Why Skyrim Never Got Its Own New Vegas: Bethesda Guards Elder Scrolls Closely

Nearly 15 years after Skyrim arrived, Elder Scrolls fans are still waiting for The Elder Scrolls 6, which remains in development at Bethesda Game Studios. In that long stretch, the series has seen remasters, re-releases and an online spin-off, but no new mainline-style adventure from another developer.

According to a Skyrim loremaster, that is no accident. Bethesda, they say, is "very protective" of The Elder Scrolls, treating it as a golden goose that is not to be handed around lightly.

The contrast with Fallout is hard to miss. When Bethesda took over the Fallout license, it let Obsidian Entertainment build Fallout: New Vegas in a relatively short window, and the result became one of the most beloved RPGs of its era. Fans still cite it as proof that an outside team can put a distinct stamp on a Bethesda franchise without wrecking it.

Nothing like that has happened for Tamriel. Bethesda has kept the core series in house, leaving a gap between Skyrim in 2011 and whatever comes next that is now measured in well over a decade.

The loremaster's explanation fits how Bethesda has handled the brand for years. The Elder Scrolls is one of the company's most valuable properties, and Skyrim in particular has been re-released on seemingly every platform imaginable. Keeping tight control means protecting that value, but it also means players have had little new to explore in the meantime.

Whether that caution was the right call is a matter of debate. A New Vegas-style side entry could have kept the series alive and given fans fresh stories while the main team focused on the next big game. On the other hand, a misstep by a partner studio could have dented the brand's reputation just as Skyrim's legacy was at its peak.

For now, there is no sign that Bethesda plans to change its approach. Fans hoping for a fresh trip to Tamriel will have to wait for The Elder Scrolls 6, and the studio has given no firm sense of when that will be.