‘The Elder Scrolls 6’ release date: Next installment needs to improve its NPC; Could take inspiration from ‘RDR2’

“The Elder Scrolls 6” is still years away, but speculation on the game is already widespread on the web. There are also suggestions that have been put forward by the most hardcore of fans, ranging from battle mechanics to how Bethesda should handle the narrative of the title.

One particular suggestion, “The Elder Scrolls 6” should focus on is the game’s AI. Enemies, NPC, and companions should be designed to be smarter, whether they’re offering quests or tagging along in missions.

Sure, the AI of “Skyrim” and “Oblivion” produced a lot of hilarious videos online but if “The Elder Scrolls 6” is to succeed, it needs to keep up with today’s gaming standards. This is especially true since games like “Red Dead Redemption 2” has set the bar higher when it comes to this regard.

The Elder Scrolls 6 needs smarter AI companions

In it, NPCs were given so much depth that even those that are only there to populate the world has been provided with a lot of details. Their activities vary throughout the day, and all of them have their own little nuances that make them unique. It’s almost reminiscent to the “Westworld” hosts. “The Elder Scrolls 6” could learn from this and have its NPC roam around their little loops so that they don’t just populate a small area indefinitely.

Moving on, the companions also needs to be smarter. There have been countless instances in “Skyrim” where I’m forced to fight in the open rather than in the shadows when my companion rushes forward screaming bloody murder. “The Elder Scrolls 6” needs to address this and provide companions with a basic command system similar to what’s been done to “Fallout 76.”

That way, even if a companion needs to participate in a given quest, they’ll not end up getting in the way or force the player to alter their playstyle. Also, “The Elder Scrolls 6” could provide these companions with some form of a skill tree that would level up as they travel with you throughout the story.

The Elder Scrolls 6 companions need to have a deeper backstory

“Dragon’s Dogma” has shown that this can be achieved and there’s no reason Bethesda shouldn’t implement it on “The Elder Scrolls 6.” This is doubly true since companions are one of the main constants in the franchise. Lastly, a more robust backstory should also be provided for these companions so that players have a reason to emotionally invest in them and not just use them as a mule.

With Todd Howard saying that “The Elder Scrolls 6” is being developed with the aim of having it last for at least a decade, exploring all these storylines would provide players plenty of reason to stick around for long. As for when the sixth installment will be released, it’s still years away since Bethesda is currently busy creating “Starfield.” If everything goes swimmingly, we could be looking at a 2024 or 2025 release date.