Creative Assembly confirmed Total War: Medieval 3 development this week, marking the first sequel in 19 years. The studio's vice president Roger Collum acknowledged the game remains "a few years" from release but joked it will likely beat Bethesda's Elder Scrolls 6 to market.
"We know it's going to be a few years," Collum wrote on official forums, according to GamesRadar. "I'm pretty sure we'll still beat Elder Scrolls VI to market - please Bethesda accept the challenge for all our sake - I need it!"
Bethesda's Elder Scrolls 6 entered early development in August 2023, with early builds available by March 2024. Director Todd Howard told Game Informer this week that "the majority of the studio's on VI" but offered no release timeline. The game was first announced at E3 2018, making its development cycle now seven-and-a-half years.
Howard described Elder Scrolls 6 as "progressing really well" but admitted "we all wish it went a little bit faster." He emphasized the studio prioritizes quality over speed, telling IGN the game is "still a long way off" and encouraging fan patience.
Bethesda developers pointed to Rockstar's GTA 6 delay as justification for their measured approach. Studio design director Emil Pagliarulo called GTA 6's latest delay "the smartest thing they could do,". Rockstar Games had announced the game's postponement to November 2026 earlier this month. He argued large-scale games require extensive polish time.
Total War: Medieval 3 follows 2006's Medieval 2: Total War. Creative Assembly attempted the sequel "many times" but felt unable to do it justice until now, Collum explained. The historical strategy game will draw from Middle Ages settings like its predecessor.
Both studios face immense fan expectations. Elder Scrolls 6 represents Bethesda's first mainline entry since 2011's Skyrim, while Medieval 3 continues a franchise that has expanded to include Warhammer and Three Kingdoms settings. Neither company has committed to specific release windows.
Howard hinted at a potential shadowdrop release strategy for Elder Scrolls 6, similar to The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered. "My perfect version is that it's going to be a while and then, one day, the game will just appear," he told IGN.
The race between Medieval 3 and Elder Scrolls 6 highlights broader industry trends toward extended development cycles. Major franchises now routinely span five to ten years between installments, with studios increasingly prioritizing polish over rushed releases.
Creative Assembly's confidence in beating Bethesda to market reflects Medieval 3's more advanced development stage. While both games remain years from completion, the Total War sequel appears closer to crossing the finish line based on studio statements this week.
