Oblivion Remastered reveal on the Bethesda Softworks YouTube channel, Howard said, “Obviously, we’re still working on the sixth chapter,” before segueing into a discussion about The Elder Scrolls‘ legacy. The full quote is as follows:

“Obviously, we’re working on the sixth chapter here, but what’s great about The Elder Scrolls is being able to look back at all of the chapters – Skyrim, Oblivion, Morrowind, Daggerfall, Arena. Each of them try to define roleplaying games and open-world games for their generation.”

Howard’s words are clearly light on details, like The Elder Scrolls 6 itself, but it does provide some interesting insight regarding Bethesda’s outlook on developing the series. Each game has been ambitious, and this frame of mind sets up TES 6 to be no different once it’s finally revealed.

Todd Howard Reiterates That The Elder Scrolls 6 Is In Development

No Update On Release Window

The reason for the occasion was revealing The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, so it’s unsurprising to see Howard gloss over TES 6. This is just the latest of similar mentions, which will likely continue sporadically until the game is actually ready to be showcased. Practically nothing about The Elder Scrolls 6 has been officially confirmed, though its setting might’ve been teased by a Starfield trailer in 2021, potentially pointing to the series’ return to Iliac Bay, situated between Tamriel’s High Rock and Hammerell provinces.

High Rock and Hammerfell were last seen in the mainline series in 1996’s The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall. More recent leaks of dubious validity suggest The Elder Scrolls 6 will feature ship management along the lines of Starfield‘s spaceship customization, naval combat, and the return of dragons. Leaks should, of course, be taken alongside a hefty dose of skepticism, though, since Bethesda has not released any official material on the game since its 2018 teaser trailer, which showed little more than a logo splash screen.

Todd Howard’s Words Show The Elder Scrolls 6 Is Inheriting A Huge Legacy

Can TES 6 Define A New Generation Of RPGs?

As Bethesda’s studio head, Todd Howard is always going to gas up The Elder Scrolls, but saying each of the series’ games “try to define roleplaying games and open-world games for their generation” isn’t necessarily wrong. Each title is wildly ambitious for the time it was released, and there’s a reason TES 6 is massively anticipated despite the lack of information: it’s likely to be a groundbreaking new RPG. Skyrim‘s many rereleases have become a joke, but it’s been ported to practically every device because it’s beloved and has very wide appeal.

There simply aren’t any other studios making the same kind of sandbox RPGs as Bethesda, and even the promise of a new installment is enough to get excited about. That said, there has been an undercurrent of uncertainty surrounding TES 6 after the release of Starfield. Though by many metrics a success, and well-liked by its fans, Starfield has thrown into question whether Bethesda’s brand of RPGs is too dated. The Elder Scrolls 6 comes from RPG royalty, and will have to reckon with that heavy legacy.