Fans of The Elder Scrolls series are actively speculating about the subtitle for the long-awaited Elder Scrolls 6, a discussion recently fueled by a cryptic comment from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. Sharma indicated that the game's full title would feature an eight-character subtitle, a detail that has prompted extensive theorizing across the game's fanbase.
One prominent fan theory connects the potential subtitle to elements found within Bethesda's 2023 title, Starfield. Players on Reddit have pointed to a specific sequence of numbers within Starfield's character creator, an employee identification number that, when divided into pairs and mapped to letters of the alphabet, appears to spell out "Sentinel." This particular suggestion is gaining traction as "Sentinel" is also the name of a city located in Hammerfell, a province within The Elder Scrolls' world, and a location frequently cited as a potential setting for the next installment in the series.
This connection to Starfield is not entirely new, as the number sequence was reportedly discovered years ago. However, the interpretation of this data as a hint towards the subtitle "Sentinel" has recently resurfaced and gained significant momentum within the community. It is important to note that these are currently fan-driven theories, and Sharma's original comment, with its use of asterisks, may not necessarily have held such a specific implication.
Historically, main series entries in The Elder Scrolls franchise have consistently featured subtitles. These include The Elder Scrolls: Arena, The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, suggesting that The Elder Scrolls 6 will likely follow this established naming convention.
The discourse surrounding The Elder Scrolls 6 occurs against a backdrop of significant organizational changes at Xbox, the parent company of Bethesda. Recent "reset" initiatives have led to widespread layoffs, impacting Bethesda's staff. Developers at the studio have expressed concerns that these workforce reductions could result in further delays for The Elder Scrolls 6 and have voiced worries about the negative impact on studio morale. Reports indicate that during Sharma's recent visit to the Bethesda offices, protestors gathered, utilizing an inflatable "Scabby the rat" and placing miniature fans on the ground to represent each developer who was laid off.
Beyond The Elder Scrolls 6, Bethesda and its associated development teams are reportedly working on several other projects. These include remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. Additionally, Obsidian Entertainment is developing a new Fallout game, and Fallout 5 is also confirmed to be in development.