We’re never going to get The Elder Scrolls 6 because of freaking Skyrim remasters

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I’m a big fan of games. Everything from Metal Gear Solid’s unique storylines that gripped me as a kid to competitive FPS games like Escape From Tarkov that frustrate me immensely as an adult. I really just love gaming, and one of my favorite games of all time is The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Having said that, I can’t help but feeling that gaming these days is getting a bit stale. Don’t get me wrong. There are, of course, still some amazing games coming out that bring out those feelings that I used to get playing Syphon Filter with my brother on our first PlayStation 1 (we had a tendency to break things, occasionally).

But it seems that creativity and originality in games are becoming somewhat a thing of the past, especially when it comes to large, AAA-level games. Not only are games becoming more and more derivative, but it also seems like we’re just getting fed remasters and rereleases left and right. And when it comes to Skyrim, these rereleases have become a joke at this point.

Some games just don’t need any more rereleases yet

Don’t get me wrong, I definitely don’t hate the idea of remastering some old classics. Bethesda actually surprised us with a new Quake remake earlier this week and I’m here for that one. Quake celebrated its 25 year anniversary this year, and improvements in technology make that game worthy of a remaster.

Hell, I’m even on record saying we need more fresh remakes of classic titles like a complete remaster of the original Metal Gear Solid from 1998. The problem is that many games are getting remasters and rereleases before they are even close to being worthy of them.

Grand Theft Auto V is a good example of this. The game originally came out in 2013 for the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3. Barely a year later, the game was re-released for Xbox One and PS4, and just 6 months later it was finally ported to PC. It has now been eight years since the game came out, and Rockstar recently announced another version will be coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Talk about cashing in.

But possibly the worst example of game publishers continuously rereleasing and remaking games that don’t necessarily need it is with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Skyrim originally came out in 2011 and has seen a similar release pattern to GTA V.

Like GTA V, Skyrim was originally released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It then waited a while before releasing the Special Edition of the game for Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4. This version featured significant graphical improvements, as well as all three of the game’s substantial expansions. This release made sense, and I wouldn’t see any problem at all if the company stopped with this one.

But of course, Bethesda wants to squeeze as much money as it possibly can out of its golden goose, so the company has just announced the Skyrim Anniversary Edition, coming this fall. At this point, even the company recognizes how ridiculous these releases are, joking that Skyrim will be getting a version for your refrigerator.

We’ll never get Elder Scrolls 6 at this point

Now, I want to make it abundantly clear that I absolutely loved Skyrim. 18-year-old Alex lost hundreds of hours of his life, and maybe even a few friends when the game came out originally. I remember locking myself in my basement for days at a time with some potato chips and Dr. Pepper playing Skyrim until my eyes bled. I actually put the game pretty near the top of my list of favorite games ever.

But enough is enough. The Special Edition was nice, as it brought the game in its entirety together. It also brought the game to the Switch for the first time, and that was a good move. But there’s no reason for this Anniversary Edition to exist, and I’m going to try and explain why.

The Skyrim Anniversary Edition is coming at a really weird time. The game is only 10 years old, making it too early for a complete remaster that could improve the game’s mechanics at its core. It also lacks the content to warrant the rerelease. All of the game’s expansions came out years ago and were included in the Special Edition release as well.

But I know what you’re thinking: “But the Anniversary Edition includes over 500 pieces of ‘new’ content.” And that is technically true. What the announcement fails to point out is that most of this content isn’t technically new at all. Most is fan-made as part of the game’s Creation Club. So all of that content is already readily available, it just doesn’t come with the base game.

I think what really makes me angry is that I’m just ready for the next Elder Scrolls game to come out. It has been 10 years since I fell in love with the franchise with Skyrim and, though I’ve enjoyed my time with some of the franchise’s other games (I also lost many hours to my Elder Scrolls Online character who ended up being a better chef than adventurer), I really just want Bethesda to hurry up and deliver The Elder Scrolls VI.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen any time soon. After years of waiting, the most information that we’ve gotten about the game is this almost insulting teaser trailer from three years ago:

Nothing I say really matters

Unfortunately, nothing I say about the subject really matters. The fact of the matter is that Skyrim is one of Bethesda’s most lucrative and successful titles to date, and as long as people continue to buy the game’s re-releases, the publisher is going to continue to produce them.

I just think games like this really lose their replay value over time and, especially after 10 years, there has to be a time to just move on. The thing that makes Skyrim and games like it so great is the impressive storytelling and world-building that goes into them, and fantasy fans like myself can’t wait to see what story comes next. For the love of God, Bethesda, please give us Elder Scrolls 6.

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