Former Bethesda developer estimates TES6 entered full production after Starfield DLC

In an interview discussing Bethesda's development pipeline, former Bethesda lead artist Nate Purkeypile speculated that The Elder Scrolls VI had likely only recently entered full production. Purkeypile suggested that a significant portion of Bethesda Game Studios remained focused on Starfield and its Shattered Space expansion following Starfield's 2023 launch, and estimated that developers may not have fully transitioned to TES6 until after that work was completed. Based on Bethesda's historical development timelines, he further speculated that a 2028 or 2029 release window appeared more realistic than earlier community expectations. Purkeypile emphasized that these comments were his personal assessment of Bethesda's development process rather than information obtained from inside the studio.