The Elder Scrolls 6's Character Creation Will Need to Balance Fantasy With Big Changes
Character creation remains one of the biggest draws for several games, especially games like The Elder Scrolls 6, so much so that there are memes about spending hours on it and/or remaking characters if it doesn't appear right when loaded into the game world. It's an important feature in any RPG, and whenever it releases, The Elder Scrolls 6 is no different.
In many ways, character creation is how someone puts themselves into the game or live out their fantasies. For the first part, recent and upcoming games like Cyberpunk 2077 have detailed character customization, abandoning the binary male or female system for something more focused on body type. Bethesda has the advantage of seeing how these systems operate and work in games releasing before it, but it also means that it should focus more on the latter: living out the Tamriel fantasy.
Nothing is known about The Elder Scrolls 6, but it seems like a safe bet that it will be a next-gen focused iteration of the Bethesda RPG formula. That means players will be able to creation and customize their new character, just as they could their Dragonborn in Skyrim, but there will indubitably be new changes.
One of those include how The Elder Scrolls 6 will be releasing on next-gen platforms, whether that's as an Xbox Series X exclusive or on the PS5 as well. A new console generation brings new expectations, and many players may be expecting better character models, improved physics, and more "realistic" portrayals of the Orcs, Khajit, or whatever players want. Of course, that fantasy aspect cannot be lost as its practically synonymous with the franchise, and the idea of improved character creation and customization in future RPGs are one thing; however, therein lies a problem.
As aforementioned, players sometimes look to represent themselves in their characters, particularly in RPGs such as The Elder Scrolls. The industry is moving forward, as it should, and including more and more options when it comes to gender. Games like Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Immortals Fenyx Rising tackle this by allowing players to swap back and forth between male and female protagonists at will, while others like Cyberpunk 2077 which has more static characters remove gender options for body styles. Indeed, for The Elder Scrolls to be as inclusive, it will need to offer all players a way to manifest themselves in game.
However, body options for a dark elf, for a high elf, for an orc, for a khajit, and every race in The Elder Scrolls may be more work than Cyberpunk 2077, which only has a human protagonist. It doesn't have to go as far as Cyberpunk 2077's insane customization options which detail every single body part, but a variety of options in designing each character would go far. This means Bethesda has its work cut out for itself, but luckily, it won't be the first.
There aren't many fantasy games with multiple playable races announced or shown yet, but they are out there. Avowed, for example, will likely have playable races, and more that will likely drop before even it. That means Avowed—or any fantasy game of that nature—will want to land inclusive, fantastical options for players to stay on the cutting edge and hit that high mark. Where it succeeds or where it fails may inform The Elder Scrolls 6's character creation. For now, fans can only wait until more is heard in the next few years.
The Elder Scrolls 6 is in development.
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