Eight years after Bethesda announced The Elder Scrolls VI… we finally get the name. Everyone’s excited, digging through the lore etc trying to figure out what it all means.

Meanwhileeeee, the actual game might not be coming until 2029.

And no this isn’t just some random prediction.

• Jason Schreier says the game is still more than two years away, and clarified that he actually knows the timeframe Bethesda is targeting.

• Jez Corden at Windows Central says he’s heard 2029.

• JuiceHead has heard the same, although his information predates the Xbox leadership shake-up.

• Bethesda itself hasn’t given a release window and says it’ll still be some time before they’re ready to share more.

Schreier even showed up in r/TESVI to respond to people questioning his reporting. He wouldn’t give an exact year, but pointed out how easily a target like 2029 could slip to 2030.

So 2029 isn’t confirmed, but it’s looking increasingly plausible, IF NOT LATER

So we’re looking at:

18 YEARS since Skyrim.

11 YEARS since the original TES VI announcement.

I mean, come on. That’s insane.

And yeah, I know they spent years making Starfield. These games take forever now, I get it. 

And I want them to take their time. I want it to be good.

But then why even drop this so early in the first place?

I think the original 2018 teaser was to reassure everyone that Bethesda was indeed still making single-player RPGs after Fallout 76.

I dunno. I’m hyped, obviously. 

But after knowing what years of radio silence feels like after a tiny little teaser... I’d rather they just went quiet until they had something substantial to share.

There was a LOT of grinding/farming in there that I’m not sure I was even enjoying lol

Is there a game you look back on and kind of wish you’d stopped playing sooner?

Well, Nintendo has just made my answer to that question a whole lot easier… again. Ocarina of Time, one of the greatest games ever made, has been completely rebuilt for Switch 2.

Honestly, I don't care if this is your first Zelda or your twentieth. If you have access to a Switch 2, go play Ocarina of Time.

Hyrule Hasn't Lost a Deku Nut's Worth of Magic

Ocarina of Time is a wonderful fantasy adventure, taking you from a little forest full of fairies to an entire kingdom filled with secrets, strange characters and some of gaming's most memorable dungeons.

You begin as Link, a young boy living in Kokiri Forest, where your first job is finding a sword, buying a shield and figuring out what the enormous talking tree wants from you.

Before long, you're exploring Hyrule, meeting Princess Zelda, getting acquainted with the villainous Ganondorf, and discovering that there's considerably more going on than a few problems back home.

From there, the adventure unfolds, with every new location bringing fresh mysteries, and every new dungeon introducing increasingly elaborate challenges. Finding a new item, like the Hookshot, doesn't just give you another way to fight enemies. It changes how you explore the world and solve its puzzles, opening up places you might have passed hours earlier.

Link's ability to travel between childhood and adulthood makes the journey even more interesting. Familiar locations change, characters grow older, and what begins as a fairly charming fantasy adventure becomes something surprisingly emotional.

And the music! From the peaceful melodies of Kokiri Forest to the unforgettable songs you learn to play on the ocarina, there's a reason this soundtrack alone is still so beloved.

Nintendo's Done a Lot More Than Make It Pretty

The Switch 2 remake completely rebuilds Ocarina of Time, with modern controls, improvements to its famous dungeons and enough changes to offer some surprises for returning fans.

The visual transformation is way more than a coat of fresh paint. Hyrule's forests, villages and dungeons have been recreated with enhanced detail, while fully voiced cutscenes, expanded dialogue and an orchestral soundtrack give familiar characters and locations a whole new presence.

The gameplay has received just as much attention too. Link can now jump and dash freely, the camera has proper right-stick controls, and frequently used equipment is easier to access. There's also a feature called Threads of Time that helps you keep track of your progress and remember where you're supposed to go.

Even the notoriously frustrating Water Temple has received further adjustments to make navigating its complicated layout less of a headache.

Some of these improvements were surprisingly complicated to implement. Giving Link a dedicated jump button, for example, meant Nintendo had to reconsider parts of the original level design. Players could suddenly reach places that previously required specific actions, so the environments needed adjusting to accommodate that extra freedom.

Series producer Eiji Aonuma also revealed that he'd originally asked the developers to add more fast-travel points to make getting around Hyrule easier. But after testing the changes, he decided they were taking away too many of those little discoveries that happen while travelling between destinations, and had the extra warp points removed.

Returning fans will find surprises, too, including redesigned puzzles, altered secrets, and collectibles that aren't necessarily where you remember leaving them. You can even play ocarina melodies by humming into the Switch 2 microphone, which sounds like a lovely little addition.

Your First Trip to Hyrule or Your Fifteenth

The remake is a fantastic introduction for newcomers, a return to classic Zelda for recent fans, and a fresh opportunity to explore a familiar Hyrule for longtime players.

