Todd Howard says The Elder Scrolls 6 will be more of a "classic" Bethesda game like Skyrim and Fallout — it's using the "Creation Engine 3" too

Though Xbox and Bethesda Game Studios are still working on more updates and content for Starfield and Fallout 76, the majority of the developer's staff are focused on the long-awaited The Elder Scrolls 6 that was announced over seven years ago in 2018.

Extremely little is known about the highly anticipated fantasy RPG and Skyrim sequel right now, though we just learned some major new details about the game from a Kinda Funny Games interview with Bethesda's executive producer and game director, Todd Howard.

Specifically, Howard revealed that The Elder Scrolls 6 will be more of a "classic" Bethesda game compared to more experimental titles like Fallout 76 and Starfield. Additionally, he also confirmed that it will use "Creation Engine 3," the latest iteration of the proprietary software it's used to build its RPGs since 2002's Morrowind.

"We do have a certain style that we like and our fans like that we want to get better and better at. I think in many ways, Fallout 76 and Starfield are a little bit of a creative detour from that classic Elder Scrolls, Fallout ... where you're exploring a world in a certain way," Howard told Kinda Funny host Greg Miller when asked if Bethesda plans to stick to its approach to RPG design, and its Creation Engine. "And you know, as we come back to Elder Scrolls 6 that we're doing now, we're coming back to that kind of classic style that we've missed, that we know really really well."

"We have a style of game that we really really like that I think people expect from us, and there's a lot of innovation to be done there still, so that when you step into a world you feel like you're experiencing it for the first time, a game like that, and we're happy with where it's headed right now. That's what I can say," he continued.

And on the Creation Engine: "We spent the last several years bringing Creation Engine 2 — which powers Starfield — up to Creation Engine 3; that's gonna power Elder Scrolls 6 and beyond," Howard announced. "And you know, obviously we do all the rendering things, we're really happy with the new stuff that we're doing, but also world systems, loading, how we bring things into the world, how we get that detail close to the camera immediately."

Though Bethesda continuing to upgrade and use their in-house engine for The Elder Scrolls 6 and other upcoming titles (Fallout 5, perhaps?) was expected, it wasn't officially confirmed until now. Some are worried about this since Creation is notorious for bugginess and its reliance on loading screens; hopefully Bethesda's improvements address these issues effectively.

I have mixed feelings about the Creation Engine, but what I'm definitely happy about is that The Elder Scrolls 6 will be more of a traditional Bethesda game. I wasn't really a fan of Starfield and found it to be as wide as an ocean but as shallow as a puddle, so I'm glad it sounds like the upcoming RPG will be denser and richer with things to do, even if that means it'll also be smaller.

Previously, Howard has commented that The Elder Scrolls 6 is "progressing really well," though it's still "a long ways off." Ultimately, we still don't know when it's coming out, but when it does, it'll be playable on Xbox and PC, and through Xbox Game Pass.

Are you looking forward to The Elder Scrolls 6? Are you glad it's going to be more of a classic Bethesda game, or would you have preferred for the studio to try something experimental? Let me know in the comments.

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