The Elder Scrolls Deserves Its Own TV Series From Bethesda

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Shaheer Zahid

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

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TV and film adaptations of games have had a rough history until recent years. This was mainly due to the interactive elements that were difficult to translate into cinema. However, recent adaptations have shifted this perception and proven to be some of the most successful pieces of film and television today.

Detective Pikachu, Sonic The Hedgehog, Super Mario Bros, and more are just a few examples. Meanwhile, The Last of Us and Fallout recently saw immense success as TV adaptations.

This also opens the door for more adaptations. Following the success of Fallout, Bethesda should take similar steps with The Elder Scrolls and give us a TV show based on the popular franchise.

Why it matters: Fallout has already proven quite successful as a TV show for Bethesda, even boosting the IP’s sales. For a franchise as popular as The Elder Scrolls, Bethesda is almost guaranteed to succeed with an adaptation.

The Elder Scrolls TV Transition Would Be Perfect

The Elder Scrolls’ lore is never-ending and spans several entries and books that tie in with the games. This lore is scattered across different provinces and races of the beings living in the world of Nirn.

Every bit of story, whether from the games or even side stories occurring in the world of Nirn, can be easily translated into cinema, but it requires careful choices to pick the best plot lines.

Most people see similarities between the franchise and Game of Thrones, which is true to some extent since the plot of Jarls fighting over the throne is similar to that of Game of Thrones.

However, there is so much more in Bethesda’s fantasy world that this could just become a side plot. The stores in the world of Nirn are ever-lasting and range from heroic journeys to sole-crushing tragedies.

Instead of adapting any single mainline entry into a TV show, I think Bethesda should go the Fallout route and create an original story. There are many options here, such as how Jagar Tharn took the Imperial crown from Uriel Septim or a Dragonborn from a different era. An adaptation could even explore the Dark Assassins or Thieves.

Making The Wait For Elder Scrolls 6 Less Painful

In my opinion, a TV series could serve to fill the gap as Bethesda continues work on The Elder Scrolls 6. The game is unlikely to arrive in the next two to three years, but a TV adaptation would probably not take as long to produce.

Therefore, existing fans would have new content to keep themselves busy while waiting for The Elder Scrolls 6. Like Fallout, a TV adaptation would also lead to a huge surge of interest in the IP.

If this were to happen, a much bigger audience would be prepared for the next game by the time it arrives.

Hope For A Future Adaptation

When asked if other Bethesda franchises would receive treatment similar to Fallout, Todd Howard quickly said nothing was in the works. As for Elder Scrolls, he states that he would most likely reject any potential pitches.

However, that’s the exact statement he gave for Fallout before Kilter Film Company’s pitch for the Amazon series happened. The pitch was so good that Todd Howard had to give it the green light.

Judging by the success of recent TV shows like The Last of Us and Bethesda’s own Fallout, The Elder Scrolls is destined to make the jump to television once a good pitch is sent Todd Howard’s way.

It could be the perfect rollout for the next entry in the franchise, which is still under development and won’t be launching anytime soon. Missing out on a TV show would be foolish; after all, there is plenty of lore to be explored in this universe.

Shaheer Zahid

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