You don't need to understand Zelda's sprawling timeline or play any previous games to enjoy Ocarina of Time. The story stands on its own, and the adventure does a wonderful job of introducing you to its world as you play.

For anyone who's missed the more traditional Zelda formula, there's something particularly appealing about returning to its carefully designed dungeons and more directed story.

And if you know the original inside out, there's plenty of fun in revisiting familiar places, seeing how they've been transformed and discovering what Nintendo has changed along the way. 

Don't Just Take My Word for It

The Ocarina of Time remake, like the original, has earned outstanding reviews, with critics celebrating its thoughtful improvements and the enduring brilliance of the original adventure.

The remake launched to a stellar 96 Metascore and a string of perfect reviews from major gaming outlets. Here's some of the praise:

• GamesRadar+ — 5/5: Calls it "a remake for the ages", celebrating its spectacular visuals, fresh puzzles and the enduring charm of the original adventure.

• Game Informer — 9.25/10: Praises a faithful recreation that successfully brings the 1998 experience to modern hardware.

• The Guardian — 5/5: Describes the remake as "a dream come true", with its new presentation giving even greater emotional weight to the original story.

• Shacknews — 10/10: Calls it the definitive edition, praising Nintendo's careful changes to the dungeons, mechanics and presentation.
  

So yeah, I stand by what I said earlier. Go play Ocarina of Time.

The original Ocarina of Time is still the highest-rated game ever on Metacritic, sitting at 99. Twenty-eight years later, the Switch 2 remake has landed at 96, making it the highest-rated game of 2026 so far.

For comparison, the 2011 3DS remake scored 94. So yeah, these are some prettttty ridiculous numbers.

No story spoilers below. Please keep the replies spoiler-free too.

Reviews so far

Eurogamer — 5/5
VGC — 5/5
GamesRadar+ — 5/5
TechRadar — 5/5
Destructoid — 10/10
The Guardian — 5/5
Shacknews — 10/10
Game Informer — 9.25/10
IGN — 9/10
GameSpot — 9/10
Famitsu — 37/40
RPG Site — 8/10

Metacritic: 96 (around 80 reviews)
OpenCritic: 96 (30 reviews, 100% recommend)

Important to note: The original's 99 is based on just 22 critic reviews. The new remake has already been reviewed by around 80 outlets (!!), so it's not exactly a like-for-like comparison.

What critics are saying

👍 Most praised

The biggest takeaway seems to be that Ocarina of Time's original design still holds up incredibly well. The classic dungeons, puzzles and more structured Zelda adventure are getting just as much praise as the gorgeous new visuals.

Nintendo's also done a lot to modernise things without completely changing the game. Praise for the free camera controls, a proper jump button, easier item switching, reworked dungeons, new voice acting and an orchestral soundtrack comes up repeatedly.

🤔 Mixed

How much should Nintendo have changed?

Some reviewers love how faithful the remake is, especially compared with something like the Final Fantasy VII Remake. Others think Nintendo played things a little too safe.

There's also some disagreement over the updated difficulty. The smoother controls and extra hints make the game much more approachable, but a few critics think they've made some of the puzzles and boss fights too easy. The new voice acting has its fans and haters as well.

👎 Most criticised

The lack of Master Quest, or really any proper hard mode, is one of the more noticeable complaints, especially for people who've already finished Ocarina multiple times and know the dungeons inside out.

There's also only one active save file, and some reviewers feel the remake doesn't offer enough genuinely new challenges for returning players.

What's behind the scores

GamesRadar+ — 5/5

They call it a "remake for the ages" and absolutely love what Nintendo's done. The updated dungeons, puzzles, voice acting and visuals all work for them, and they think it actually builds on the original rather than just recreating it.

IGN — 9/10

They really like how Nintendo has combined classic Zelda dungeon design with modern movement and presentation. The more streamlined puzzles take away a little of the satisfaction at times, but they still see it as an excellent adventure in its own right.

GameSpot — 9/10

Their take is that Ocarina's original design was so good that Nintendo didn't need to reinvent much. Some rough edges have been smoothed out, others are still there, but the exploration and dungeon design hold up remarkably well.

Famitsu — 37/40

Fun bit of history here. Famitsu gave the original Ocarina of Time its first-ever perfect 40/40 back in 1998. This remake gets 37/40, exactly the same as the 3DS version. They like the new controls and presentation, but think parts of the game feel a little simple by modern standards.

RPG Site — 8/10

One of the more reserved verdicts, although still very positive. They think Nintendo has made the game much better for newcomers, but the easier combat and toned-down boss fights leave less for longtime fans to sink their teeth into.

The remake launches 5 November on Switch 2.

