In context: Bethesda hasn't exactly been the most well-loved game developer in the world in recent times. Since the disastrous launch of Fallout 76, the company has lost some credibility in the eyes of its fanbase, despite its above-average track record with past single-player RPGs.
Indeed, this potential fall from grace is something Bethesda seemed to anticipate when it first revealed Fallout 76 to the world. Clearly expecting fan backlash following the announcement that Fallout 76 would be a multiplayer-only, always-online RPG, the company teased two of its upcoming solo experiences to smooth things out: The Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield.
These announcements came in the form of two separate teaser trailers, which we've covered in the past (you can view them above and below). The trailers reveal next to nothing about the games, and Bethesda made it clear that neither title would be coming out anytime soon.
Roughly two years have passed since those trailers dropped, and fans were hoping this June would be the right time for a proper Starfield or Elder Scrolls 6 reveal. Unfortunately, it seems that won't be the case. Twitter User Quinton Meyers reached out to Bethesda's Senior VP of global marketing, Pete Hines, to ask when he could expect to see some information on The Elder Scrolls 6, and Hines' response was not encouraging. See it below:
It's after Starfield, which you pretty much know nothing about. So if you're coming at me for details now and not years from now, I'm failing to properly manage your expectations.
--- Pete Hines (@DCDeacon) May 10, 2020
Hines' statement doesn't leave much room for guessing: The Elder Scrolls 6's announcement is still years away, and the game itself is probably even further off. While Hines wasn't quite as blunt about the timeline for Starfield's marketing campaign, in a follow-up tweet, he said it will come "someday," which probably also eliminates a 2020 reveal.
However, that last bit is just an assumption on our part, and there's every possibility that Starfield will be shown off at one of this year's online E3-like events, the bulk of which are slated to take place next month. We'll be keeping our eyes peeled for any Bethesda-related announcements, so stay tuned for our pseudo-E3 coverage over the next month or two.