Though it's unconfirmed for now, the going theory for Elder Scrolls 6's setting is Hammerfell, so players should do a playthrough as a Redguard in Skyrim before it releases. A hint in one of the trailers for Bethesda's upcoming IP Starfield points to Hammerfell as the next setting, and the fact that it hasn't been featured in any Elder Scrolls game since the second, Daggerfell, is very telling. The release date for Elder Scrolls 6 is currently unknown, and since it's reportedly still in pre-production at the moment, it looks like it'll be at least a few years before even early access comes.
In the Elder Scrolls universe, Hammerfell is one of the nine nations on the continent of Tamriel. It shares a border with Skyrim, Cyrodiil, and High Rock, and is composed of a variety of environments. It boasts the infamous Alik'r Desert, home to many monsters that could be even scarier and more horrifying enemies than Skyrim could ever hope to have. The region has been plagued by wars and conflict from both within and without, such as the constant squabbles between the Crowns and Forebears factions. Its people are known as Redguards, who are widely regarded as some of the best warriors in Tamriel. Like most of Tamriel, Hammerfell was once part of the Imperial Empire and was invaded by the Aldmeri Dominion, though both have little presence in the region in the fourth era.
Skyrim was released over 1o years ago, so Elder Scrolls 6 is somewhat overdue. Starfield, releasing sometime in early 2023, has been Bethesda's focus for quite some time, but once it's released, hopefully, the studio will shift its attention to TES6 so that progress on it can speed up. Starfield looks a lot like Skyrim from what's been shown of it so far, so it should help tide players over until the next installment in the Elder Scrolls series. Rumors of sailing mechanics in Elder Scrolls 6 have come along with its alleged Hammerfell setting, which means that players may be able to live out their fantasies of becoming a swashbuckling pirate.
Players Should Be A Redguard In Their Next Skyrim Playthrough
In Skyrim, Redguards are one of 10 playable races. They have a natural resistance to poison, as well as an Adrenaline Rush ability that allows them to restore Stamina 10 times faster for one minute. They get a +10 bonus to their default One-Handed Skill, and a +5 to their Alteration, Archery, Block, Destruction, and Smithing Skills. They're well-suited for melee and tank players but are also a versatile choice that can support a wide variety of character builds. Dual-wielding builds can be especially fun in Skyrim as a Redguard since they're well-suited to it, and many Redguard NPCs and enemies such as Kematu and Rayya dual-wield by default. Playing as a Redguard ahead of Elder Scrolls 6's release can be a fun experience to help players familiarize themselves with them and decide how they'd like to play as one.
In addition to the pure gameplay aspects, there are some other benefits to doing a Redguard Skyrim playthrough before Elder Scrolls 6 releases. Players can meet and talk to the various Redguard NPCs throughout the game and compare how they're portrayed in each, though they are few and far between in Skyrim. In addition, they can roleplay that their characters in Skyrim and Elder Scrolls 6 are both the same person. It might be tough given that ES6's story and how the main character fits into it are still shrouded in mystery, and some things like the Dragon Shouts that are essential for beating Skyrim are unlikely to cross over, but it's still fun and a nice way to make a playthrough feel refreshing and new before Elder Scrolls 6 comes out.
How Could Skyrim Influence Elder Scrolls 6's Hammerfell?
It's possible that certain events in Skyrim - such as the Civil War, the return of the dragons, or the Eye of Magnus being taken by the Psijic Order during the College of Winterhold questline - will lead to major events in Hammerfell and have some bearing on Elder Scrolls 6, which can make playing through as a Redguard first that much more fun. This is especially true if anyone is roleplaying that the Dragonborn of Skyrim and the protagonist of TES6 are the same person, but even if not, they can still go through all of those different stories one last time and see them from a Redguard's perspective ahead of their fallout in Hammerfell. Other Elder Scrolls nations besides Skyrim have dragons, so just like the effects of the Oblivion War weren't shown until the game that followed Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, it's possible that the effects of the dragons' return outside of Skyrim will be shown in Elder Scrolls 6.
However, another - possibly more likely - effect of Skyrim on Elder Scrolls 6 is the Thalmor. Hammerfell rejected the White-Gold Concordat that put most of Tamriel under the boot of the Aldmeri Dominion and drove the Thalmor out of the country in the fourth era. They were the only nation to successfully repel the Dominion and did so without the help of the Imperial Legion, making it a devastating and humiliating defeat for the Thalmor. Depending on which side Bethesda chooses to win Skyrim's Civil War canonically, the Aldmeri Dominion may want to bolster their power in the continent and send a message to the rest of Tamriel that none are beyond their reach by attempting a second invasion of Hammerfell. The Skyrim quest "In My Time of Need" indicates that the Aldmeri Dominion's influence in Hammerfell is far from gone, which may be a further hint of both Elder Scrolls 6's setting and some of its plot. Playing through Skyrim as a Redguard can help players develop their future ES6 character before it releases and decide how they would react to the Thalmor and the cruel acts they commit.
Players Might Be Able To Sail As A Pirate In The Elder Scrolls 6
Aside from the Hammerfell setting, another rumor surrounding Elder Scrolls 6 is sailing mechanics, which may indicate that Elder Scrolls will return to the War of Thras and its Slug People, or Sload, a semi-aquatic race native to the archipelago of Thras located near Hammerfell. Being able to sail the high seas on a real ship sounds very fun, and could be revolutionary for the Elder Scrolls series. Hammerfell features many ports and small islands, and pirates are highly prolific in the region. Players may just get the opportunity to command a pirate crew of their very own, but to what degree these mechanics will be implemented - if at all - is unknown. Though all of the rumors are only that for now, hopefully, more news will come along with the release of Starfield. In the meantime, players can always play as Redguards in Skyrim and figure out what kind of character they want to play first when Elder Scrolls 6 finally comes out.