I haven't played it yet, but I find it pretty amazing (but not surprising) that after 28 years, Ocarina of Time is still putting up numbers like this.

Ocarina of Time, one of the most celebrated games ever made, has just received a full Switch 2 remake, nearly 30 years after its original release. Breath of the Wild (2017) and Tears of the Kingdom (2023) offer two enormous modern adventures. And if you prefer something more traditional, there's the lovely 2019 remake of Link's Awakening, originally released for Game Boy in 1993.

That's before we even get into the rest of a series that stretches all the way back to 1986.

The good news is that you really can't go too far wrong. Most Zelda games stand on their own, and there's no need to follow Nintendo's complicated timeline.

The only problem is finding the one that’s right for you.

Which Zelda Game Should You Start With?

For most newcomers, we'd recommend starting with the 2026 Ocarina of Time remake. But depending on what you enjoy, there's a good chance one of these will suit you just as well.

• Want the classic 3D Zelda experience? Start with Ocarina of Time (2026 remake).

• Love big open worlds and exploring at your own pace? Start with Breath of the Wild.

• Want a smaller, more self-contained adventure? Start with Link's Awakening.

• Prefer old-school 2D games? Start with A Link to the Past.

• Love experimenting and finding creative solutions? Start with Echoes of Wisdom.

And if Tears of the Kingdom, Wind Waker or some other Zelda game is what got you interested in the series, you can absolutely start there instead.

There are better and worse orders to experience certain games, but very few genuinely bad places to begin.

Ocarina of Time (2026 Remake): Start Here for Classic 3D Zelda

Our first recommendation for anyone who wants to experience traditional 3D Zelda; now with modern controls and presentation.

Ocarina of Time was the fifth mainline Zelda game and the series' first 3D adventure when it arrived on Nintendo 64 in 1998. It helped establish the formula that defined Zelda for nearly two decades: exploring Hyrule, discovering new equipment and working your way through increasingly elaborate dungeons full of puzzles, enemies and secrets.

There's a really satisfying rhythm to it. You might find a new item halfway through a dungeon, learn how to use it to solve the puzzles around you, then realise it also opens up somewhere in the wider world that you couldn't reach before.

That's one of the biggest differences from Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Those games give you enormous freedom almost immediately. Ocarina takes you on a more structured adventure, gradually opening up Hyrule as you progress through the story.

And now, the 2026 remake makes that experience much easier to recommend to somebody who's never played Zelda before. The visuals have been completely rebuilt, movement and camera controls modernised, and Link can now jump manually. Nintendo has even adjusted some of the more confusing dungeon navigation, including the famously troublesome Water Temple.

The Nintendo 64 original is still available through Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack on both Switch generations if you want to give it a shot. There's also the 2011 Nintendo 3DS remake if you're interested in experiencing an earlier version.

If you've got a Switch 2, the 2026 remake is what we'd recommend.

Majora's Mask is the most direct follow-up, while Wind Waker and Twilight Princess offer two very different takes on traditional 3D Zelda.

Breath of the Wild: Start Here if You Love Open Worlds

If you love exploring enormous worlds and figuring things out for yourself, Breath of the Wild might be an even better starting point than Ocarina of Time.

Breath of the Wild gives you an enormous version of Hyrule and an extraordinary amount of freedom to explore it. After the opening area, there's very little stopping you from heading off in almost any direction.

See a mountain in the distance? You can probably climb it. Spot something strange on the horizon? Go investigate! It’ll be worth your time. You might spend an entire evening wandering around, finding hidden shrines, experimenting with the game's physics or getting distracted by something you spotted on your way to do something else.

Breath of the Wild makes exploration itself the adventure, and there's very little pressure to follow the main story in any particular order.

Of course, it won't suit everyone. Weapons break, the world can feel surprisingly empty at times, and players who prefer structured adventures with traditional Zelda dungeons might enjoy Ocarina of Time more.

But Breath of the Wild's freedom is what made it such a landmark game in 2017, and it still looks and plays wonderfully today, particularly with the improved performance of the Switch 2 Edition.

Tears of the Kingdom is the natural next step. You can start with the sequel instead, but we'd recommend playing Breath of the Wild first if you intend to experience both. Tears builds on the same world with more elaborate systems, and seeing how Hyrule has changed is much more rewarding when you already know it.

Link's Awakening: Start Here for a Smaller Zelda Adventure

A charming, self-contained introduction to classic top-down Zelda, without the enormous commitment of an open-world adventure.

Welcome to Koholint Island, a strange little place full of oddball characters and surprisingly tricky puzzles.

It was the fourth mainline Zelda game, originally released for Game Boy in 1993, two years after A Link to the Past. As the series' first handheld adventure, it was also smaller in scale. Nintendo gave it a beautiful Switch remake in 2019, with colourful, almost toy-like visuals that make it feel surprisingly modern. Underneath that new presentation, though, it's still very much an old-school Zelda game.

