TES VI Fans Guess Release Date Via Character Contest

Fans eagerly awaiting The Elder Scrolls 6 find themselves in a familiar predicament—much like Grand Theft Auto enthusiasts—with scarce official details fueling rampant speculation. The community has latched onto Bethesda's latest charity initiative as a potential clue for the game's timeline.

Bethesda recently unveiled its newest Make-A-Wish collaboration: a charity auction where the winning bidder will co-create an NPC character alongside developers for The Elder Scrolls 6.

"For years, we've partnered with Make-A-Wish to create meaningful experiences for children facing critical illnesses," Bethesda stated. "This year's silent auction offers a unique opportunity—with all proceeds benefiting Make-A-Wish directly—for one supporter to help design an in-game character."

While noble in purpose, this initiative has sent the Elder Scrolls community into analytical overdrive. Observant players drew parallels to Bethesda's similar Starfield charity campaign, theorizing it might reveal TES6's development stage and possible launch window.

The speculation reached new heights when Reddit user FartingSlowly noted Bethesda's Starfield character contest preceded that game's September 2023 release by exactly 30 months. Extrapolating this pattern suggests a potential TES6 launch date of September 27, 2027.

"This isn't exactly scientific," FartingSlowly conceded. "But for the first time, we're speculating based on concrete Bethesda actions rather than pure conjecture—that's progress."

The theory faces skepticism, with some pointing out Starfield's initial November 2022 target date might shift predictions to November 2026 instead.

Will Microsoft launch next-generation Xbox hardware before Elder Scrolls 6 releases?

No, Xbox Series X/S will remain Microsoft's flagship consolesYes, and 2026 can't arrive quickly enough

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The Elder Scrolls 6's development journey continues to test fans' patience. Remarkably, the time elapsed since its June 2018 announcement now matches the gap between Skyrim's release and TES6's reveal.

Bethesda confirmed TES6 reached "early development" in August 2023, with playable builds emerging by March 2024. Even studio director Todd Howard acknowledged the prolonged wait during the project's sixth anniversary last year.

Current projections place TES6's launch no earlier than 2028—potentially debuting on next-gen consoles alongside PC. Should this hold true, fans will have waited seventeen years since Skyrim. In the meantime, explore our comprehensive guide covering all known TES6 details.