Bethesda's Elder Scroll series has gained a huge fan following. Many gamers are invested into the lore-rich world of the Elder Scrolls and wait impatiently for new release information. The developer has still been working hard on the series' fifth installment, Skyrim. The game was first released in 2011, and many have expected a direct sequel. Many are eager to know how the sequel will take advantage of the latest gaming technology available today. Unfortunately, news has recently only been related to bringing Skyrim to VR or the Nintendo Switch.

Gamers had a slight glimmer of hope when Elder Scrolls Online was announced. Taking place before the events of Skyrim, gamers had more access to the land of Tamriel. Though the initial release in 2014 was poorly received, it has become one of the most popular MMORPGs today. ESO still receives updates, including the latest largest expansion pack, Morrowind. Bethesda hopes to draw in fans from the older Elder Scroll game installments.

But loyal fans to the Elder Scrolls series are not giving up on an official sequel to the series. Some gamers may dislike online multiplayer and would rather take on a solo journey. Instead of reading about new ESO updates, they hope for new Elder Scroll announcement at large gaming conferences, such as E3. Bethesda is mostly staying quiet, so fans are researching to gather new information. We have compiled a list of rumors and speculation that is quickly spreading about The Elder Scrolls VI.

15 The Release Date May Be Further Than You Think

Bethesda understands that fans are ready for The Elder Scrolls VI. Pete Hines, Vice President of Bethesda, has already made it clear that there will not be a new installment until 2019 or later. Bethesda also understands that many fans are still invested in Skyrim, even though it was released in 2011. They want to concentrate on porting the game to the Nintendo Switch and bringing the Dragonborn into VR. Though they are well-known for Fallout and the Elder Scrolls series, they don't want to just keep working on one or the other. Bethesda is a developer filled with ideas, and many of them cannot fit into the Elder Scrolls or Fallout mold. They want to bring new IPs to fans and bring more variety to their game library.

14 Getting By With A Little Help From Modders

With a new Bethesda game release, modders are on standby to create new content for the game. Their modded content usually becomes a highlight of playing the game and increases playtime. Though Bethesda faced some criticism over their paid mods, they've now opened their arms to it. Mods are now available on PS4 and Xbox. As popularity grows, Bethesda is posting job listings for modders experienced with their Creation Kit. By seeing what a talented modder can create instead of just reading resumes and sitting through hours of interviews, the developer can test a modder's expertise. Modders not only have experience, but they also prove their devotion and hard work into building content for the series. They may also be well-known in creating mods, so fans will know Elder Scrolls VI will be a high-quality game from people who love the series.

13 There's No Reality Like Virtual Reality

Virtual reality is slowly gaining popularity with gamers. VR is still new to both developers and gamers. Most gamers currently don't have many games to choose from, but that is quickly changing. With a bigger library of games coming out, gamers will be able to become immersed in their favorite games. Bethesda is already planning on testing the feature with another release of Skyrim, especially for VR gamers. Using Skyrim as their first game to experiment with, Bethesda will have time to take notes and improve development skills with the new technology. Since Elder Scrolls VI will likely not be released until the early 2020s, Bethesda will have plenty of time to create a unique first person perspective to immerse gamers into the world of Elder Scrolls VI.

12 Building From The Ground Up

When Skyrim was first released, players only had the option to purchase a home. With the release of the Hearthfire expansion, home building was greatly expanded. For a lower price, the Dragonborn could buy a piece of land and build their own home from the foundation up. Crafting materials had to be gathered to build the home and create furniture. ESO also recently added player housing with the Homestead addition. Simple rooms to large homes were available for purchase or awarded upon completing a quest. Elder Scrolls VI will likely expand on the option for playing housing. Your playable character and their companions will need a safe place to rest for the night. The Elder Scrolls sequel will likely expand on player housing, giving you more options than both Skyrim and ESO.

11 We Still Love Horses, Of Course

Though fast travel became a staple in most Bethesda games, many players choose not to use the feature because it breaks immersion. Instead, players will simply walk or purchase a horse. Traveling becomes much faster while making it feel like you're a part of the game. Elder Scrolls Online also has horses available but has expanded on mounts. In ESO, players can ride on tigers, dogs, bears, and more. These mounts are not readily available for Skyrim players unless they mod their game. Though modding seems hand-in-hand for Bethesda games, some gamers still prefer a vanilla game experience. Elder Scrolls VI is rumored to have a wider selection of mounts. Players could take advantage of the mount system without playing ESO, while still being immersed into a single player game.

10 A Chance To Be Your Own Jarl

Bethesda's Fallout 4 introduced a settlement system into the series. Instead of only visiting a small town, you can help increase their defenses, filter their water supply, and even help craft new beds. You can also help improve the defenses of settlements and make merchants more open to visiting them. The settlement system was a popular feature of Fallout 4. In Elder Scrolls VI, players could tighten the defenses against bandits or other monsters in the world. Villagers with expertise in farming or performing guard duties would have the ability to use those skills to improve the town. The title of Jarl could be award to the most helpful resident. Though micro-managing a town may not be for all players, for those who play as heroic characters, they could help settlements be a little safer and successful.

9 Giving The Open World A Bit More Life

The Elder Scrolls series has slowly become an open-world experience. Players aren't forced to travel down a set path. Instead of directly following the main quest, players can deviate and complete side quests to become stronger. Though Skyrim boasted a large open world with mountains that can be climbed, most of the environments are similar. Traveling through a bandit-filled cave may be the same small layout as the previous one you walked through. The path you take is filled with empty forests, cold mountain paths, or various bodies of water. It is reasonable to believe this was due to the limitations of the hardware in 2011. Since Elder Scrolls VI will have more time to utilize more powerful hardware, an open world may mean larger cities, more settlements, and larger mountains to climb.