You explore Koholint from a top-down perspective, working your way through dungeons and gradually getting to know the island. Its inhabitants are wonderfully peculiar, and there's even a lengthy trading quest that sends you running errands all over the place.

Koholint might be small, but there's an awful lot packed into it.

Don't mistake smaller for easier, though. Some puzzles are surprisingly cryptic, and figuring out where to go next can occasionally become a challenge of its own.

If you'd rather experience the original handheld style, Link's Awakening DX, the enhanced 1998 Game Boy Color version, is also available through the standard Game Boy Nintendo Classics library.

A Link to the Past is a natural next step for a bigger take on the same formula, while The Minish Cap offers another excellent handheld adventure.

A Link to the Past: Start Here if You Love Retro Games

If you want to experience the foundations of Zelda without going all the way back to the NES, this is where we'd start.

A Link to the Past opens on a stormy night, with Link sneaking out of his house after receiving a desperate message from Princess Zelda. Before long, you're exploring Hyrule Castle, fighting guards and trying to rescue her.

Originally released for Super Nintendo in 1991 in Japan and 1992 elsewhere, it was the third mainline Zelda game. After Zelda II experimented with side-scrolling gameplay, A Link to the Past returned to the original's top-down perspective and established much of the formula that would define the series for years to come.

But don’t let the simplistic perspective fool you, there's a substantial adventure here. Hyrule is full of forests, mountains, villages and dungeons, and eventually you'll discover the Dark World, a twisted version of the same landscape that completely changes how you explore it.

No full modern remake has arrived to smooth out the rough edges, but the original actually holds up remarkably well. The pixel art still looks lovely, the controls are responsive, and the world is packed with secrets worth finding. Just expect a little more old-school difficulty and considerably less guidance than you'd get from a modern Zelda.

And you don't need an old SNES to play it.

A Link to the Past is included in the Super Nintendo Classics library through a standard Nintendo Switch Online subscription, making it readily accessible on Switch and Switch 2.

If you're exploring the series in its original release order, Link's Awakening comes next. Or, if you have a 3DS, A Link Between Worlds is an excellent later follow-up that revisits the same version of Hyrule with some clever new ideas.

Echoes of Wisdom: Start Here if You Love Creative Problem-Solving

A modern take on classic top-down Zelda that rewards experimentation and finding your own solutions.

Most Zelda games put you in control of Link. Echoes of Wisdom hands the adventure to Princess Zelda herself, who sets out to rescue Link and save Hyrule from a series of mysterious rifts.

Released for Switch in 2024, it was the first mainline Zelda game to feature the princess as its central playable character. It also shares the colourful, toy-like art style of the Link's Awakening remake, although the gameplay takes things in a very different direction. Instead of relying on a sword, Zelda uses a magical staff called the Tri Rod to create copies of objects and enemies she encounters.

Need to cross a gap? Stack up some beds to make a bridge. Having trouble with a monster? Summon another monster to fight it for you. You can even create blocks of water and swim upwards to reach places that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Half the fun is coming up with a ridiculous solution, then discovering that it actually works.

There's still plenty of traditional Zelda here, including towns, secrets and proper dungeons full of puzzles. But you're given much more freedom in how you approach those challenges, making Echoes of Wisdom an interesting middle ground between classic Zelda and the experimentation of Breath of the Wild.

The indirect combat won't appeal to everyone, and managing a long list of copied objects can still be fiddly, even with the updated favourites filter.

If you like the top-down structure, try Link's Awakening next. If the experimentation is what grabbed you, Breath of the Wild takes that freedom into a much bigger world.

What About the Other Zelda Games?

The five games above are our recommended starting points, but they're hardly your only options. Here's where the rest of the mainline Zelda games fit into our recommended playing order.

Tears of the Kingdom (2023)

You can absolutely start here, but we'd recommend Breath of the Wild first if you plan to play both.

Tears of the Kingdom is a direct sequel, but it tells its own story, and you won't be completely lost without playing Breath of the Wild.

It returns to the same Hyrule, now expanded with floating islands, enormous underground areas and new abilities that let you build everything from simple vehicles to ridiculously elaborate contraptions.

It's an even more ambitious game in several respects, but Breath of the Wild introduces this world more naturally. Knowing Hyrule beforehand also makes it much more interesting to explore again and discover everything that's changed.

Majora's Mask (2000)

Save this one until after Ocarina of Time. It's a direct sequel that takes Zelda in a much stranger direction.

Released just two years after Ocarina of Time on Nintendo 64, Majora's Mask follows the same Link into an adventure involving a repeating three-day cycle, a falling moon and characters whose lives play out on a schedule.

