Fans have been waiting for news aboutThe Elder Scrolls 6ever since the game was announced at E3 2018. While it has been reported that the next game in the studio’s famous fantasy series will come after the release ofStarfield, Bethesda’s upcoming sci-fi RPG, the studio continues to hold back any details about the nextElder Scrollsgame.
Last week, one leaker who has been reliable in the past hinted at several mechanics which might debut inThe Elder Scrolls 6. One of those mechanics — a feature called Rune Drawing — could have huge implications forThe Elder Scrolls 6in virtual reality.
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The Elder Scrolls 6 Leaks
Tiffany Treadmore is a video game leaker whose resume includes correctly leaking the cancellation of last year’s E3 and the cancellation of Nintendo Direct. Last week it was reported that Tiffany Treadmore’s sources had claimed thatThe Elder Scrolls 6would likely include “survival mechanics"as well as raising the possibility that a feature named “Rune Drawing” could make it into the game.
Bethesda has added all-new mechanics to its flagship franchises in the past.Fallout 4introduced a settlement building mechanic unlike any seen in previous BethesdaFalloutgames, for example. Introducing survival mechanics toThe Elder Scrolls 6will likely be relatively straightforward. There are plenty of well-knownSkyrimsurvival modslike Frostfall which manage survival based on factors like weather and clothing coverage.
Rune Drawing may be a feature seen in games likeOkami HDwhere players draw shapes in the air in order to cast spells. Whether this is exactly what the leakers are referring to, and how this mechanic would work inThe Elder Scrolls 6if it is included, remains to be seen.
WhenSkyrimreleased back in 2011, modern VR was still in its infancy, andSkyrimitself wouldn’t get an official VR port until six years after its initial release. VR technology has come a long way since then, however. WithThe Elder Scrolls 6rumored to be set for release around 2026, the next game could be the first inThe Elder Scrollsseries to fully incorporate features designed with virtual reality in mind.Skyrim’s first-person perspective and relatively simple combat mechanics already allowed it to port well to virtual reality.
New features like Rune Drawing could make spellcasting in VR feel far more dynamic, requiring players to use distinct physical movements to cast the different spells at their disposal.
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Spells In The Elder Scrolls 6
WhenSkyrimreleased, there was some criticism regarding its removal of character classes and its simplification of the spell system found inolderElder Scrollsgames. On the other hand, the broad accessibility ofSkyrim’s combat and magic systems were likely part of the reason for its immense success. A feature like Rune Drawing could bring back an element of challenge and complexity to spellcasting inThe Elder Scrolls 6, while remaining intuitive enough to take advantage ofSkyrim’s style of simplicity.
Tiffany Treadmore’s sources also reported thatThe Elder Scrolls 6would likely include some form ofspell crafting system, bringing custom spells back into the game. If the next game does include Rune Drawing and custom spells, it’s possible that players could create their own runes, attaching unique movements to spells of their own creation.
If Bethesda brings Rune Drawing and custom spells toThe Elder Scrolls 6’s VR release, fans could find that playing a spellcaster is more satisfying than ever. Whether Rune Casting will translate as well to the games' standard release remains to be seen. Many fans of the franchise may be more eager to learn the basics of the next game’s setting and story before they get too excited about exploring that world in VR.
