I think there's only one thing they can do: try NOT to top "The World Eater".

Seriously, not every game needs to be "epic" to truly be an epic storyline. It gets old after a while. I would love to have an adversary in TES VI who isn't a god or some avatar of a god, but just a normal man. Someone pulling the strings quietly in the background as things collapse all around the province. Poisoning water supplies, causing widespread disease and death. Instigating civil war. Assassinations of main characters. Betrayals. Eradication of entire cities based on player choices, and all the consequences that go with it. A final boss battle that isn't fighting some invincible to everyone but yourself character. I find these type of plotlines to be more intricate and "smart", and honestly, much more interesting then constantly battling the wills of gods.

A storyline that focuses on the story, and not on a couple of moments. A novel idea!

Wanted to write something like that. Seriously, what does "top" even mean?

The gravity of a crisis/threat does not equal the impact or quality of the story. Is Transformers 3's story more engaging and interesting than the one of The King's Speech just because it features giant robots that battle on earth? (Just examples, I guess the point comes across even if you have a different opinion about those movies.)

A TES VI will not need an uberthreat that's ten times worse than the world eater being hungry. Maybe a famine or a desease in an area of Tamriel and you go and find help and support from another province. But there, they have another problem of their own that needs to be solved first, later you find out what caused the crisis ... and so on.

Though that idea has the problem of direness, it would not realistically allow you to take your time with it.

I'm still curious to hear more thoughts.

Full Scale warfare perhaps?
or maybe an epic journey across the sea to Akavir

The Elder Scrolls 6: Akavir.


How epic would that be?

return of the dwemer at crystal tower(summerset) and kagrenac sends forth the numidium

or perhaps the tseasci snake men of akavir invade?
or maby sload necromancers

Yes. this would be epic.

I dont like how they keep trying to 1-up themselves. I liked the faction play of daggerfall.


Just put salt on them

Well i mean a bro named Tiber Septim managed to become a god, explain that!

Be the dragonborn.

Oblivion's ending comes to mind... But that's Daedra vs Aedra, so I don't know.
In greek mythology its been done, but in TES lore, I haven't heard of an Aedra defeating another one, although the Daedric lords clash on a regular basis.

One does not simply 'top' the eater of worlds....

I'd imagine an invasion from Akavir, and the Deadra, in their full glory, come out to help fend off the invaders...

Or something dealing with the Dwemer...

for me this isnt about topping skyrim its about revenge! those damn religious dunmer SEE WHAT THAT GOT YOU?! they argonians dont belong in resdayn
as for the akavir game my bud begged for this but we agreed theyed probably go to bm,vw,elswyr,hf ,ss first

You deal with the only thing worse than dragons, Daedra, and anything associated with divinity period: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTg5Ldqm8ME Or Mer. Or Khajitt. Or Argonian. You get involved with the backstabbing politics of the various nations factions, each body looking to increase its wealth and influence at any cost, even at the expense of others. Especially at the expense of others.

And no matter what you do, toes are going to be stepped on and backs are going to be stabbed.

A battle in Tamriel that focuses on the Deadra & Aedra versus the Nine Divines, and having to choose a side?

Ayleids &/or Dwemer making an epic return to reconquer/subjugate/exterminate all men and mer?

With http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1229174-kinmune/.

Lol ^this

I think they're gonna have to have Dragons now because if the shouts are as awesome as they look how can they have a game without them it would feel like its missing something.

I mostly agree. Since the major work is done...I don't see why they can't "port" dragons over to each new game...tweaking them here and there. I mean it's not like they will all vanish over night. Even when beaten, some will surely linger, and some will probably attempt to integrate into society to survive.

Bethesda are going to hire Micheal Bay as apart of the plot team. Topped.

Great, instead of burning dragons, we will now have exploding ones.

If they add dragons, I hope they don't add shouts. Those are for Dragonborn, and making everyone dragonborn would make the concept boring.

Anyway, I hope they don't try to top it. No god trying to destroy everyone. A normal antagonist.

haha Indeed.

bear squids are the future

Good question...I think they will not have to worry about it too much imo because 5 years from now seems far away at the moment. Most sequals occur every few years or every year but TES does it every 5 and if they market their product as the best RPG since Skyrim along with some of the ideas on this thread then they should be fine...can't wait for TES VI...wait TES V hasn't come out yet

Dragons will now have gatling guns attached to them now...

Armeggedon- you've seen it:

Why did they have gatling guns on the the vehicles going to the Asteroid???