Much of the game revolves around learning those routines, collecting masks with unusual abilities and figuring out how to help people before time runs out. The constant countdown can make it surprisingly stressful, and its structure is unlike almost anything else in Zelda.

You don't strictly need Ocarina's story to understand it, but playing that more traditional adventure first gives Majora's Mask a much better foundation.

The N64 original is available through Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. There's also a 2015 remake for Nintendo 3DS, although you'll need older hardware for that version.

Wind Waker (2002)

Another excellent starting point, especially if you want a colourful, charming adventure with a real sense of discovery.

Wind Waker was the third major 3D Zelda, arriving on GameCube in 2002 in Japan. Its colourful, cartoon-like graphics were quite a departure from what players expected after Ocarina of Time, and they've aged remarkably well.

Instead of exploring Hyrule on horseback, you sail between islands across a vast ocean, discovering hidden locations, meeting wonderfully expressive characters and gradually uncovering the story of the world beneath the waves.

The sailing can occasionally feel slow, particularly if you're used to modern open-world games. But the sense of adventure, distinctive art style and memorable characters make Wind Waker an appealing introduction even today.

The original GameCube version is available through Nintendo GameCube Classics on Switch 2 with an Expansion Pack subscription. There's also the enhanced Wind Waker HD on Wii U, although that version hasn't made it to Switch.

Twilight Princess (2006)

A great alternative for anyone who prefers darker fantasy, traditional dungeons and a more serious story.

Originally released for GameCube and Wii in 2006, Twilight Princess went in almost the opposite direction from Wind Waker, with a darker fantasy setting, some genuinely unsettling moments and some of the series' best dungeons.

Link also spends part of the adventure transformed into a wolf, introducing different abilities and changing how you explore Hyrule.

The opening is fairly slow, taking a while before the adventure really gets going. But the bigger obstacle today is actually finding a convenient way to play it.

Twilight Princess HD arrived on Wii U in 2016, but there's still no native Switch or Switch 2 version. That's a shame for a game that would otherwise be a strong recommendation for newcomers drawn to its darker style.

Skyward Sword (2011)

The first game in Zelda's fictional timeline, but not necessarily the first one you should play.

Skyward Sword explores the origins of the Master Sword and some of the mythology connecting the wider franchise. Despite taking place earliest in the official chronology, it wasn't released until 2011 on Wii.

It's one of the more linear 3D Zelda adventures, with a stronger emphasis on story, elaborate dungeons and an unusual sword-fighting system originally built around Wii motion controls.

The 2021 Switch HD remaster added conventional button controls and several other improvements, making it considerably more approachable.

For anyone especially interested in Zelda's lore, Skyward Sword is a worthwhile early stop. Just remember that the fictional timeline and release order are two very different things.

Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons (2001)

Two excellent Game Boy Color adventures that are well worth exploring if you enjoy classic top-down Zelda.

Released together in 2001, Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons are separate adventures with different worlds, dungeons and challenges.

Ages focuses more on puzzles, letting Link travel between past and present to change the world around him. Seasons leans towards action and exploration, with the ability to change the seasons and transform the environment.

You can play either one first, and linking them unlocks additional story content and a more complete ending.

Both are available through the standard Game Boy Nintendo Classics library on Switch and Switch 2, making them excellent follow-ups to Link's Awakening.

The Minish Cap (2004) and A Link Between Worlds (2013)

Two of the strongest top-down Zelda games outside our main recommendations, and both excellent introductions in their own right.

The Minish Cap arrived on Game Boy Advance in 2004 and remains one of the most charming games in the series. Link can shrink to miniature size, turning ordinary environments into enormous places to explore, and the pixel art is gorgeous.

It's available through Game Boy Advance Nintendo Classics with a Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription.

A Link Between Worlds arrived on Nintendo 3DS in 2013, revisiting the world of A Link to the Past with a clever ability that lets Link flatten himself against walls to solve puzzles and reach new areas.

It also gives you much more freedom in the order you tackle its dungeons, making it an interesting bridge between traditional Zelda and the approach Nintendo later embraced in Breath of the Wild.

Unfortunately, A Link Between Worlds remains tied to 3DS hardware, with no straightforward modern re-release. If you can play it, though, it's one of the strongest recommendations in this entire section.

Phantom Hourglass (2007) and Spirit Tracks (2009)

The two Nintendo DS adventures are worth exploring, particularly if you enjoyed Wind Waker.

Phantom Hourglass directly follows Wind Waker, continuing Link's adventures at sea with touchscreen controls and a central dungeon you revisit throughout the game.

Spirit Tracks takes place much later in the same branch of Zelda's timeline, replacing boats with trains and giving Princess Zelda a more active role in solving puzzles and exploring.

