Bethesda continues to strengthen its technical infrastructure for The Elder Scrolls 6, a game the gaming world has been waiting for for years. Taking into account the criticisms after Starfield, the company has partnered with Microsoft to completely overhaul its veteran game engine, Creation Engine. Recent reports reveal that some Unreal Engine technologies will be integrated into the engine.
Microsoft and The Coalition Step In
Jez Corden, a reliable source in the industry, shared striking information on the December 19th episode of The Xbox Two podcast. According to the report, Bethesda is utilizing certain features of Unreal Engine while updating Creation Engine. Other studios owned by Microsoft are also providing support in this process. It is stated that Kate Rayner, Technical Director of The Coalition studio, known for the Gears of War series, is assisting Bethesda in this integration process.
We will see the first signs of this engine change in Starfield before The Elder Scrolls 6. According to Corden, Starfield is undergoing a technical overhaul, and these improvements will form the basis of future Elder Scrolls and Fallout games. The “Lumens” update branch, noticed by observant players in Starfield’s Steam database, strengthens this claim. Lumens is the name of Unreal Engine 5’s dynamic lighting system, and it’s believed Bethesda is adapting this technology to its own engine.
There’s an important distinction here. The Elder Scrolls 6 won’t run entirely on Unreal Engine like the rumored Oblivion Remastered. The game will still be Creation Engine-based, but will incorporate Unreal Engine technologies in specific areas like lighting or physics. In other words, Bethesda is combining the flexibility of its own engine with modern technologies.
Although Todd Howard stated that the game’s development is going very well and it was reported that the game would be playable in July 2025, these statements generally point to the early stages of development (pre-alpha). A release of The Elder Scrolls 6 before 2028 seems unlikely.
So, do you think Bethesda’s insistence on Creation Engine was correct, or should they have switched entirely to Unreal Engine 5? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
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