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Yes—Todd Howard confirmed that Bethesda held a large playtest of The Elder Scrolls VI. It was a development check, not evidence that the game is nearly finished. Bethesda has announced no release date or window, while Rockstar currently lists Grand Theft Auto VI for November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. That makes GTA VI the only one of the two with a published date; Bethesda has not confirmed which game will reach stores first.
What Todd Howard said about the playtest
In an interview published by British GQ on November 10, 2025, Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard said: “We did a big play test yesterday for The Elder Scrolls 6, and you have to really look at the screen and say, ‘What is this? What does this need? Where are we at?’ Great games are played, not made. The screen doesn’t lie.”
Howard later clarified that the session lasted three hours. His remarks describe the team playing the game to assess what it needs and where development stands. The interview does not identify everyone who took part or describe how complete the build was, so the test cannot be taken as proof of a final or near-final game.
Is Elder Scrolls 6 close to release?
No release date or window has been announced. In the same GQ interview, Howard said the game was “still a long way off” and urged fans to be patient: “I’m preaching patience,” he said. “I don’t want fans to feel anxious.” A playtest can be part of development well before launch; on its own, it does not establish a schedule.
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#1 Best Overall
- ENTER THE WORLD OF SKYRIM: Experience the legendary open-world RPG as a tabletop adventure, exploring Tamriel through branching quests, iconic factions, and rich Elder Scrolls lore.
- COOPERATIVE OR SOLO PLAY: Designed for 1–4 players, allowing you to adventure solo or team up to face dragons, uncover conspiracies, and shape the fate of Skyrim together.
- OPEN-ENDED QUEST SYSTEM: Choose how you approach each mission—diplomacy, stealth, or combat—as your decisions permanently impact the story and the world around you.
- DEEP CHARACTER PROGRESSION: Build unique heroes with evolving skills, gear, and abilities inspired by the video game’s iconic progression systems.
- HIGH REPLAYABILITY: Modular scenarios, multiple quest paths, and varied character builds ensure every campaign feels fresh and every journey through Skyrim is different.
Bethesda’s latest stated progress
In a July 2026 studio update, Bethesda said The Elder Scrolls VI is being developed on Creation Engine 3 and is the studio’s primary development focus, with most of the team working on it. The studio wrote: “We’re where we planned to be, loving how it looks, and playing it every day.” That is a progress statement, not a launch window.
Howard also told Game Informer in December 2025 that development was progressing well and that most of the studio was on the game. He noted Bethesda’s overlapping development work and desire to get the process right. Studio design director Emil Pagliarulo also spoke about taking the time needed to polish large games. Neither gave a release date.
Rank #2
- EXPAND TO 8 PLAYERS: This expansion increases the player count from the base game, allowing 5–8 players to explore Skyrim together in epic, large-scale tabletop adventures.
- MORE HEROES, MORE CHAOS: Supports bigger parties and bolder strategies, perfect for groups who want deeper cooperation, rivalry, and emergent storytelling across the province of Skyrim.
- SEAMLESS CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION: Designed to plug directly into The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim – Adventure Board Game, preserving narrative depth, progression, and immersive gameplay.
- PERFECT FOR GAME NIGHTS & EVENTS: Ideal for larger gaming groups, clubs, and marathon sessions where more players means more interaction, alliances, and unforgettable moments.
- EXPANSION ONLY: Requires The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim – Adventure Board Game base game to play; enhances existing campaigns without replacing core systems.
Will Elder Scrolls 6 come out before GTA 6?
There is no confirmed release order. Rockstar’s official GTA VI page lists November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Bethesda has not published a date or release window for The Elder Scrolls VI. Based on the currently announced information, GTA VI has the clearer timetable—but Bethesda has not said that its game will launch after GTA VI, and a published date is not a guarantee that it cannot change.
| What is announced | The Elder Scrolls VI | Grand Theft Auto VI |
|---|---|---|
| Release date or window | No date or window stated in Bethesda’s July 2026 update | November 19, 2026, on Rockstar’s current official listing |
| Officially listed platforms | Not stated in Bethesda’s July 2026 update | PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S |
| What can be concluded about release order? | Not established | Not established; its date is published, but the relative order is unconfirmed |
Is a surprise release planned?
No such plan has been confirmed. In the GQ interview, Howard described a shadow drop as his preferred scenario, carefully qualifying it: “My perfect version – and I’m not saying this is going to happen – is that it’s going to be a while and then, one day, the game will just appear.” That is a personal preference, not an announced release strategy.
Rank #3
- THIS IS AN EXPANSION TO THE SKYRIM BOARD GAME: This is not a standalone game. You will need the Skyrim base game in order to play with this expansion.
- THE ELDER SCROLLS COMES TO YOUR TABLETOP: Skyrim The Adventure Game is a resettable legacy experience that allows you to delve into Tamriel’s past, battle foes, hoard treasures and thwart a plot that threatens the whole of Skyrim.
- MINIATURES UPGRADE SET: Upgrade your game experience by switching out wandering monster counters for 32mm scale miniatures of all the map-based adversaries in the game. This set includes 53 Wandering Monster Miniatures to replace the Monster Tokens found in the core game & Dawnguard along with 10 new alternative sculpts for the Heroic Miniatures.
- INCLUDES A NEW SKIRMISH GAME: As a bonus, this set includes an Adventurer's Primer Skirmish Game. This standalone game is compatible with the Call to Arms Wargame and includes the rulebook, hero, follower and adversary cards as well as dice.
- NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: This thrilling dungeon crawling adventure game for teens and adults is designed for 1 to 4 players and is suitable for ages 14 and older. Average playtime is approximately 60 to 120 minutes.
What to play while waiting
If you want to return to the series while Bethesda works on the next game, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim remains the predecessor—not a substitute announcement about the sequel. Bethesda said in 2026 that players were still exploring Skyrim 15 years later and reported more than 65 million copies sold. Those figures describe Skyrim only; they say nothing about the sales or timing of The Elder Scrolls VI.
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Rank #4
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