Summary
Despite the questionable reputation that video game adaptations have acquired over the past few decades, thelive-actionFalloutseries by Amazon Prime Videohas surprised many fans by achieving landmark success among generally favorable reception. With the popularity of this show triggering a new wave of excitement among fans of one of Bethesda’s other flagship IPs inThe Elder Scrolls, however, it’s become clear thatFallout’s triumph would likely be much harder to replicate in a fantasy setting.
Prior to the reveal of theFalloutshow, many fans assumed that it wouldn’t ever be possible to faithfully adapt a franchise that is fundamentally based on player choice and an open world. The usage of different character perspectives and a faithful adherence to the post-apocalyptic lore of the games have ultimately proved many of these doubters wrong, but there’s now growing buzz surrounding what a similar take onThe Elder Scrollscould look like. It may seem like a natural fit under the same kind of direction, but the world of Tamriel comes with several logistical challenges that outweigh what it took to bringFalloutto life.
The Fallout Show’s Success Bounced Off of Its Unique Flavor of Sci-Fi
The Simplicity of Fallout Relatively Easily Supported a TV Plot
While it’s true that the world ofFalloutwas technically a sort of science-fiction dystopia prior to the bombs dropping, its 1950s and Americana visual aesthetic make this a far different vision of the future than sleek cyberpunk. Post-nukes, the wastelands make for a straightforward setting that was recreated by filming in real-life locations such as Utah and South Africa when it came to live-action. CGI and makeup come together to form outlandish elements like power armor andFallout’s Ghouls, but it’s all relatively grounded in terms of production in a way that a Tamriel-based show wouldn’t match.
Elder Scrolls' Serious Lore is Sensitive to Translate
The humor endemic to theFalloutgames since the first entry is appropriately depicted within its TV series, but this would be a totally different circumstance forTES. There are some written-injokes to be found inThe Elder Scrolls, but many players might agree that comedic elements such as NPC interactions are often unintentional in an overall tonally serious world. Topics are typically treated with a heavy weight that fits a dark fantasy setting, but this intense and slow-paced world-building hardly features any of the same general snappiness found acrossFallout’s presentation.
A TV Show Based on The Elder Scrolls Would Have a Lot More Pressure in Adapting Tamriel
The Oversaturated Fantasy Genre Sets a High Bar
The influence of a series likeGame of Throneshas led some fans to propose that a similar structure around feuding houses could work forTES, but this franchise deserves far more than something in the vein of existing fantasy media. If aSkyrimTV show adaptationends up focusing on a topic as small as the dynamic between Jarls, it would likely fail to capture the breadth of Tamriel, or even just the province itself. For a show to break the mold and tackleThe Elder Scrolls, it would need to somehow do justice to main quests, sidequests, and faction storylines, all of which could easily support their own individual shows under the right vision.
An Elder Scrolls Show Would Need to Follow a Different Blueprint Than Fallout
Fallout’s protagonist Lucymanaged to feel like the blank slate Vault Dweller players have embodied across her serialized journey, but flipping this kind of approach on its head might be best forThe Elder Scrolls. In a world with so many legends and eras, an anthology series focused on different tales and faces in each episode might be the most effective way to convey such vastness.Skyrimis undeniably popular, but its story is also the chronologically latest, meaning it will have to gloss over thousands of years of history if it gets theFallouttreatment.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
WHERE TO PLAY
Winner of more than 200 Game of the Year Awards, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim celebrates 10 years of adventuring in stunning detail. The Anniversary Edition includes a decade worth of content: the critically acclaimed core game and add-ons of Skyrim Special Edition, plus Creation Club content released on or prior to June 09, 2025.EPIC FANTASY REBORNSkyrim reimagines and revolutionizes the open-world fantasy epic, bringing to life a complete virtual world open for you to explore any way you choose.LIVE ANOTHER LIFE, IN ANOTHER WORLDPlay any type of character you can imagine, and do whatever you want; the legendary freedom of choice, storytelling, and adventure of The Elder Scrolls is realized like never before.YOU ARE WHAT YOU PLAYChoose from hundreds of weapons, spells, and abilities. The new character system allows you to play any way you want and define yourself through your actions.BATTLE DRAGONSBattle ancient dragons like you’ve never seen. As Dragonborn, learn their secrets and harness their power for yourself.