Both make extensive use of the DS touchscreen, which gives them a distinctive feel but also makes them harder to revisit. Neither has received a Switch re-release, so you'll need compatible older hardware.

The Legend of Zelda (1986) and Zelda II (1987)

Want to experience Zelda from the very beginning? Both NES originals are playable on modern Nintendo consoles.

The original Legend of Zelda introduced many of the series' foundations in 1986: exploring Hyrule, finding secrets, completing dungeons and gathering equipment to progress.

It offers very little guidance by modern standards, and figuring out where to go next can be the biggest challenge.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link followed in 1987 and experimented with side-scrolling combat, experience points and a much greater emphasis on action. It's also notoriously difficult.

Both are available through the standard NES Nintendo Classics library on Switch and Switch 2.

Neither would be our first recommendation for a newcomer, but if you're interested in seeing how Zelda evolved, there's something appealing about starting with the originals and working your way forward.

The familiar Zelda formula really began taking shape with A Link to the Past.

Four Swords, Four Swords Adventures and Tri Force Heroes

Zelda's multiplayer-focused adventures are optional detours rather than essential stops in the main series.

Four Swords first appeared alongside the Game Boy Advance version of A Link to the Past in 2002, introducing cooperative puzzles built around multiple Links working together.

Four Swords Adventures expanded the idea into a full GameCube game in 2004, while Tri Force Heroes brought cooperative Zelda to Nintendo 3DS in 2015. Both also offer solo play, although multiplayer is central to their design.

The original Four Swords is available through Game Boy Advance Nintendo Classics, but the others are considerably less convenient to play today.

And beyond those, spin-offs such as Hyrule Warriors and Cadence of Hyrule take Zelda into completely different genres. They're worth exploring on their own terms, but aren't essential to the mainline series.

By which I mean I played a truly stupid amount of it around 2006–2008, eventually escaped, and have somehow managed to not get sucked back in since.

I've still kept an eye on the game over the years. Modern WoW carried on evolving into something increasingly unfamiliar, while Blizzard eventually brought the version I remembered back in 2019 with WoW Classic.

Neither was enough to drag me properly back into Azeroth, but World of Warcraft: Forever might be.

Unlike Classic, Forever isn't simply asking me to replay a version of WoW I already know (or one i barely recognize). It's starting with the old 1–60 leveling and using it as the foundation for new quests, dungeons, regions, raids and systems. It’s like “Nostalgia Plus”. 

Classic Brought Old WoW Back, Forever Gives It Somewhere New to Go

Forever starts with the original 1–60 Azeroth, then builds new quests, dungeons, regions, raids and updates on top instead of simply replaying WoW's old expansions again.

WoW Classic almost brought me out of retirement.

When it launched in 2019, Blizzard gave everyone the chance to return to old Azeroth almost exactly as they remembered it. Same world. Same level 60 journey. Same enormous amount of time disappearing while you insist you're just going to finish one more quest or grind for one more mat.

Forever starts from a similar place, but what happens next is completely different.

Its 1–60 journey includes more than 1,000 new quests, nine new dungeons, new and reimagined regions and major class changes. Next, new raids will begin arriving shortly after launch, with more dungeons, quests, PvP, and world content planned after that.

Meaning that Forever isn't another Classic server that will eventually roll into The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King and everything WoW already did once before. Blizzard is treating it as its own permanent version of the game alongside Modern WoW and Classic.

Classic preserves old WoW, while Forever turns that version into a live game again, with its own future.

I think that's a much more convincing reason to jump back in.

Old Azeroth Has New Things to Find

Forever keeps the towns, roads and zones returning players remember, but adds enough new content that knowing Azeroth no longer means knowing EVERYTHING in it.

Blizzard isn't rebuilding the original world from scratch in Forever; neither is it sending everyone off to another expansion continent. New quests, stories, dungeons and characters are being worked into the Azeroth that's already there.

And some of these additions are really substantial even at launch. Mount Hyjal is finally becoming a proper destination, while new and expanded areas add entire stretches of content to a world that's been familiar for more than 20 years.

Other additions are smaller, like a zone you remember well can have a new story running through it, or a road you've travelled dozens of times can suddenly lead somewhere it didn't before.

Forever looks like it has just enough surprises to make exploring that world worthwhile again… or maybe feel like the first time again.

You’ll still know where you're going without already knowing everything you're going to find.

Forever Keeps the Slow Stuff on Purpose

Classic already preserved a lot of Vanilla WoW's slower pace. Forever keeps that philosophy, while it modernises everything around it.

In Forever, there are still no flying mounts or level scaling, and levelling is meant to remain a major part of the game rather than something you rush through on the way to level 60.

