Former Skyrim and Fallout 76 artist wishes for fresh concepts in The Elder Scrolls 6 to prevent franchise fatigue, citing concerns over repetitive gameplay in series like Assassin’s Creed.

Nate Purkeypile, a former lead artist at Bethesda, expresses his hope that Elder Scrolls 6, whenever it arrives, will steer clear of the pitfalls seen in the Assassin’s Creed series.

While the Ubisoft franchise is about a decade younger than The Elder Scrolls and boasts nearly three times as many main entries, it risks falling into a trap that can plague any long-running series: monotony. In a recent interview, Purkeypile remarked, “Ubisoft games, despite being fun, are very repetitive and by the numbers.”

He contrasts this with the unique experiences found in Skyrim, such as the underground city of Blackreach, which was “totally not on the schedule” when he began collaborating on it with other developers. Purkeypile emphasizes that Bethesda’s willingness to allow for creative experimentation was key to their success.

“Giving people the freedom to do what they want is what I think makes those games successful because then it’s not this checklist,” he explains. However, he acknowledges that it has become “a lot harder” for Bethesda developers to innovate freely now that the company has grown significantly since 2011.

Purkeypile hopes that Elder Scrolls VI will introduce fresh concepts, suggesting, “Who knows, maybe magic works in some completely different way, or there’s some new perk tree.” He adds, “I’ve always wondered what’s outside of the continent of Tamriel. It’s like one big landmass, basically. Isn’t there a whole planet to explore? What else is out there? That’s what I’ve always wondered.”

He also notes that GTA feels more vibrant than Cyberpunk 2077, stating that Night City “doesn’t feel like a real place,” which diminishes its impact compared to the immersive worlds of Fallout and Skyrim.