Microsoft Is Steering The Elder Scrolls 6 From The Sidelines

Here is the short version: the latest chatter says Microsoft is stepping in to help Bethesda rework Starfield in a big way. Think less minor patch, more hard reset. And if it works, it could set the template for The Elder Scrolls 6 and even Fallout 5.

Where this is coming from

The rumor comes via Jez Corden on the Xbox Two Podcast. He says Microsoft is putting some of its veteran tech people on Starfield, not just to fix the game, but to upgrade Bethesda's engine with ideas pulled from Unreal Engine. Quick clarification: the source called it the 'Creative Engine,' but Starfield runs on Bethesda's Creation Engine. That's the thing being tuned.

What Microsoft is supposedly doing

• Microsoft's Advanced Technology Group is working directly to fold Unreal Engine-style features and workflows into Bethesda's Creation Engine.
• Leadership on the effort is tied to The Coalition, the studio behind Gears of War.
• Kate Rayner, a well-known Unreal engineer at Microsoft, is involved to help speed this along.
• The goal is a 'Starfield 2.0' update with major technical upgrades — the kind of overhaul that can make a game feel new again.
• Internally, the hope is for Starfield to become a blueprint for how Bethesda ships games from here on out, with The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5 specifically called out as beneficiaries.
• Big picture, Microsoft wants to take more control and reduce risk on the next Elder Scrolls release.

The Cyberpunk comparison

Yes, the comparison came up: the idea is something like what CD Projekt RED pulled off with Cyberpunk 2077 post-launch. Starfield launched to a lot of criticism, and the plan here sounds like a similar redemption arc — ambitious, very public, and meant to change the conversation.

Why use Starfield as the test case

This is the part that is both smart and a little brutal. If you're going to revamp the engine, you need a real game to test it on. Starfield is that testbed. Because it's already out, the team can keep iterating and push overhaul-level changes without waiting years for a new release. The upside: if the update lands and the game turns into a crowd-pleaser, Bethesda not only salvages Starfield, it walks away with a more modernized engine ready for the next wave of big RPGs. The cost: Starfield is the guinea pig.

How big could this be?

Corden framed it as a potential surprise comeback that could blow up online if it actually delivers. If Microsoft and Bethesda really are integrating Unreal-like tools into Creation Engine — with The Coalition steering and Kate Rayner helping — that is not a small tune-up. That's groundwork for the next decade of Bethesda games.

Reality check

All of this is still rumor. None of it is officially announced. But the pieces make sense: Starfield underwhelmed a lot of players, Microsoft owns Bethesda, and Microsoft has internal tech teams and studios with deep Unreal expertise. If they want Elder Scrolls 6 to hit without drama, this is exactly the kind of behind-the-scenes move you would expect.