Summary
Skyrimholds a special place in the heart of many Bethesda fans due to the wide range of its quests and experiences. It will be a difficult ask for Bethesda to live up to this legacy - something it is surely thinking about during the development ofThe Elder Scrolls 6- yet there are some clear areas that are ripe for improvement.
Within the many re-releases and editions of the game,Skyrimreceived an array of new mechanics that bolstered its core gameplay. However, some of these mechanics are not fleshed out at all, andSkyrim’s Catch of the Day quest poses an obvious area that could be significantly expanded upon for the upcomingThe Elder Scrolls 6.
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Skyrim’s Catch of the Day Quest
Catch of the Day is one of the core quests behindSkyrim’s lesser-known fishing mechanic. Although fishing was not included within the base game ofSkyrim, it was later added in the title’s many subsequent releases, first being introduced in theSpecial Editionin 2021.
The fishing mechanic allows the player to fish at a wide range of designated spots across large bodies of water and even the shore. The ingredients from caught fish are an excellent source for efficient potion making, indicating how the mechanic can be smartly linked to more traditional fantasy RPG gameplay.
The Catch of the Day quest was a great way to introduce this mechanic, instructing the player to catch a range of fish that can only be found within certain bodies of water. The quest covers allthe key features ofSkyrim’s fishing, and could serve as the perfect blueprint for a more detailed fishing mechanic inThe Elder Scrolls 6.
Fishing in The Elder Scrolls 6
With the lateness in whichfishing arrived toSkyrimand the barebones nature of the mechanic, there is clear room for the activity to flourish and expand inThe Elder Scrolls 6. This fishing mechanic should take a lot from the stressed points of Catch of the Day, with different aquatic species being native to different bodies of water.
It is strongly rumored thatThe Elder Scrolls 6will take place in Hammerfell, which would open up huge water-based mechanics for the release. The province is dominated by strongly-contested waters that often fall victim to piracy, with many thinking the game should lean into water mechanics in a way the franchise has not explored before. One of these mechanics is sailing, which could of course go hand-in-hand with a bolstered fishing activity.
This would open up deep-sea fishing in tandem with the river-based or shore-based fishing ofSkyrim, giving a fascinating glimpse intoThe Elder Scrolls' water species. If a ship is upgraded enough,The Elder Scrolls 6could expand fishing to the point of harpooning, with the player and a crew potentially catching huge sea creatures worth huge amounts of gold or containing sought after crafting ingredients.
Regardless of these potential avenues for expansion, it is important thatThe Elder Scrolls 6contains the fundamentals of a dedicated fishing mechanic at launch. Not many players gotto experience fishing inSkyrimdue to its addition coming a decade after release, only increasing the need for the mechanic to be included and built-upon inTES 6. With this in mind, the Catch of the Day is a great blueprint for what kind of core fishing featuresTES 6needs to carry forward from its predecessor.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - Anniversary Editionis available for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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