01What happened

The story, straight

Xbox chief content officer Matt Booty told Variety that he recently visited Bethesda, sat with Todd Howard, and saw The Elder Scrolls 6 running. 'It looks amazing, and it's coming along well,' Booty said, but added the company would 'make sure to announce it and really reveal it at the right time.' The game was infamously announced at E3 2018 and hasn't received a new trailer since. In 2023, then-Xbox head Phil Spencer suggested TES6 was at least five years away, placing it no earlier than 2028. The game was a no-show at Xbox's recent summer showcase, alongside Arkane's Blade.

Xbox's Matt Booty told Variety he visited Bethesda, sat with Todd Howard, and actually saw Elder Scrolls 6 running — called it 'amazing.' but there's still no reveal date, no new trailer, nothing. the game's been MIA since its E3 2018 announcement. Phil Spencer said in 2023 it was at least five years out, so we're looking at 2028 at the earliest. skipped the latest Xbox summer showcase entirely.

02Spread timeline

Where it actually started

E3 2018Origin
The Elder Scrolls 6 announced with a 30-second teaser showing a mountain range.TES6 announced at E3 with a teaser showing some mountains. that's it.
source
2023
Then-Xbox head Phil Spencer suggests TES6 is at least five years away.Phil Spencer says TES6 is minimum five years out.
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Jun 2026
TES6 is a no-show at Xbox's summer showcase alongside Arkane's Blade.TES6 and Arkane's Blade both skip the Xbox summer showcase.
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Jun 11, 2026
Xbox CCO Matt Booty tells Variety he visited Bethesda and saw TES6 running.Booty tells Variety he's personally seen TES6 running — calls it 'amazing.'
source

04What's solid, what isn't

Claims by status

Confirmed
  • Matt Booty visited Bethesda and saw The Elder Scrolls 6 running in some capacity.
  • TES6 was not shown at Xbox's recent summer showcase.
  • The game has not received a new trailer since its 2018 announcement.
Disputed
  • The exact stage of development or expected release window for TES6.
  • Whether Arkane's Blade is in a similar development stage.
Developing
  • Booty suggested a reveal could come later in 2026, but gave no specifics.

05Why it matters

The editorial take

Eight years without a new trailer for one of the most anticipated RPGs in gaming history is unprecedented territory. Booty's comments are the first concrete confirmation from Xbox leadership that the game is in a playable state, but the continued vagueness suggests Bethesda and Microsoft are managing expectations around what could be a 10-year-plus development cycle. The absence from Xbox's summer showcase alongside Arkane's Blade signals a broader strategy to avoid overpromising on titles still years away.

we're eight years deep into an announcement with zero new footage. booty saying it's 'playing' is the first real proof-of-life from xbox leadership, but the total silence on a reveal window tells you everything. bethesda learned from Starfield — hype early, suffer late. they'd rather let this thing cook than get roasted for another delay cycle.