The Elder Scrolls 6 will not be released on PlayStation

Since Microsoft acquired Bethesda in 2020, fans have been wondering if The Elder Scrolls 6 will be exclusive to Xbox. According to a newly unveiled presentation dedicated to "Microsoft's approach to acquisitions since 2018," it will not be released on PlayStation.

Axios reporter Stephen Totilo tweeted a photo of the presentation, which provides detailed information about several Bethesda games and Microsoft's plans for them. Evaluations are being conducted to determine if they involve existing intellectual property rights, if they have multiplayer features, if they are cross-platform, if they have been released on PlayStation, when they will be released, and on which platforms they will be available. In the case of The Elder Scrolls 6, there is an 'X' in the PlayStation category.

"The Elder Scrolls 6 is listed here as Xbox and PC and is planned to be released in 2026 or later," Totilo stated. "During the hearing, Xbox's Phil Spencer explained that the game is at least five years away and that the platforms are still to be determined from a technical standpoint."

The graph has proven to be accurate so far. In 2023, one year after this presentation was created, Starfield and Redfall were released for Xbox and PC, but not for PlayStation. Although Spencer claims that The Elder Scrolls 6 is still "TBD" and may not follow the same path as these two games, another document from the FTC case revealed that Microsoft also stated in September 2022 that The Elder Scrolls 6 will "likely be released in another [censored] and may only be available for Xbox and PC."

The presentation also includes statements about exclusivity. The section about The Elder Scrolls 6 states: "To be on Xbox, I want us to be able to offer the full package of what we have. And that would be the case when I think about The Elder Scrolls 6."

It certainly appears that TES6 will skip PlayStation and opt for exclusivity on Xbox/PC, but the date "2026" is generous. The mention of "or later" is much more likely, considering the game is still in early development. Given the continuously increasing development times of games (Starfield took over seven years), it could even be released as late as 2030. We'll have to wait and see.

That means if you can hardly wait to play the next Elder Scrolls game, you have plenty of time to get yourself an Xbox or PC... or find another fantasy role-playing game to fill the gap.