Classes also keep distinct strengths and weaknesses instead of being redesigned so everyone can handle every situation alone. And even the new additions like the Camping system encourage players to stop out in the world, contribute through professions and share useful buffs before heading on.

Blizzard calls this “meaningful friction”, which is basically a nicer way of saying that some inconvenience is part of what makes old-school WoW work. Cut, of course, Blizzard isn't treating every inconvenience from 2004 the same way.

Forever keeps the slower, more social version of the original WoW without also pretending every limitation of a 22-year-old MMO was actually intentional.

Modern character models, quest markers, a combined bag, transmog, updated interface options and proper controller support are all available as well. And Classic and Enhanced presets give you a starting point, while many of those options can be changed individually.

So if Classic is about recreating the old experience as faithfully as possible, Forever is about giving you more freedom to ask which parts are actually worth keeping.

Forever Wants You to Take Your Time, Not Keep Up

Forever still has gear progression and plenty of grind, but it's being built so taking a break doesn't automatically mean falling behind.

Yeah, just to be clear, Forever isn't suddenly turning WoW into a low-commitment game. There's still slow levelling, dungeons, professions, gear to chase and eventually raids to work through. What’s different is how quickly the game moves on (or rather doesn't move on) without you.

The level cap stays at 60, major updates are planned roughly every four months, and new content can keep appearing throughout the levelling journey instead of only at the very top. A new level 30 dungeon can still matter years later rather than becoming another stop on the way to the latest expansion.

The Legacy system follows the same idea, with exploration, professions and levelling other characters all contributing to account-wide progression. Blizzard has also said it wants new raid gear to improve on what came before without immediately making older rewards worthless.

Forever is especially geared for people who like old-school WoW but don't have old-school amounts of free time anymore.

Classic is still there if you want to replay WoW largely as it originally existed. Forever is the option for players who want that same slower style of MMO, but with somewhere new to go and less pressure to constantly keep up.

Whether Blizzard can maintain that balance for years is still the big question. A permanent level 60 endgame eventually has to deal with years of new raids, gear and progression without turning back into the same endless treadmill.

But if Forever can pull that off, it might be one of the best reasons to choose it over Classic.

And after nearly two decades away, it's also the first version that's made me seriously consider going back. Which is not great news for my free time.

WoW Forever: The Quick Version

Just want the basics? Here's what you need to know.

• When does it launch? 4 November 2026.

• What is it? A permanent third version of WoW built from the original 1–60 Azeroth, but with new quests, zones, dungeons, raids and systems.

• Is it an expansion? Not in the usual WoW sense. Forever is its own ongoing version of the game alongside Modern WoW and Classic.

• Is it replacing WoW Classic? Nope. Classic still exists separately.

• Does it eventually become The Burning Crusade? No. Forever follows its own path and grows through new updates.

• Do I need to buy it separately? Basic access is included with a regular World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time, with optional paid upgrades available.
  

Here's the rundown:

• PS5: 10 November, midnight local time

• Xbox Series X|S: 10 November, midnight GMT (that's 9 November in the US)

• Storage: Up to 212 GB, depending on your console

• Boxed copies: Available from 12 November, with download codes rather than discs

• Release: 19 November, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S

We're also getting an official map of Leonida.

Rockstar will release a free printable map and cover-art poster on launch day. There'll also be a double-sided physical version available shortly after launch for $0.99, or free with another Rockstar Store purchase.

It's a shame the map won't come with the boxed version like it did with older GTA games, though...

After all these years, I can't believe we're actually talking about downloading GTA 6.

Eight days before Skyrim turns 15, and more than eight years after Bethesda showed us that famous 36-second landscape teaser, The Elder Scrolls VI is officially The Elder Scrolls VI: Sentinel.

No gameplay or release date, and Bethesda says it'll still be some time before we hear more... But the teaser, Hammerfell setting, and a few older clues have given us quite a bit to dig into.

So, here’s where we’re at.

What "Sentinel" means for the location of the game

Sentinel is a major port city and kingdom in Hammerfell, the homeland of the Redguards. It sits on Iliac Bay, directly across from High Rock.

Bethesda specifically described today's announcement as revealing the game's name and location. So Hammerfell is looking pretty settled, although we don't know how much of the province we'll actually explore.

A few things worth knowing:

• We've been there before. Hammerfell appeared in Daggerfall, Redguard and ESO, but has never been the focus of a modern mainline Elder Scrolls game.

• There's a suspicious gap on the map. ESO has covered huge portions of Tamriel, but large areas of Hammerfell, particularly the south, remain unexplored. Fans have long wondered whether Bethesda was saving it for TES VI.

• High Rock could still be involved. It's right across Iliac Bay, and some older rumours suggest both provinces will be playable.