8 Making Missions Feel Like They Actually Matter

Skyrim's side quests lacked variety. In most of the quests, you are asked to travel into a monster or bandit filled cave to retrieve an item. After you take the quest item, you pull a lever and are taken back outside. Ask an innkeeper for rumors, and you'll be told about a dangerous bandit leader in a conveniently located cave right outside of the village. Elder Scrolls VI could finally get players out of the dreaded fetch quests and into more missions with meaning. Instead of only taking back a family heirloom, players have to do more legwork to find out where the thief has gone. Hopefully, with Bethesda's job postings seeking modders, they'll be able to use their creative skills to create more meaningful side quests that players will want to complete.

7 Giving Conversations More Depth

In any of Bethesda's games, the lack of conversation choices is painfully obvious. Though the player doesn't usually have much to say, there are a lack of speech choices. There are obvious good and bad options, or the player can simply exit out of the conversation completely. Real life isn't so black and white, and Bethesda could make a more immersive game if more conversation choices were added. Fallout 4 added voiced playable characters, which gave your characters more of a personality. Your character's reaction made you see the positive or negative effects of your choice. Though this was seen as a hindrance to role-players who want to participate in conversations using their voice, it was a positive addition for many gamers. Elder Scrolls VI will likely expand on conversation trees, creating more neutral conversation choices.

6 Adding More Challenge And Depth To Fights

Combat is an important part of the Elder Scrolls series. Most of your journey will be traveling through dangerous dungeons and fighting various beasts. In Skyrim, combat was almost too easy. Button mashing sword slashes or using magic could quickly take down foes. Add in an arsenal of dragon shouts, and your Dragonborn was almost invincible. Even when fighting dragons, they all shared the same move set. In Elder Scrolls VI, combat could become more meaningful. VR would step up the intensity of fights, making them more challenging and dangerous. More time would have to be spent crafting and improving items to become more powerful in battle. The Elder Scrolls series makes players overpowered. Adding a strategic element in Elder Scrolls VI would make gameplay more rewarding and less boring.

5 The AI Will Finally Act More Like People

The artificial intelligence in the Elder Scrolls series is anything but intelligent. The NPCs try to sound tough but soon become characters to be mocked. It's hard to take any of the characters in the series seriously. Elder Scrolls VI now has better technology to bring smarter AI into their games. Instead of fighting bandits lacking brains, you can find out why they're so feared. AI could learn your attacks, and provide a higher challenge in battle. Though being overpowered in battle can be fun at first, after awhile, a lack of challenge will make the game boring. Elder Scrolls VI has time to create more characters you will want to interact with instead of feeling forced to speak to the same cookie-cutter NPC in every town.

4 Finally Utilizing Online Multiplayer

The Elder Scrolls series has been a single player game series until the release of Elder Scrolls Online. The MMORPG has slowly grown into a popular game with thousands of international players on PC, Xbox, and PS4. Multiplayer has continued to be a feature included with most video games. Players want the option to play with strangers online or locally with friends. Elder Scrolls VI may bring multiplayer into the main series. Instead of traveling through the lands alone, players can ask a friend for help or join a group trying to take down a difficult boss. Playing the game solo may be great, but it becomes a whole new experience when playing with a friend online. Adding the option of multiplayer could bring in new players who never gave the Elder Scrolls series a chance because it was primarily for solo players.

3 May Take Place In The Homeland Of The Bosmer Elves

Locations are the central part of the Elder Scrolls series. Players have experienced Hammerfell, High Rock, Vvardenfell, Cyrodil, and most recently Skyrim. There are few other areas that the series has left to take place. The game box art was spread online featuring Elder Scrolls VI: Valenwood. Going from the cold mountain tops to the forests was a reasonable next step for many games. The wood elves, Bosmer, are a playable race in the Elder Scrolls series, yet they have not been a major focus of the series. Though we can help their forces in the Elder Scrolls Online, they have not had a large focus in the mail Elder Scrolls series. We would finally have the opportunity to explore their forested lands, filled with intelligent sentient life forms, and tree homes that replicate modern skyscrapers.

2 Or Maybe You'll Visit Beautiful Argonia, Home Of The Argonians

The Elder Scrolls series has always focused on humanoids rather than beasts. In promotional art, it's more likely you will see a Nord or Imperial on the cover than a Khajit or Argonian. Elder Scrolls VI may finally bring a greater focus on the Black Marsh residents. Argonians are a playable race but also have the painful history of being used as slaves by the Bosmer. Within cities, the Argonians are still seen in servant positions. In Elder Scrolls IV: Argonia, we would finally get to see the Argonians in their elements. The Black Marsh is a damp rainforest with several swamps spread across the region. They also have hidden traditions, which could be shared with the player once the Argonians' trust is built.

1 A Whole New World, A New Fantastic Engine

Video game technology has significantly changed since the release of Skyrim. Bethesda continues to experiment with new game engines with their other IPs, such as Prey and Dishonored. The developer has expressed high interest in VR technology. For Elder Scrolls VI to handle VR, Bethesda will need to create an all-new game engine. Fallout 4 used the older Skyrim Creation Engine, which some critics claimed looked outdated. Bethesda seems to be constantly re-working their technology, with proof being the recent Skyrim Special Edition, which improved the graphics, frame rate, and gameplay. Bethesda has posted job openings seeking engineers and programmers to create a new game engine. With a new, more powerful game engine to develop on, Bethesda could craft Elder Scrolls VI to be an impressive new experience.