At E3, The Elder Scrolls 6 was finally announced. Even though it is a single-player role-playing game, it may have a social multiplayer component according to Bethesda.
Focus on Singleplayer
Fans want singleplayer. The Elder Scrolls Online is not only aimed at fans of MMORPGs, but also at fans of single-player games. It is quite possible to play TESO very well alone.
Yet fans of the RPG series have been calling for a new single-player installment for many years. This wish will be fulfilled with The Elder Scrolls 6, announced at E3 2018.
What is TES 6? Not much is known about The Elder Scrolls 6 yet. Only a short teaser has been shown, featuring a landscape. According to Todd Howard from Bethesda, this scene hints at where TES 6 will be set. Fan speculation ranges from Black Marsh to Hammerfell and High Rock to the continent of Akavir.
What is certain:
- The Elder Scrolls 6 will be a single-player role-playing game
- It is said to be a “Next Gen” game
- The focus is on story and quests
- There will be a new game area to explore
Singleplayer with Multiplayer Component?
A social multiplayer component could be coming. Todd Howard explains that the focus of TES 6 is on the single-player experience. However, he also leaves a small door open for multiplayer. He mentioned: “Maybe they (TES 6 and Fallout 5, editor’s note) also have a social aspect that we haven’t designed yet.”
What could that mean?
- It is actually unlikely that TES 6 will be played online like an MMORPG. Many fans would certainly take that badly with Bethesda. Moreover, the company does not want to create competition for The Elder Scrolls Online.
- A coop mode would indeed be a possibility. Fans have been wishing for such a feature since The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind. A kind of opt-in system could be envisioned, in which friends from the friends list are invited to join the game to complete quests together.
- A social hub is also conceivable. Perhaps there could be a kind of tavern where other players gather. Here, they interact and play a small minigame, perhaps cards or dice. Maybe they also make music together.
- We might get a system similar to that in Dark Souls or Bloodborne, where we observe “ghosts” of other players handling specific situations in the game, and we can leave and read messages with tips or traps.
- Perhaps there will be a building component like in the upcoming mobile game The Elder Scrolls: Blades. We build a castle or a town, expand it, and also visit the towns and fortresses of other players.
What is certain: Bethesda is considering a social multiplayer component for The Elder Scrolls 6. How this will look is still unclear. The game is still in early development. A lot can change before the release. At some point, Bethesda will reveal more about TES 6 and surely talk about a potential social component.
