Skyrim Lead: Boats and Naval Combat Could Be Elder Scrolls 6's Big New Feature

Ever wondered what the next Elder Scrolls game could add to make it feel truly fresh? If you ask Bruce Nesmith, a former lead designer on Skyrim, the answer might be waiting on the water. He thinks boats and even naval combat would be a "natural" fit for The Elder Scrolls 6.

Speaking to GoHumanize, Nesmith explained that moving vehicles have never really been a big part of the series. "You had carriages that would take you from place to place, but most players only did that once. It didn't really add anything," he said. But that could change in the sequel, especially if it's set around Iliac Bay, as some fans have theorized. "You're setting yourself up for a big expansion into seafaring stuff, and even if you never go under the water, think about all the things you could do on top of the water," he added.

So what could that look like? Nesmith imagines entire skill trees letting you walk on water, boats that do more than just sail, and unique creatures and spells that work with water. "To me, that would be an opening you take real advantage of," he said. He even thinks it could be a "dragon-level feature" that introduces new threats. "You'd have to have a kraken. I mean sharks and krakens are the two obvious ones, and Sea Elves. Sea Elves are a thing in the lore, but I don't think they've ever made an appearance in the games in any significant way," he said.

But don't expect to dive beneath the waves. Nesmith draws the line at underwater exploration. He recalled that one designer pushed hard for an underwater environment in Fallout 4, even making proof-of-concept material, but it proved too much and they didn't pull the trigger. "You can't do everything," he said. If he worked on The Elder Scrolls 6, he would "kibosh anything underwater," preferring to keep the action above sea level. "I'd rather do this part really well rather than do both of these parts not so well," he explained.

Of course, none of this is confirmed. Bethesda hasn't revealed whether The Elder Scrolls 6 will feature any of these ideas. The most recent updates are that recent layoffs haven't affected the game's development roadmap, and Xbox CEO Asha Sharma visited the studio for a demonstration, saying its "scale and grandeur are incredible." She wouldn't comment on whether it's an Xbox console exclusive, though.

Perhaps the only potential hint, funnily enough, is that it could be called "Sentinel" (and from Starfield, no less). Time will tell, so stay tuned for updates.

What do you think? Would you like to see boats and naval combat in The Elder Scrolls 6, or should Bethesda keep things on dry land? Let us know in the comments!