There are a lot of plans in the works for Xbox, which is exciting news for fans of Microsoft's system. However, while things are chugging along on the software side of things, a new console release means that there is a potential break in tradition for the Elder Scrolls series. This is an odd tradition to break, as it has been in the making for nearly 23 years now, and it is in Microsoft's favor not to break it.

Microsoft's big plans include a new handheld Xbox console launch as soon as this year, which is a quick turnaround from the initial announcement until the release date. It could set up an interesting competitor to the Switch 2, also expected to launch this year. However, the presence of this new handheld also makes it odd that the Elder Scrolls does not seem to have a new game coming any sooner.

New Xbox Consoles Are Reportedly Launching In 2027

News Of A New Console By 2028 Has Leaked

According to an exclusive news release from new Xbox consoles as early as 2027. With the last release happening in 2020, that's not that much of a surprise, given the typical lifespan of a console generation. I'd be more surprised if there was more time between them, given how fast technology tends to advance these days. What is more surprising is the new handheld console this year, which most of Xbox's advertising will likely be geared toward this year.

We don't know that much about the new consoles just yet, so we will have to wait to see what the specs will look like, or if we will get multiple iterations like we did for the X|S. Recently, there has been an overall trend for Microsoft to release a lot of its exclusives on the PS5 as well, so there was some concern that Microsoft would be letting its own hardware slide. Fortunately, this seems like it's not the case, and we can all look forward to see what the new consoles will be like.

What The New Consoles Mean For Exclusives Like TES 6

Exclusives Are Not Leaving Xbox Consoles Forever

Exclusives for Xbox are not going away anytime soon, and it seems like Game will continue to be solely on Xbox platforms and PC. This means that anyone who wants to have access to the fairly massive game catalog will have to stay within the Microsoft system, and it is likely exclusives could get Day 1 launches within the subscription service. This is the case for not just games like The Elder Scrolls 6, but also for any others like it.

There may even be a bigger emphasis on it with the handheld coming, as it is likely Game will be available, or at least prominently featured, as soon as you turn it on, much like the Steam Deck launches you directly into your Steam library. While Xbox may continue to allow PS5 s to play their exclusives on that platform, it is likely that it will continue to be more convenient and may be released earlier on Xbox's first-party systems.

A New Elder Scrolls Game May Not Release On Current-Gen Software

The Elder Scrolls 6 Continues To Remain Elusive

However, one of the more interesting things with the state of The Elder Scrolls franchise, is that we may never see a new game in the series on the current-gen software. It is likely that we will also get a new PS around the same time as an Xbox console, as they released at the same time previously. Neither console has seen The Elder Scrolls 6, and so far it seems like the current release window is in 2028. While it may be backward compatible, it would not be released as a new game onto the older consoles.

This is unfortunate as it means we have not gotten a new Elder Scrolls game in a very long time, and we still have at least three years to wait. There have been a few mobile games released, but none of them have made their way onto consoles, and it's been 14 years since The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was originally released. While it has continued to be updated and remade for new consoles, it is past time to see a new game in the series.

PS5 & Series X Would Be The First Generation With No New TES Games Since 2002

An Entire Generation With No New Entry To The Series

When The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind was released in 2002, it did so on Xbox. Oblivion was released on the Xbox 360/PS3. Skyrim was originally released on those consoles as well, but The Elder Scrolls Online got a new release on Xbox One and PS4 in 2015. That means it's been a decade since a mainline game was released, and well over that since a regular game in the series was. Waiting for The Elder Scrolls 6 can feel pointless, but watching an entire generation of consoles come and go while waiting for a new entry makes me sad.

Thanks to The Elder Scrolls Online releasing on the previous-gen consoles, the PS5 and Xbox X|S would be the first consoles in a very long time to miss a new release. This is unfortunate, as they both still feel like great consoles despite being in the latter half of their lifespans. We did get some great games from Bethesda, as we got Deathloop in the early life of both consoles and last year we got Indiana Jones & The Great Circle. Both had some great elements to them, but both were also made by smaller studios under Bethesda's umbrella.

Starfield remains the only game we have gotten directly from Bethesda Game Studios, and depending on who you ask it was either a big success or a flop. It still has a little time to prove itself, with another DLC on the horizon, but the most anticipated games from the studio, Fallout 5 and The Elder Scrolls 6, continue to remain elusive, and news on that front has been very quiet. Of course, we continue to get ESO and Skyrim, but it would be nice to get something new.

It's unfortunate that the tradition seems to be breaking, mainly because it means we have waited a long time. Skyrim came out before the PS4 and Xbox One released, which feels like it should have been plenty of time for a new game to come out. However, I would prefer a great game to one that comes out too soon, but if Microsoft delayed The Elder Scrolls 6 just to release it on the new Xbox consoles, I would be a little annoyed.

Source: Windows Central