How many times have we braced ourselves for a game’s release, only to find out in the weeks or months leading up to its release that there’s a delay? It’s become a common occurrence in gaming, and while it’s disappointing, most gamers realize that it’s better to have a polished game that’s delayed than a bugged game that comes out on time. The Cyberpunk 2077 debacle taught us just that.

But for others, the idea that developers are pushing the boundaries is enough to spark a wave of criticism that spreads through social media and can even lead to distrust of the development studio.

It seems like Bethesda learned a valuable lesson with Starfield: sometimes, it's better to keep your mouth shut about release dates. In a recent interview with IGN , Bethesda creative director Todd Howard was asked whether the success of the Fallout TV show would affect the studio's plan to release The Elder Scrolls 6 before Fallout 5.

"I'm not going to put dates on anything," Howard replied. "I learned that the hard way. So our focus right now in terms of new development is clearly on Elder Scrolls 6, but that doesn't mean we're not planning on other things."