After eight long years of silence, Bethesda finally lifted the veil on The Elder Scrolls 6 and its official title, Sentinel, yesterday – which, of course, means that fans are running wild online with theories about the studio's next RPG.
We know a few things about the game already (or, well, there are a few things we can assume after seeing Bethesda's new teaser). First, there's the setting: Sentinel. In other words, the oh-so long-theorized Hammerfell. Then, there's the potential time period.
The new teaser includes a quote from Yazar, Moth Priest of High Queen Iradne of Hammerfell, in 4E 206 – that's just five years after the events of Skyrim.
The quote itself? "The scroll offered only a shimmer, a veil thinly lifted to my eyes. A future lost. A victory undone. Sands of time scattered by fate."
Everything in between remains a mystery, however – a mystery that fans have taken to like flies. Over on Reddit, for example, folks have spotted Bethesda's official Spanish social media accounts alluding to "sailing," and are asking, "Did this Bethesda page just confirm sailing in the game?"
Did this Bethesda page just confirm sailing in the game?from r/TESVI
Others shoot this theory down, saying it can translate to a less literal meaning of "set sail" – as in, starting your adventure rather than literally sailing.
Over on X, fans are suggesting that we'll see NPCs from Skyrim in Sentinel since the possible times align so closely, like Erik the Slayer. After all, he mentions traveling to Hammerfell to "see what work I can get there."
Hammerfell is, evidently, where The Elder Scrolls 6 will take us.
"If I can make enough money here in Skyrim, I think I'll travel to Hammerfell and see what work I can get there." --Erik the Slayer, one of your potential followers in Skyrim. Perhaps we'll see him as a veteran adventurer in Sentinel. https://t.co/cwHw2GmJc0November 3, 2026
There's more, too. While most of the teaser consists of sand and a glimpse of an Elder Scroll, the "rings" surrounding the Sentinel logo seem important – and, unsurprisingly, are reminding fans of Elden Ring in the process.
A separate post showcases as much, with its creator stating the rings have to "hold some significance," but "it's so vague it's hard to know where to start to connect the dots." One response suggests the Eye of Magnus.
This has to hold some significance right? Am I crazy?from r/TESVI
Another simply leaves a screenshot of the Elden Ring logo, which, of course, features its own set of rings. The Eye of Magnus theory holds pretty well, though, if you ask me – it's even spurred a different thread comparing the artifact's pattern to the rings surrounding Sentinel… and, yeah, they look similar enough.
What could that mean? Some Psijic Order shenanigans? It's all up in the air until we get more word from Bethesda, sadly.
And, uh, that could be literally whenever. The Elder Scrolls 6 is reportedly targeting a 2029 release, apparently, which is a good 18 years after Skyrim and 11 years after Bethesda first unveiled its sixth Elder Scrolls RPG at E3 in 2018.
Sigh.
