Microsoft announced in September that an agreement was in place for the purchase of ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Bethesda Studios.
In the $7.5 billion deal, Xbox would now be the home of these huge franchises, including The Elder Scrolls and Fallout series'. Ever since the announcement, rumors have begun to speculate regarding what this means for these titles on Sony consoles, and whether exclusivity for these huge games are a possibility for the future.
Bethesda also recently announced that work had begun on a brand new Indiana Jones title , in cooperation with Machine Games. With a release for the title not expected for at least a few years, fans turned their minds to a number of Bethesda's other franchises, and a recent leak has rumored a potential plan for the publisher.
LONG WAIT FOR ELDER SCROLLS AND FALLOUT SEQUELS
Tyler McVicker, YouTuber and gaming rumor fanatic, has reportedly revealed via his Twitter page that both Elder Scrolls VI and Fallout 5 are rumored to have prospective dates pencilled in for release.
In the tweet, McVicker states that the next game within The Elder Scrolls series is set to release between 2026-2027. Interestingly, he also states that he “ doesn't expect anything close to a Fallout 5 in the 2030s. ”
You can check out the full tweet below:
I expect FNV2 in the latter half of this decade. I expect TES6 in 2026-7. I expect anything close to a Fallout 5 in the 2030s. Starfield is next, and even that needs another year or two.
LEARNING FROM OTHERS MISTAKES
While it's always important to take rumors like this with a pinch of salt, it's important to acknowledge the messenger. McVicker has been a reliable source when it comes to Bethesda and Valve news for the last few years, with access to multiple contacts within both studios. The popular YouTuber leaked screenshots from Half-Life: Alyx way before anything official was received regarding the game, which was later confirmed to be official.
In regard to the rumored release dates, it isn't all that unsurprising. Given the amount that Bethesda currently has on their plate, allowing themselves multiple years to complete these games seems smart, and with CD Projekt Red coming under fire for the rushed release of Cyberpunk 2077, the developer would be smart to take their time.
The Direct recently covered Xbox's list of console exclusives for 2021 , and the main omission was any Bethesda title, seemingly hinting at releases being set for 2022 onwards. Whether the publisher has learned from the disaster that was Fallout 76 , only time will tell, but fans are seemingly set to wait a little while longer for new installments in some of gaming's biggest franchises.
XBOX Writer