Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion broke a lot of ground when it first introduced Spellcasting into Bethesda’s highly successful fantasy franchise. With Spellcasting, anyone can customize their spells to fit their needs, preferences, and probably their will to dominate all life in Tamriel.
As well-received as the feature was in Oblivion, Bethesda inexplicably removed the game mechanic when they released the sequel, the well-loved Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
However, a system strikingly similar to Spellcasting that could be considered a precursor appeared in last weekend’s Elder Scrolls Online Global Reveal event.
We’re talking about the Scribing system, which is set to debut when the Gold Road expansion drops in June. Scribing allows players to combine a Grimoire with a Script - not exactly Spellcasting, but the system does allow you to set a basic effect with the Grimoire and more specific main effects with the Script.
What does it tell us about future Elder Scrolls VI developments?
In a nutshell, ESO’s Scribing system presents a potential new way that Spellcasting could return to the Elder Scrolls universe after it took a hiatus in Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
While there are a few technical differences, it’s unthinkable that Bethesda has invested significant resources in creating Scribing for ESO and not introducing an iteration of it in the future sequel for Skyrim.
Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road will be rolling out for Mac and PC on June 3 this year, with the version for PlayStation and Xbox Series consoles following on June 18. It is also available for pre-order, with a couple of exclusive perks with early purchase.