Kurt Kuhlmann, former co-director of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, stated that after the release of Fallout 4, most members of the team originally hoped to develop The Elder Scrolls VI next. However, Todd Howard ultimately decided to move forward with the new IP Starfield, changing the studio's previous development rhythm.
Kuhlmann recalled that The Elder Scrolls VI had already established a relatively fixed production cycle, alternating development between the Fallout and The Elder Scrolls series. Different series and themes allowed the team to shift their work rhythm, so after the completion of Fallout 4, everyone generally expected the next title to be The Elder Scrolls VI.
Things did not unfold in this order. Fallout 76 was not initially intended to involve the entire studio, but the project's scope later expanded, extending the time the team continued working on the Fallout series. Afterward, the development of Starfield further delayed The Elder Scrolls VI.
Kuhlmann stated that the team was not ready to immediately dive into The Elder Scrolls VI at the time, but he believed that most members wanted to make that game. Todd then informed the team that Starfield had been approved and would become an ambitious new space-themed role-playing game.
In Kuhlmann's view, the success of Fallout 4 gave Todd the opportunity to propose a new project like Starfield to The Elder Scrolls VI team and ZeniMax executives. He personally preferred developing The Elder Scrolls VI over Fallout 76 and Starfield, and believes that most members of the studio likely shared the same sentiment.
The production of Starfield ultimately lasted for many years. In 2023, Todd mentioned that he had originally thought the team could find solutions more quickly, but it took seven years for the game to reach a state that could be considered fun. Kuhlmann also emphasized that Starfield was not a project the team fought for from the bottom up, but rather a work assigned to the team after management made the decision.
It has been eight years since The Elder Scrolls VI was announced, and no release date or window has been determined yet. It was also confirmed that Starfield has reached 17 million players, and the game will receive third-year post-launch support, including more content for Starborn, gameplay improvements, and additional story quests.