The Elder Scrolls 6 2026 release leaked by Microsoft

The Elder Scrolls 6 2026 release leaked by Microsoft
Images via Bethesda

Written by 

Joseph Kime

Published 

30th Jun 2023 16:20

Though there are more intricate legal elements at play, it seems that the hearings surrounding Xbox's purchase of Activision Blizzard have only revealed how salty everyone is, at least from the outside.

Everyone kicking up a fuss about the buyout is exposing themselves as people who look to shame Xbox for engaging in the same business practices that they do, while Xbox itself is accused of trying to put Sony out of business by adding Call of Duty to its roster.

But, reveals are accidentally seeping out as a result of legal talks - and it seems as though a massive The Elder Scrolls 6 release date has been revealed.

Elder Scrolls 6's release date seems to have been leaked by Microsoft

A group of guards from Elder Scrolls Online's High Isle expansion.
Click to enlarge

A Microsoft lawyer seems to have accidentally leaked the release year of the hugely awaited The Elder Scrolls 6 in the process of trying to convince courts it's not Xbox's intention just to use Activision Blizzard's games to bolster itself.

They got the name of the game wrong, but that seems like a mistake on their part, as you'll see in the following quote that has been released via The Verge. As the long-awaited sequel to 2011's Skyrim and the first Xbox-exclusive game in the franchiseThe Elder Scrolls 6 is expected to be massive. 

During The Verge's coverage, the following conversation took place with Microsoft's lawyer correcting the FTC. "Could I clarify one issue that council raised with you, when you were asking about Zenimax and asked him to find a game that was most similar to Xbox, he mentioned Elder Scrolls.

"That is incorrect. There are two Elder Scrolls games, one is online called Elder Scrolls Online — that is a multiplayer game, it is on PlayStation today. The game he's talking about Elder Scrolls 16... the projected release is 2026 as a single-player game.

"It is not anywhere similar to Call of Duty, which as you know is multiplayer and multi-platform." Wading through the legal jargon, it seems that The Elder Scrolls 6 is being pencilled in for 2026. It's a damn sight sooner, especially considering we were recently warned it was a long way off.

Is this Elder Scrolls leak accurate?

A collection of characters from Elder Scrolls online overlooking a castle.
Click to enlarge

There's no telling if this is just a lawyer not entirely grasping the details of the video game industry or slipping up in a court of law. Either way, it feels as though 2026 would be a comfortable year for the release of the game - giving Rockstar Games a run for its money in terms of gaps between games. 

We're just going to have to wait for some kind of official confirmation, although it's unlikely Bethesda and Microsoft are going to announce it anytime soon. After all, everyone is pretty busy with Starfield right now.  In the meantime, let's hope this was a slip of the tongue. Only three years to go.

Joseph Kime
About the author
Joseph Kime
Joseph Kime is the Senior Trending News Journalist for GGRecon from Devon, UK. Before graduating from MarJon University with a degree in Journalism, he started writing music reviews for his own website before writing for the likes of FANDOM, Zavvi and The Digital Fix. He is host of the Big Screen Book Club podcast, and author of Building A Universe, a book that chronicles the history of superhero movies. His favourite games include DOOM (2016), Celeste and Pokemon Emerald.
Why trust GGRecon?

Established in 2019, we don’t just cover games - we live them. Our expert team is full of dedicated gamers, qualified journalists, and industry insiders who collectively boast decades of experience covering gaming and esports. This deep-rooted expertise allows us to provide authoritative and nuanced perspectives first-hand from a team who are playing, and researching every game covered on our website. 

Our foundation is built on a profound commitment to editorial independence, ensuring our content remains free from external influence and advertising pressures and is held to the highest level of editorial conduct, integrity, and quality. 

Every article on GGRecon comes from rigorous research, informed analysis, and a passion for gaming that resonates with our readers. We uphold these standards through a transparent editorial policy, accessible here, which governs our processes and maintains our accountability.

Trending
Todd Howard admits, ‘I’ll probably say no,’ to an Elder Scrolls TV series
Fallout: New Vegas dev tried to make an Elder Scrolls spin-off
Skyrim players push back against Bethesda’s paid mods
Former dev says Elder Scrolls 6 is coming but we might not hear about it for a while
Bethesda dev claims Elder Scrolls 6 was announced too early