It’s been years sinceElder Scrollsfans got their first confirmation thatThe Elder Scrolls 6is in the works. Taking the stage during E3 2018, Bethesda’s Todd Howard confirmed that a new entry in the acclaimed fantasy series is coming, but cautioned that it’s still a ways off. Fans assumed that meant two or three years down the line, but the reality is much harder to bear. All odds point toThe Elder Scrolls 6being years away, though that time might help address a big question.
It’s difficult to overstate justhow muchSkyrimdid forThe Elder Scrollsfranchiseand the fantasy RPG genre as a whole. Refining its design with a more approachable mindset, Bethesda went on to create one of the most critically and commercially successful games of all time, which has received a heap of ports and re-releases since it debuted.Skyrimis a game with real impact, though one of its greatest innovations was the Thu’um, otherwise known as Shouts. That innovation could cause issues forThe Elder Scrolls 6,though.
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How Skyrim’s Shouts Could Cause Trouble for The Elder Scrolls 6
As far as new game mechanics go,Skyrim’s addition of Shoutswas a pretty major shake-up. While magic has always been an essential part of the franchise, Shouts provided character archetypes other than mages with the opportunity to wield a magical power. Where a warrior would struggle with something as simple as a fire spell in the normal course of gameplay, Shouts would allow them to breathe fire in an exceptionally cool way.
Shouts have now become engrained in the makeup of theElder Scrollsfranchise to the point that it feels strange to play without them. It’s not uncommon or unusual for fans to do runs that ignore the main story to avoid learning shouts, but that’s generally an exception to how most people playSkyrim,rather than something that players are consistently doing.
The question is whetherThe Elder Scrolls 6will also feel strange without Shouts being easily accessible. It’s unlikely that they’ll return as a gameplay mechanic for lore reasons, as the Dragonborn is the only character capable of learning them easily by absorbing the souls of dragons. It’s a tricky situation to be in because missing out on such an interesting power hurts the gameplay, but it would take some finessing to make Shouts work otherwise.
Removing Shouts completely might be the only realistic answer, though.Skyrimmakes clear justhow special the Dragonborn is, and reversing that uniqueness might not sit well with fans. However,The Elder Scrollshas always played fast and loose with its lore, opting to go the “unreliable narrator” route and changing details as necessary rather than committing to a single, dogmatic storyline. In a way, it’s the franchise’s biggest asset, as it allows more room for Bethesda to tell stories in Tamriel. With the right maneuvering, Bethesda could make Shouts fit in the context ofThe Elder Scrolls 6.
How Skyrim’s Shouts Could Return in The Elder Scrolls 6
If Bethesda really wants Shouts inThe Elder Scrolls 6, it’s going to find a way to implement them. If there are major obstacles for the company to get around for lore reasons, then Bethesda’s team of writers will undoubtedly figure out a way to make things work. There are plenty of possibilities for Shouts to return following the events ofSkyrim, too.
One obvious, but far from ideal, method would be putting players back into the shoes of the Dragonborn. Even years removed from the announcement, it’s still not clearwhere or whenThe Elder Scrolls 6is set, so it’s possible that Bethesda could decide to pick things up right whereSkyrimleft off. That raises the question of how Bethesda can meaningfully put the Dragonborn back at level 1, though, which would be a massive obstacle.
Alternatively, Bethesda could simply alter how the world views the Thu’um.Skyrimproves that it’s possible to learn Shouts without being Dragonborn, as evidenced by the Greybeards and Ulfric Stormcloak. If theElder Scrolls 6is set a few hundred years or so after the events ofSkyrim,it’s possible that a new method of learning the Way of the Voice has been created, making it more accessible to adventurers across Tamriel. It wouldn’t need to be something that players can achieve immediately, but rather something to work towards in the endgame.
It’s a happy medium between the two options of removing Shouts from the next game and doing the Dragonborn a disservice by making them easily obtainable.The Elder Scrollshas always had an issue with its power curve, turning the player into a veritable demigod by the time they have a few dozen levels under their belt. It doesn’t make sense for a lowly adventurer – most likely an escaped prisoner, given franchise history – to use shouts, but it could be a fulfilling way for Bethesda to give players one final challenge when they approach demigod status.
WithThe Elder Scrolls 6’ssetting uncertain, it’s difficult to speculate. Though, there are plenty of fans that believe it will pick up shortly after the events ofSkyrimand perhaps detail thefall of the Thalmor. If that’s the case, it’s unlikely that Bethesda can logically explain how the Thu’um spread so quickly, and Bethesda would likely just hope that fans re-adjust to not having shouts.
In any case, Shouts present an interesting hurdle for Bethesda to try and tackle. They were one of the best gameplay innovations thatSkyrimfeatured, and it may be difficult to give them up. However, it’ll be well over a decade sinceSkyrimlaunched by the timeThe Elder Scrolls 6releases, and possibly over a decade and a half. Given that, it’s possible that the bulk ofSkyrimplayers – many of whom likely aren’t replaying it over and over as dedicated fans do – will have moved on from the mechanic.
