Elder Scrolls 6 may reportedly be assisted by Elder Scrolls Online studio as the two RPG teams push for more collaboration

Published:

14 July 2026

Last Updated: 14 July 2026

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As the first round of Xbox layoffs wraps up, major cuts have been made to both The Elder Scrolls Online developer Zenimax Online Studios and The Elder Scrolls 6 developer Bethesda Game Studios. However, as the latter project dives deeper into development, these two teams might be working more closely together.

Out of all of Xbox’s layoffs, Zenimax Online Studios has seemingly been hit the hardest. After last year’s disastrous layoffs, the MMO company has reportedly been cut in half with some developers reportedly wondering how they can fulfil the game’s roadmap of content at their current size.

However, a report from IGN claims that Zenimax Online Studios is now back to the size it was during the development of the MMO’s brilliant Summerset expansion in 2018. While this means that the studio will still be able to make great content, a seasonal release structure is inherently harder than typical expansion launches.

According to the outlet, Zenimax Online Studios may not only be focused on its own work with The Elder Scrolls Online. Following recent internal comments caught by Bethesda boss Jill Braff claiming the studio’s new structure will “serve out players and Bethesda as a whole”, it’s been claimed that ZOS may also act as a support studio for The Elder Scrolls 6.

Buried near the bottom of the outlet’s report, a “source familiar with the situation” reportedly claimed that Zenimax Online Studios is “looking for ways to support the Elder Scrolls franchise as a whole”.

IGN explains that it was hinted that ZOS will help, in some way, with the ongoing development of The Elder Scrolls 6, allowing the game to hit its still-unannounced release date. With the game expected to release in either late 2027 or late 2028, Bethesda could make use of a ZOS staff to fill gaps in its team.

Of course, supporting the franchise as a whole could also mean that there are other unannounced projects set within the world of The Elder Scrolls in development. However, considering the vast investment needed to create a new mainline game in the RPG series, maybe there are smaller-scale spin-offs in the works.

Fans have been waiting 15 years for a brand-new single-player Elder Scrolls game at the time of writing. While just speculation on our part, it would be interesting to see a faster, Fallout New Vegas style spin-off created by ZOS to release just a few years after The Elder Scrolls 6. However, considering how

About The Author

Lewis White

Lewis White is a veteran games journalist with over a decade in the field. Starting with beloved Xbox website ICXM/XboxMAD, Lewis became the Gaming Editor at MSPoweruser before becoming the Editor in Chief of StealthOptional and Gfinityesports. Lewis later jumped to By Gamers For Gamers where he jumped to become EIC of VideoGamer and the host of the New VideoGamer Podcast prior to the website’s acquisition.

Over the years, Lewis has also seen long-form investigative pieces published in outlets such as Eurogamer, PCGamesN, Wireframe, Retro Gamer, Nintendo Life, and EDGE. Now, as the Editor in Chief of FRVR Blog, Lewis strives to bring the same level of quality journalism with interview-led content to the site in both written and audio form with the FRVR Podcast.

With a First Degree BA Hons in Games Journalism and Public Relations, Lewis has been a stable part of the British games press for over a decade, and has frequently displayed his love of Halo, The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and other games pretty much everywhere he’s worked. And FRVR is no different.

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