• The 2018 teaser might finally make sense. That mountainous coastline has been compared to Hammerfell, High Rock and the Dragontail Mountains for years. Nobody's definitively identified it yet.

The 4E 206 clue

The new teaser includes a quote attributed to Yazar, Moth Priest to High Queen Iradne of Hammerfell, dated 4E 206.

"A future lost. A victory undone. Sands of time scattered by fate."

Skyrim begins in 4E 201... just FIVE YEARS earlier.

Of course, this doesn't confirm when Sentinel itself takes place, but it does introduce a High Queen of Hammerfell in the years after Skyrim begins.

A few interesting connections:

Hammerfell's politics: The province broke away from the Empire after the Great War and continued fighting the Aldmeri Dominion until 4E 180. If Sentinel takes place a few decades later, there's plenty of political baggage to work with.

The Moth Priest: These are the people trained to read and interpret Elder Scrolls, often at enormous personal cost. Interesting choice for our first proper lore clue, especially with all that talk about lost futures.

Dragon Break theories: Fans are already speculating about altered timelines, conflicting futures and time manipulation. Nothing confirmed, but the quote certainly invites it.

And the Elder Scrolls themselves might finally take centre stage.

Tom Warren at The Verge reported that Sentinel's story will explore the history and secrets of the Elder Scrolls themselves. And then, of course, the teaser features an Elder Scroll emerging from the sand, followed by a Moth Priest describing possible futures.

Five mainline games named after these mysterious artefacts, and we still know surprisingly little about what they actually are...

The Sentinel name was hiding in plain sight!?

This is awesome.

Back in August, Xbox boss Asha Sharma posted about watching a live TES VI playthrough and hid the subtitle of the actualy game behind eight asterisks. People immediately guessed "Sentinel", and former Elder Scrolls writer Michael Kirkbride even appeared to back this guess up.

But eay before that, there's an Easter egg in STARFIELD that's been there since 2023.

Your employee number in Starfield's character creator is 190514-2009140512.

Convert the numbers into letters (1=A, 2=B, etc.) and you get:

SENTINEL.

Bethesda hasn't confirmed that was intentional. Pretty spectacular coincidence if it wasn't, though...

There's also an alleged 4chan leak from June that used the Sentinel title and claimed:

• Hammerfell and High Rock are both playable

• Naval battles and castle building

• The Empire, Thalmor and Adamantine Tower feature in the story

• Morrowind-style spell creation returns

None of that's verified. But still very interesting...

Development and release date

First, the numbers. Here's how long we've waited between mainline Elder Scrolls games:

• Arena → Daggerfall: roughly 2½ years

• Daggerfall → Morrowind: about 5½ years

• Morrowind → Oblivion: just under 4 years

• Oblivion → Skyrim: about 5½ years

• Skyrim → today: almost 15 years, and counting

Nearly triple the previous record.

The original TES VI teaser dropped on 10 June 2018. Eight years and almost five months ago. And we've only JUST LEARNED THE NAME.

Why announce it that early?

Bethesda was unveiling Fallout 76 at E3 2018, its big multiplayer Fallout experiment. Announcing Starfield and TES VI alongside it helped reassure fans that traditional single-player RPGs weren't going away.

Jason Schreier brought this up again today. TES VI wasn't announced because it was almost ready. It was partly about showing what Bethesda had planned beyond Fallout 76.

What about actual development?

TES VI was still in pre-production in 2018 and only moved into early development around Starfield's completion in 2023.

Bethesda confirmed in July 2026:

• It's now the studio's primary development focus

• Most of the team is working on it

• It's using Creation Engine 3

• Bethesda is already playing builds every day

And Asha Sharma watched a live playthrough in August. So there's definitely a playable game in there.

Release date? Still nothing.

Bethesda says it'll be some time before it's ready to share more, and Schreier says the game is still more than two years away.

That suggests late 2028 at the earliest, possibly longer. Platforms haven't been confirmed either.

So...

Bethesda turns 40, Skyrim is about to turn 15, and after eight years of waiting since the original teaser, the big reveal is... the name.

But we've now got a location, a potentially post-Skyrim timeline, a new High Queen, some suspicious Starfield clues and a story that might finally explain the Elder Scrolls themselves.

Which is... plenty to dig into, even if we're apparently still years away from playing it.

I'm sure people are already pulling that 2018 teaser apart again. If anyone's spotted something interesting I've missed, especially in the new lore quote, throw it below.

Installed an old game because I thought it would be fun to go back to it. Before starting I figured I’d grab a couple of mods.

That turned into the usual thing where one mod needs three other things, then I find another one I absolutely need, then I’m fixing some stupid compatibility issue...

Finally got everything working a few hours later, and then played for about 30 minutes.

But still a pretty good evening i think.

Anyone else do this? just basically play Nexus Mods