Without a doubt,The Elder ScrollsandFalloutare some of the biggest franchises owned by Bethesda and is practically the company’s flagships. However, recent years have dedicated more to the latter than it has the former, disregarding the various ports and remasters ofSkyrim. 2011 saw its release, whereas 2015 receivedFallout 4and 2018 receivedFallout 76. Now, the latter did grow out of amultiplayer idea forFO4, but the relationship there is a peculiar one, whereas the relationship betweenSkyrimand theElder Scrolls 6is a boisterous one.
Looking forward,The Elder Scrolls 6is in development but was announced incredibly early, likely to offset confusion cause by theFallout 76announcement. However,Fallout 5will also likely happen but is the child of a now-altogether different beast. In fact, this relationship betweenSkyrim-ES6andFallout 76-Fallout 5is incredibly similar but bodes well for the former and ill for the latter.
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From Skyrim to The Elder Scrolls 6
WhenSkyrimfirst released, GameStops and retail stores the world over were packed for midnight releases. Fans were excited to get their hands on the follow-up toMorrowindandOblivion, and it’s clear that it blew all expectations.Skyrimis often used as a benchmark for contemporary RPGs in its treatment of a main story and diverging questlines, it has been the source of hundreds (if not thousands) of memes, it still has a solid following to this day, it has players who still have not searched every nook and cranny, and it has cemented its place in gaming history. When people think of Bethesda,Skyrimmay just be their go-to.
And to be honest, that’s daunting. It’ll be hard forThe Elder Scrolls 6to live up toSkyrim, which may be part of the reason that a decade or more is likely to pass before it sees the light of day. At the same time, stores may no longer be packed, but fans will no doubt be ready to download the game as soon as the time comes.The Elder Scrolls 6practically sells itself because it isSkyrim’s child; it would almost need to be something incredibly drastic for it not to.
Actual reception, of course, remains to be seen, but on the chance it is indeed a flop (such is the case with all big titles), it’ll likely retain followers who enjoy it on next-gen systems. As such,The Elder Scrolls 6’s secret weapon is that it cannot genuinely fail. “The Elder Scrolls 6:The Long Awaited Sequel to Bethesda’s award-winningSkyrim” may appear everywhere and is more than it needs to find its following. Still, it cold flop, it could live inSkyrim’s shadow, but it cannot fail."
From Fallout 76 to Fallout 5
Earlier, the caveat toThe Elder Scrolls 6’s success was an announcement that drastically changed its identity; indeed, this is a mistake not likely to be repeated afterFallout 76. The game’s announcement that it was only multiplayer only and hadno NPCsshook the industry, with fans up in arms unwilling to even try the game.Fallout 76has come a long way since those days, perhaps to something that many could even enjoy, but the damage is there. The damage is done.
Whereas being a successor to the highly belovedSkyrimbodes well for theElder Scrolls 6, regardless of what may come, being the successor toFallout 76means a potentialFallout 5may launch to an entirely different atmosphere. Now, it’s worth mentioning that Todd Howard has already stated aFallout 5would be a single-player experience, thatFallout 76was a worthwhile experiment, and that Bethesda could have done better with it from the get-go. But those words may be long forgotten when the game arrives.
What won’t be forgotten isFallout 76itself; despite being in a much better state today, there are many who may be devoted to being contrarian to all things Bethesda.Fallout 5has to be a hit as a result. It has to be big, as it does not have the luxury of beingThe Elder Scrolls 6. It is not following a majorly successive title but one that divided its fanbase. If it’s anythingless thanFallout 3orFallout 4, fans will not forget, and those even willing to give it a chance may instead wait and see how it plays out. There’s no packing into stores, waiting for that download, or immediately guaranteed success, at least for those who feel burned byFallout 76.
Either way, this all remains to be seen. It would be nice to see, regardless of the contextual situation, Bethesda knock bothThe Elder Scrolls 6andFallout 5out of the park.
The Elder Scrolls 6is in development.
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