Much like the fervor surrounding Grand Theft Auto 6, anticipation for The Elder Scrolls 6 has reached a fever pitch. Despite more than seven years passing since its cryptic reveal trailer, Bethesda has remained remarkably tight-lipped. However, Bethesda director and executive producer Todd Howard recently offered a rare, concrete detail about the sequel, even if it seems trivial at first glance.
In a captivating new video by content creator Any Austin, a question that has lingered for nearly 15 years was finally put to rest: “Exactly how many trees are in Skyrim?” While we all recognize the province’s vast, evergreen-choked landscapes, the specific count is 46,430. Austin arrived at this figure through a combination of in-game statistical surveys and a deep dive into game files—no mods or wikis required. Before revealing his findings, he managed to get Howard’s own estimate, which proved to be delightfully off-base.
Howard guessed there were 111,111 trees, an obvious nod to the game’s iconic 11/11/11 release date. However, the most intriguing moment came during the follow-up: “Will The Elder Scrolls 6 feature more trees than Skyrim, or fewer?” Howard’s response was emphatic: “More… most definitely, more.”
While this could easily be dismissed as standard “bigger is better” PR talk, it hasn’t stopped the community from spinning new theories about the game’s setting. Indulging in a bit of speculative fun, we can look at what this implies for the map of Tamriel.
The simplest interpretation is that the next game is significantly larger in scale, making a higher foliage count inevitable. Conversely, it effectively rules out a purely desert-based setting—unless Howard is classifying cacti as timber. If we push the speculation further, Howard’s pointed emphasis on density points directly toward Valenwood.
According to Elder Scrolls lore, Valenwood is a subtropical coastal region defined by its suffocatingly thick forests. Described as “a sea of endless green” and “Tamriel’s garden,” it serves as the ancestral home of the Bosmer (Wood Elves). Most notably, Valenwood is famous for its colossal, sentient migratory trees—timber so massive that entire cities are nestled within their boughs. If the sequel is set in this province, Howard’s “most definitely more” comment transforms from a casual remark into a significant hint at the game’s core aesthetic.
Is this definitive proof that we’re heading to the Bosmer homeland? Not necessarily, but in the absence of official news, these crumbs of information are exactly what keeps the community’s imagination alive.
Regardless of the location, Howard has confirmed that development is “progressing really well,” with the bulk of the studio now focused on the successor to Skyrim. As Bethesda favors long pre-production cycles to ensure quality, fans will have to remain patient a while longer.
