Xbox surprised gamers when it revealed that the upcoming Gears of War: E-Day will launch as an Xbox Series X|S exclusive. After all, barely a year has passed since Xbox announced its pivot away from console exclusives. Now, exclusive game releases are very clearly back on the menu. And that’s raising questions about the future of some of Xbox’s biggest franchises, including The Elder Scrolls. Questions that Bethesda’s Todd Howard isn’t ready to answer, apparently.
Bethesda recently made a rare, lengthy social media post about the future of its core gaming franchises. This included reassurance that development on Elder Scrolls 6 is going exactly as planned. The update coincided with a Windows Central interview with Todd Howard, in which he talked about the company’s future direction in depth. Naturally, the question of Xbox console exclusivity came up. But Howard says it’s “too early to comment” on whether future Elder Scrolls games will be Xbox exclusives. Gamers, however, hardly think it’s too soon to debate the pros and cons.
It’s been many years since an Xbox exclusive Elder Scrolls release. In fact, it’s easy to forget the franchise was ever exclusive to Xbox consoles at all. More recent installments, including the ever-popular Skyrim, saw multiplatform launches. But once upon a time, The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind released as an Xbox console exclusive alongside its PC release. This, along with the pivot back to Xbox exclusive titles, means that Elder Scrolls 6 coming exclusively to Xbox Series X|S (or at this rate, Project Helix) isn’t out of the question.
When Windows Central’s Jez Corden asked Howard about Elder Scrolls 6 or Fallout 5 arriving as Xbox exclusives, he said it was too early to comment. This is a far cry from affirming that Bethesda will continue the multiplatform launches we saw for Oblivion, Skyrim, and Oblivion Remastered. But it’s not the final nail in the coffin for my fellow PlayStation gamers, either. Too early to comment means Xbox isn’t ready to double down on Xbox exclusivity for one of its biggest franchises, either.
In response to the possibility of Elder Scrolls 6 as an Xbox exclusive, gamers have some strong, divided opinions. Those who want to see Xbox return to its former glory say making major games like ES6 and Fallout 5 exclusive is “the only way for Xbox to improve as [a] console again.” Indeed, many fans think that putting games like Fallout and Elder Scrolls on Xbox could give the company a leg-up over Sony for the next console generation. It doesn’t help that PlayStation isn’t exactly in anyone’s good graces following its plan to end physical game discs.
But not everyone is convinced that releasing Elder Scrolls 6 as an exclusive makes sense for Xbox. “It’s an existing franchise on all platforms,” says one X user. “Doesn’t make sense to make it exclusive.” The last few Elder Scrolls games have been available for PC, PS5, and Xbox at launch, and many have arrived on Nintendo Switch as well. So, pivoting back to console exclusivity does risk alienating part of the fanbase and limiting sales potential at launch.
If Elder Scrolls 6 squeaks in during the current console generation, it’s pretty unlikely gamers would be willing or able to buy an Xbox Series X|S just to play Elder Scrolls. But if we’re looking at a PS6 / Project Helix launch? Xbox just might be willing to hedge its bets to sway gamers to make their next-gen console an Xbox. This may be part of why Howard isn’t ready to confirm or deny the game’s status just yet. The decision might hinge on release timing for both The Elder Scrolls 6 and Xbox’s Project Helix console. For now, I’ll just have to echo Todd Howard and say it’s too soon to know for sure.
What do you think about the possibility of a console-exclusive launch for The Elder Scrolls 6? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
