The Elder Scrolls 6 Fans Anticipate Launch in Contest

Much like Grand Theft Auto 6 enthusiasts, fans of The Elder Scrolls 6 are hungry for news. It’s understandable, then, that the community has jumped into release-date speculation with only an official character creation contest to fuel the excitement.

This week, Bethesda revealed its latest charity initiative with Make-A-Wish: participants can bid for the opportunity to collaborate with Bethesda Game Studios to design an NPC for The Elder Scrolls 6.

“For the past several years, we’ve been honored to partner with Make-A-Wish to fulfill wishes, support local events, and donate unique items and experiences—all to help children battling life-threatening illnesses,” Bethesda stated.

“This year, in support of their Silent Auction, we’re offering one winner the chance to work directly with Bethesda Game Studios to create a character that will appear in The Elder Scrolls 6. All proceeds from the auction will go directly to Make-A-Wish.”

While it’s a heartwarming effort from Bethesda, The Elder Scrolls 6 fans see it as a potential clue. The community has compared this Make-A-Wish campaign to a similar one Bethesda ran for Starfield—drawing conclusions about where The Elder Scrolls 6 stands in development and what that might mean for its eventual release window.

Admittedly, this is deep-dive speculation at its peak. But let’s explore the idea… for research’s sake.

One keen observer on Reddit, ‘FartingSlowly,’ noted that Bethesda’s equivalent “create a Starfield character” announcement came roughly two and a half years before Starfield’s September 2023 launch. Following that logic, The Elder Scrolls 6 could release in September 2027—specifically, September 27, 2027.

“This isn’t a reliable release predictor by any means,” FartingSlowly clarified. “Don’t take it too seriously. But at least it’s something. Instead of speculation pulled from thin air, it’s actually connected to a real Bethesda initiative. Sure, it’s not a solid lead—but in a sea of guesswork, it’s a welcome change.”

Naturally, many in the community raised doubts about this proposed timeline. Several pointed out that Starfield’s Make-A-Wish contest began when the game was originally scheduled for November 11, 2022. Could that mean The Elder Scrolls 6 is targeting a November 2026 launch?

Do you believe Microsoft will launch a next-generation Xbox before The Elder Scrolls 6 releases?

No, the Xbox Series X and S will still be Microsoft’s only console offeringsYes—and 2026 can’t arrive fast enough

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It has been a very long time since Bethesda first announced The Elder Scrolls 6. Back in January, the length of time since its June 10, 2018 announcement matched how old Skyrim was when The Elder Scrolls 6 was originally revealed.

The studio confirmed The Elder Scrolls 6 had entered "early development" in August 2023, and by March 2024, "early builds" were reportedly in testing. Last June marked the six-year anniversary of the game’s announcement—prompting Bethesda's development chief Todd Howard to reflect, "oh wow, that has been a while."

Currently, The Elder Scrolls 6 is widely expected no earlier than 2028, likely releasing on next-gen consoles and PC. If it launches then, it will arrive a full 17 years after Skyrim. While we wait for more details, be sure to catch up on Everything we know about The Elder Scrolls 6.