Skyrim Lead Designer Bruce Nesmith Says The Elder Scrolls 6 Should Add Boats and Naval Combat as a “Dragon-Level” Feature

Former The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim lead designer Bruce Nesmith believes The Elder Scrolls 6 could introduce one of the biggest gameplay additions in the franchise yet: boats and naval exploration.

Speaking to GoHumanize, Nesmith discussed what he would like to see in Bethesda’s next Elder Scrolls game. Although he is not involved with The Elder Scrolls 6, he suggested that boats could be a natural fit if the game takes place around Iliac Bay, as long-standing fan theories have suggested.

Bruce Nesmith wants The Elder Scrolls 6 to embrace naval exploration

Nesmith believes seafaring could give The Elder Scrolls 6 a major gameplay system rather than simply providing another method of transportation.

“What will be the big new feature for Elder Scrolls 6? I think boats and potentially even naval combat are the natural ones,”

Nesmith said.

The former Bethesda designer pointed out that the series has technically included transportation through features such as carriages, but these have primarily functioned as convenient methods of fast travel. Boats, in contrast, could become an important part of exploration and progression.

“If you’re setting Elder Scrolls VI in Iliac Bay, you’re setting yourself up for a big expansion into seafaring stuff,”

Nesmith explained.

He believes Bethesda could build entire mechanics around the concept. Boats could potentially be tied to skills, spells and unique abilities, while the surrounding waters could introduce creatures and encounters that have never been central to previous Elder Scrolls games.

Naval combat could introduce new creatures and abilities

Nesmith sees the sea as an opportunity to expand the game’s fantasy systems beyond land-based exploration. He suggested that players could encounter creatures such as sharks and krakens, while the series’ broader lore could also provide opportunities to explore aquatic races such as the Sea Elves.

“Boats and gameplay over water, that would be a dragon-level feature, in my opinion,”

Nesmith said, emphasizing how transformative he believes the system could be.

The idea would also fit particularly well with an Iliac Bay setting, which has been connected to speculation surrounding The Elder Scrolls 6. However, Bethesda has not officially confirmed the game’s setting or announced boats and naval combat as features.

Why Nesmith would avoid underwater exploration

Despite his enthusiasm for seafaring, Nesmith believes Bethesda should avoid taking the concept too far by adding extensive underwater environments.

He recalled how Fallout 4 developers experimented with underwater gameplay but ultimately decided against implementing it on a larger scale. According to Nesmith, the prototype demonstrated the potential of the concept but also showed how much additional development work it would require.

For The Elder Scrolls 6, Nesmith would therefore prioritize a polished surface-based naval system rather than dividing resources between boats and underwater exploration.

“I’d rather do this part really well rather than do both of these parts not so well,”

he explained.

With The Elder Scrolls 6 still in development, Nesmith’s comments remain a wishlist rather than confirmation of Bethesda’s plans. Still, his suggestion highlights how an Iliac Bay setting could give the long-awaited RPG an opportunity to dramatically expand the series’ approach to exploration.