The Elder Scrolls 6 fans, much like Grand Theft Auto 6 enthusiasts, are starved for updates—any morsel of information is eagerly dissected and debated. So when Bethesda recently launched a unique Make-A-Wish charity initiative, the community naturally pounced on it as a potential clue to the game’s release timeline.
This week, Bethesda announced its latest collaboration with Make-A-Wish: a chance for one lucky bidder to co-create a non-playable character (NPC) in The Elder Scrolls 6.
“For several years, we’ve had the privilege of partnering with Make-A-Wish to support children facing life-threatening illnesses through wish grants, local events, and exclusive experiences,” Bethesda shared. “This year, for their Silent Auction, we’re offering a special opportunity—one winner will work directly with Bethesda Game Studios to design a character that will appear in The Elder Scrolls 6. All proceeds go directly to Make-A-Wish.”
It’s a heartwarming initiative, but for fans desperate for news, it’s also a tantalizing data point. The community has begun comparing this campaign to a nearly identical one run for Starfield—and using that as a benchmark to speculate on The Elder Scrolls 6’s release window.
Enter Reddit user ‘FartingSlowly’, who noted that Bethesda’s Starfield character creation auction was announced roughly two-and-a-half years before the game’s September 6, 2023 launch. Applying the same timeline to The Elder Scrolls 6, they projected a potential release date of September 27, 2027.
“Let’s be clear—this isn’t a reliable metric for predicting release dates,” FartingSlowly admitted. “Don’t take it too seriously. But… it’s something. Unlike baseless rumors, this is tied to an actual Bethesda event. It’s not concrete, but it’s a refreshing change in the speculation game.”
Predictably, the theory has sparked debate. Some point out that the Starfield Make-A-Wish campaign launched when the game was still slated for November 11, 2022—over ten months earlier than its eventual release. If the same gap applies, The Elder Scrolls 6 could be eyeing a November 2026 launch instead.
AnswerSee ResultsIt’s been a long wait since The Elder Scrolls 6 was first announced in June 2018. In fact, by January 2024, the announcement had aged as long as Skyrim had been out when TES VI was revealed.
Bethesda confirmed the game entered “early development” in August 2023, with “early builds” available by March 2024. The six-year anniversary of the announcement passed in June 2024, prompting even development lead Todd Howard to remark, “Oh wow, that has been a while.”
While 2028 remains the earliest widely expected release window—likely targeting next-gen consoles and PC—a 2027 or even late 2026 launch isn’t out of the question. If it arrives then, it will mark an 17-year gap since Skyrim’s legendary debut.
Until then, fans will keep analyzing every tweet, charity event, and cryptic comment for clues. For now, [ttpp] remains the only certainty in a sea of speculation.
