Bethesda Game Studios has finally named its next role-playing game: The Elder Scrolls VI: Sentinel, revealed on November 3, 2026, with no release date or platforms yet. Also in this roundup: GTA VI pre-loads open on November 10, the Ocarina of Time remake reaches Switch 2 on November 5, Xbox Game Pass details its first November wave, Guild Wars gets its first big update in nearly 20 years, and Stronghold 4 slips to April 2027.
The Elder Scrolls VI is called Sentinel
Bethesda Game Studios marked its 40th anniversary on November 3 with a nearly nine-minute look back at its history on YouTube, posted at 6:59 a.m. PT / 9:59 a.m. ET. The video ends with a short teaser for its next Elder Scrolls game, and the studio then confirmed the full name on X: The Elder Scrolls VI: Sentinel. The game was first announced at E3 2018, more than eight years ago.
What it means for you:
- Where it's set: Bethesda says the reveal covers the game's location as well as its name. In Elder Scrolls lore, Sentinel is a major city in the province of Hammerfell.
- Release date and platforms: not announced. Bethesda said it will "be some time before we're ready to share more."
Our take: A name is the first concrete news about this game in years, but it is not a sign that launch is near. Treat it as a reason to replay Skyrim, not to save up.
GTA VI pre-loads start November 10, and you need up to 212 GB
Rockstar Games said on November 3 that digital pre-loading for Grand Theft Auto VI starts on November 10, nine days before the game launches on November 19. Sony's PlayStation Blog post gives the same date and tells PS5 owners to clear at least 212 GB.
What it means for you:
- PS5: pre-loading starts at midnight local time on November 10.
- Xbox Series X|S: pre-loading starts worldwide at 12 a.m. GMT on November 10, which is 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET on November 9 in the US.
- Storage: Rockstar says the pre-load needs up to 212 GB, depending on your console.
- Boxed copies: they hold a download code, not a disc, and Rockstar says they should reach retailers from November 12.
- Price: on the PlayStation Store, the Standard Edition is $79.99 and the Ultimate Edition is $99.99. Digital pre-orders there include a month of GTA+ and the Vintage Vice City Pack.
- A free map: on November 19 Rockstar will post a printable cover-art poster and map of Leonida on the official site, and sell a physical copy for $0.99 soon after.
Our take: 212 GB is a huge chunk of a base PS5's storage, so start clearing space now rather than on November 10. Boxed buyers start two days later, which is a good reason to go digital this time.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time arrives on Switch 2 on November 5
Nintendo's remake of the 1998 classic launches on November 5 for $59.99 on the Nintendo eShop, exclusively on Switch 2. Ahead of launch, Nintendo published a four-part Ask the Developer interview on November 2 and 3. The developers say they rebuilt the game from scratch rather than porting the original code.
What's different from the original:
- A jump button: the automatic jump is gone. Link can jump anywhere with one button, as in recent Zelda games. Nintendo says jump attacks work two ways: jump then attack, or a single-press option.
- Sound and voices: more than 150 pieces of background music, with the grand themes recorded by a full orchestra, fully voiced cutscenes and 5.1 surround sound.
- Ocarina by voice: you can play songs with the buttons, or hum or play a real instrument into the Switch 2 microphone.
- Early purchase bonus: buy the digital version before November 23 at 11:59 p.m. PT for a 40th anniversary wallpaper.
Our take: Swapping auto-jump for a real jump button is the biggest change to how Ocarina plays, and Nintendo's interview says it meant adjusting gaps and some dungeon layouts. Veterans should expect a familiar map that feels new to move through.
Xbox Game Pass adds Escape Academy 2 and Warhammer Survivors, and GoldenEye 007 leaves
Xbox listed its first wave of November Game Pass games on November 3. Highlights, with the tiers that include them:
- November 4: Vampire Crawlers, from the makers of Vampire Survivors, and the 1.0 release of Void/Breaker (Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass).
- November 5: Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School, a two-player co-op escape room game (Ultimate and PC Game Pass), on day one.
- November 10: Warhammer Survivors (Ultimate and PC Game Pass), on day one.
- November 11 and 12: Thronefall, then John Carpenter's Toxic Commando (Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass).
- November 15, Essential tier: Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, Perfect Dark, Viva Piñata, Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise, Gears of War: Judgment and Halo: Spartan Assault join the cheapest tier.
- Leaving November 15: GoldenEye 007, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, Wreckfest, 1000xResist, Moonlighter and eight more games.
Our take: Six Rare classics joining Essential is a nice win for players on the cheapest plan. If GoldenEye 007 is on your list, you have until November 15 to finish it.
Guild Wars gets Afterlife, its first big update in nearly 20 years, on January 13
ArenaNet revealed Guild Wars Afterlife on November 3, a paid expansion for the original 2005 Guild Wars. It is the first major new content since the Eye of the North expansion in 2007, Eurogamer notes. Afterlife adds a dungeon that changes on every run, a new story set in the region of Xotecha, and skill drafting, where you build a different skill bar each run from any profession's abilities.
What it means for you:
- Release: January 13, 2027, on PC (including Steam), the Apple App Store and Google Play.
- Price: $29.99, or $23.99 if you pre-purchase before launch, as on the Steam page. Pre-purchases include a Vestments of the Order costume.
- You need the base game: Afterlife requires Guild Wars Reforged, $19.99 on Steam.
Our take: A roguelike-style dungeon is a smart way to give veterans something new without rebalancing a 20-year-old game. If you never played Guild Wars, Reforged plus Afterlife is a $43.98 entry point at the pre-purchase price.
Stronghold 4's Early Access moves from December 7 to April 20, 2027
Firefly Studios announced on November 3 that Stronghold 4 will launch in Early Access on April 20, 2027, instead of December 7. The studio says the extra months let it add more to the Early Access version.
What it means for you:
- More at launch: the full story campaign, skirmish mode, a skirmish trail and Free Build, plus an economic campaign and quality-of-life improvements that were not planned for December.
- Platform and price: PC through Steam. No price has been announced.
- Play it now: the free demo with Skirmish and Free Build modes is still available.
Our take: A delay of more than four months for a bigger Early Access launch is a fair trade for a castle-building series whose fans care most about depth. The demo is the best way to judge whether to wishlist it.