The Elder Scrolls 6 is a "mid-sized" game, and fans aren't happy

There are few games on the horizon that command as much hype as The Elder Scrolls VI. Obviously, there’s GTA VI to look forward to as well, and people are also very excited for Bethesda’s other upcoming title, Starfield, but everyone’s been anticipating the next Elder Scrolls game for years now. It’s easy to forget with all the Skyrim re-releases, but we’ve been waiting for it for even longer than we have the next GTA.

Unfortunately though, we still almost certainly have a very long wait ahead of us. Earlier this year, it was claimed that The Elder Scrolls VI is still in pre-production, and one leaker claimed that it may release sometime in 2025 or 2026, and honestly? It wouldn’t be surprising if it was even longer. Regardless, information about the title is limited right now, but as VG247 reports, Microsoft has just dropped the bombshell that it’ll apparently be a “mid-sized” game, and people aren’t pleased.

Check out some of our favourite wins and fails from Skyrim below.

So, where did that come from? In a response sent to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), in which Microsoft continues to defend its planned acquisition of Activision, there’s a heading which reads: “Decisions regarding mid-sized games are not evidence of Microsoft’s incentives as they relate to Call of Duty.” Under this heading, the company gives “titles such as Elder Scrolls VI” as a specific example.

Fans have been left understandably confused by this statement: “Ain’t no way Microsoft said Elder Scrolls VI, possibly the biggest game of all time (next to GTA VI of course) is only a ‘mid-size’ game lmaoooo this Activision acquisition stuff is so bulls**t on both sides,” tweeted @Partymn1256.

“In their attempts at addressing regulators, both Microsoft and Sony (but especially the former) are depicting their IPs in ways that make them look less [influential] than they actually are. TES is a ‘mid-sized game’? Compared to CoD, sure. Definitely not in the RPG space,” wrote @StriderCT. “What I find despicable, in the legitimate battle to make or [break] the MS/AV deal, is the way the games are getting demeaned. Is it necessary? Legally, maybe. Fair? Not.”

What I find despicable, in the legitimate battle to make or brake the MS/AV deal, is the way the games are getting demeaned. Is it necessary? Legally, maybe. Fair? Not.

— Marco Tinè (@StriderCT) November 24, 2022

It doesn’t look like anyone is concerned about the state of The Elder Scrolls VI following this statement, though. Hopefully, it’ll live up to its hype when it eventually releases.