Elder Scrolls 6 Leaks Suggest A Setting Way More Interesting Than Skyrim (2024)

Even since it was announced all the way back in 2018, the setting for The Elder Scrolls 6 has been a hotly discussed topic among fans of the series. Elder Scrolls titles have made a habit of late of taking place in one of Tamriel's many countries, with Oblivion taking place in Cyrodil, Skyim taking place in Skyrim, and Morrowind taking place in Vvardenfell. Because of this, the previously visited countries in the main series likely won't be used for the sixth game, but that still leaves most of the continent to choose from.

Despite being over six years since the initial announcement trailer, Bethesda has been quiet about any news regarding The Elder Scrolls 6, which makes sense given that it has been working on Starfield. The trailer basically amounted to the developer saying that the game was going to happen at some point, and the trailer itself didn't give any concrete hints about where the sixth game was going to take place. However, a leak may have shown the developer's hand and where it plans to set the sixth game in the franchise.

A Place More Unique Than Skyrim

Recently, a Bethesda employee's Pinterest boards leaked, as posted by r/TESVI on Reddit, showing many reference images that look like they could inspire designs for Hammerfell. Although most players would have heard about Hammerfell from the Redguards of Skyrim, particularly the Alik'r, many might not know that it borders Skyrim, sitting to the southwest of the Nordic country. It is known for being inspired by North Africa and the Sahara desert, which makes it reasonably unique compared to the European settings that the last two Elder Scrolls games have used.

The Pinterest board of the Bethesda employee showcases rocky desert landscapes, clothing that wouldn't be amiss in sandy dunes, and African men who are likely to inspire the Redguards of Hammerfell. An African-inspired setting would be unique in a genre that is largely sticking to parts of Europe like The Witcher franchise being inspired by Polish folklore. Not only will it be visually different from anything done by many AAA, fantasy RPG developers, but it will also show a completely different side to The Elder Scrolls' extensive lore.

Thankfully, Hammerfell won't only be desert and an endless sandy sea made of yawning dunes. Having a similar environment throughout would be a worry for an area famed for its great desert, but Hammerfell's coasts are known for being quite vibrant, and there are sections of the country that are grassy. When Skyrim was announced, many worried that the entire game would be nothing except a snowy tundra, yet the country included the vibrant forests of Falkreath and the grassy plains of Whiterun. Hammerfell will likely follow this direction.

The Lore Of Hammerfell Will Make It More Interesting

Say Goodbye To The Empire

Other than dragons and its Viking-inspired setting, one of Skyrim's most prevalent features was Skyrim's civil war between the imperial loyalists and the Stormcloaks. Part of what made it compelling is that there is no right side, with the Empire restricting freedom of religion while the Stormcloaks made their disdain for elves known. One big difference for a game based on Hammerfell is that this conflict could have already happened, with the Redguards united, driving off the Empire and Thalmor to become a strong, independent country.

If The Elder Scrolls 6 takes place after Skyrim chronologically, which makes sense, then Hammerfell would not have Cyrodil's Empire. The Empire has been a key feature of both Oblivion and Skyrim, but with Hammerfell becoming independent after the White-Gold Concordat, Bethesda would have to move away from this. In fact, it is implied that Hammerfell's independence inspired Ulfirc and his Stormcloaks, since the Redguards essentially achieved what the Nords were hoping for when beginning their civil war.

Hammerfell is an important place to the Thalmor of the Summerset Isles and could be a setting for a country that has long been at war against an invading force. Possible wars aside, the Redguards have quite an interesting culture, having originally come from the western continent of Yokunda before settling in Tamriel. In fact, the place has its name because a Dwemer chieftain threw his hammer across Tamriel and vowed to lead his people to wherever it landed, naming the place Volenfell (Dwemer for City of the Hammer). The name later changed to Hammerfell.

Especially With All The Upcoming Fantasy RPGs

Hammerfell's North African-inspired setting, as well as the variety of its environments, make it the perfect place for a new Elder Scrolls because of how unique it would be in the fantasy RPG genre. When compared to other upcoming games in this genre, like The Witcher 4 (officially called Project Polaris) or Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which will likely use Europrean-based settings, Hammerfell would provide something different to make it stand out. It would be perfect to keep the Elder Scrolls fresh.

Another element that Hammerfell would add to Elder Scrolls 6 would be its many islands. They could be added later as expansions, like with Solstheim and the Dragonborn DLC, or could be added in the base game to allow for sailing. Hammerfell's coasts are sometimes plagued by pirates, and a maritime element will be a great feature in the Elder Scrolls franchise, especially because Skyrim had a northern coast that was ill-used in that game. With the more vibrant ocean to the west, it would be both visually stunning and add far more depth to the gameplay.

There is so much that Hammerfell would add to The Elder Scrolls 6, and it would help the franchise remain unique in a genre that is seeing many big names make their return. The non-European setting would be brilliant from a visual standpoint, the lore and culture of the land would provide depth to the continent of Tameriel, and the seas could add even more gameplay opportunities. Even if Hammerfell isn't the setting for the next Elder Scrolls, it is the perfect setting for a new game and is a place that Bethesda should visit at some point.

Source: r/TESVI

The Elder Scrolls 6

Franchise

The Elder Scrolls

Platform(s)

PC , Xbox (Original)

Developer(s)

Bethesda Game Studios

Publisher(s)

Bethesda Softworks

Genre(s)

RPG

System

PC , Xbox