Getting into The Elder Scrolls Online is one of the best ways to scratch that Elder Scrolls itch while waiting for TES6. It’s a massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) with canon lore, consistent updates, and gameplay similar to its mainline single-player siblings. It doesn’t pull its punches with additions to The Elder Scrolls mythos either. One of ESO's most unique features lies in its combat, which sets a high bar for The Elder Scrolls 6 to reach.

The Elder Scrolls Online’s debut was perfectly placed three years after Skyrim’s successful release. It met players’ demands for new Elder Scrolls content with its canon Second-Era lore. Its MMORPG format also brought together fans and created a community that continues to go strong, with more than 9,000 monthly players online back in 2024. This is thanks to its regularly scheduled events with massive lore drops, like the recent Gold Road Expansion, and its unique quirks and features.

The Elder Scrolls Online’s Diverse Roster of Creatures Might be Hard to Replicate in TES6

ESO’s Beastiary Features Some Unique Creatures

Since The Elder Scrolls Online explores every region in Tamriel, it’s only right for it to have a large catalog of creatures that players can discover, fight, and even befriend as pets or mounts. The game even has critters that haven’t appeared in previous games, and some that haven’t been seen since titles like Daggerfall. Such beasts include:

• Quasigriff: These are avian creatures with four legs but no wings. They are related to the Gryphon, which have been depicted as statues and monuments in other games like TES Blades and TES Castles.
• Welwa: The Welwa is a four-eyed beast that looks like a large marsupial. Iron Orcs domesticate and train them to be armored war mounts. These creatures can be found in the Summerset Isles, Hammerfell, and Yokuda.
• Lamia: These are reptilian beasts with serpentine lower bodies and humanoid torsos. They also have snake-like features on their face and arms, with scales, fangs, and horns.

Location-Based Mainline Titles Make Diverse Creature Rosters Difficult

Players will likely encounter much fewer and less diverse creatures in the next mainline TES game compared to Elder Scrolls Online. This is simply because TES 6, like its predecessors, will likely only explore one province. If The Elder Scrolls 6 is set in Hammerfell, it would be difficult to justify it having creatures from faraway regions like Morrowind or Black Marsh. However, there are ways to circumvent this limitation.

• Make Province-Hopping Part of TES 6: Perhaps TES 6’s story and gameplay could allow players to explore limited areas of other provinces of Tamriel. This way, players can experience fighting with a more diverse set of enemies compared to previous titles. However, this idea is easier said than done, as it could ruin the focus on the featured province.
• Create More Regional Versions of Existing Creatures: Some critters in Tamriel already have different breeds. A great example of this is the Guar, which comes with different features depending on where it was born and bred. For example, the Shadowghost Guar has a black-and-white pattern, which helps it blend in with the Red Mountain’s ash clouds. Perhaps TES 6 could have a unique take on existing creatures from different provinces as well.

ESO’s creature diversity makes combat quite interesting, as players get to see different attack patterns and animations of each monster. It also makes the world larger and alive, as each province features a unique set of critters. This is the biggest advantage of Elder Scrolls Online over its single-player siblings. The Elder Scrolls 6 could catch up to ESO’s diverse bestiary by letting players explore more provinces or introducing creatures from other regions. It’s a tall order that would give players a unique and immersive experience of TES 6’s Tamriel if done right.