One element ofThe Elder Scrolls 5that makes the game so unique is the extensive cast of followers and companions thatSkyrim’s Last Dragonborncan meet on their journey. From Cicero and Faendal to Serana and Frea, there are dozens of unique and compelling characters with special skills, perks, personalities, and mannerisms. The game is over a decade old and serves as a blueprint for future RPGs, includingThe Elder Scrolls 6.While players anxiously wait for the upcoming title to be released, there are questions about how the new game will innovate on the existing follower and companion system.
ManySkyrimplayers have countless stories about the funny - and sometimes freaky - chaos that can occur when followers are involved, as some significant drawbacks to the system can make gameplay difficult and, at times, near-impossible. As recent RPGs have revamped the way NPCs function in role-playing games, the hope is that the next addition to the franchise will make followers and companions as immersive and accessible as possible. Given thatThe Elder Scrolls 6is Xbox-exclusive, there are high expectations from millions of fans.
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The Issues With Skyrim’s Followers and Companions
Skyrimis a game that seems to champion player immersion and choice above anything else. From being able to explore the province to creating a skill tree that didn’t require classes, the role-playing game allows for near-infinite replayability. While there is quite a bit of immersion in combat and exploration, the social aspects of the game are often stilted and mechanical.Skyrim’s followers and NPCscan be recruited in almost every area of the game, but they lack the depth and creativity of NPCs like child-like vampire-assassin Babette. While NPCs like Babette have a unique flair and backstory, it can be challenging to create a bond with some followers.
Often, players will encounter issues with their followers, from losing housecarl Lydia after climbing a mountain to Swen dying three seconds into a battle because he lacks the skills to fight effectively. While these moments can be at times funny, most of the time, they break the immersion thatSkyrimdeveloper Bethesda has worked so hard to create - and likely will keep on creating forThe Elder Scrolls 6. Not to mention, follower and companion dialogue is often canned and stilted, with only a few lines for most NPCs. While players can order their followers to perform specific tasks, there is no sense of agency or desire, the two qualities that make characters feel most alive.
How The Elder Scrolls 6 Can Fix Followers and Companions
Given that over a decade has passed since the release ofThe Elder Scrolls 5,andSkyrim’s legacy might be coming to an end,there is ample reason to believe that Bethesda is already creating a more elaborate and nuanced system for NPCs that interact with the next player character. Hopefully, the developers will focus on creating followers with more sophisticated AI, allowing them to hold their own in battle and make decisions in an authentic way. It would be incredible to have followers and companions that could function as separate entities, going to stores, upgrading their equipment, and just being autonomous living beings.
Developers could even take inspiration from the host of NPC mods that the Elder Scrolls community has made. Thebest Skyrim follower modsallow players to teach their followers spells, make camp, ride horses, hang out on their own, and more. While this doesn’t entirely solve the issues with immersion, it solves most issues with accessibility. Hopefully, future NPCs will be able to contribute to the upcoming game with more immersion, maybe even evolving and changing without being directly controlled by the player. For now, however, one can only imagine the possibilities for immersion in a world with ever-evolving, autonomous NPCs.
The Elder Scrolls 6is currently in development.
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