Bethesda has confirmed that The Elder Scrolls 6 is called Sentinel, but one reader argues that the game's biggest obstacle is not its fictional foes but its long-time director, Todd Howard.
Bethesda Confirms Sentinel Title
This week, Bethesda announced that The Elder Scrolls 6 is titled Sentinel. However, many fans had already deduced this months ago, largely due to a very unsubtle clue from Microsoft. The trailer revealed little beyond the involvement of sand, which was already predictable given the game's setting.
In the eight years since the initial announcement, no substantial details have been shared, except that Bethesda had not even started development when it was first revealed. This has been apparent for some time.
A Love-Hate Relationship with Bethesda
The reader expresses a love-hate relationship with Bethesda. While Oblivion and Skyrim are among their favourite games, and they also enjoyed Fallout 3, they believe the studio has been off the ball since the Xbox 360 era. Fallout 4 was acceptable but lacked new ideas and had poor storytelling. Fallout 76 and Starfield are described as "amateur hour stuff."
The reader notes that if Starfield had not been made by Bethesda, it would have scored much lower and been quickly forgotten. They argue that the core problem is Todd Howard, who has been at the company for decades and insists on directing all major titles. This is seen as the reason games take so long and have declined in quality over time.
The Case for New Leadership
The reader suggests that Howard is his own biggest fan, but no longer has the creative spark. They argue that someone with his experience should have moved away from directing long ago, focusing instead on producing and mentoring younger talent. The example of Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto is cited, who has not directed a game since Super Mario 64 in 1996 and instead trains younger developers.
When Todd Howard was not the director, Bethesda produced Fallout: New Vegas, which remains a fan favourite. The Elder Scrolls 6 should have been released years ago, and the studio seems to have barely started. The game also needs to distance itself from previous titles in terms of technology and design, as Starfield was particularly weak in characters and dialogue.
Competition from The Witcher 4
Sentinel is expected to release around the same time as The Witcher 4. Bethesda has not yet made anything as good as The Witcher 3, and CD Projekt continues to innovate, so Sentinel risks looking outdated on release. The reader concludes with little confidence in the game while Todd Howard remains in charge.
