The Elder Scrolls. Just over a minute into the video, the main character is shown pulling down a control in the cockpit of her spaceship. On the side of the is a mark, uncannily shaped like the western portion of Tamriel.
Since The Elder Scrolls 6 was announced to be in development at E3 2018, Bethesda has revealed very little information about the project, leaving fans to speculate wildly about what's coming. Most of the conversations center on The Elder Scrolls 6's setting and subsequent title. Such theories have been emboldened by the Starfield trailer and its possible The Elder Scrolls easter egg.
It's possible the mark is just that - and accidental mark made by damage or tape residue. However, if it is an intentional reference to The Elder Scrolls, there are a couple things it could signify. The first theory, and most popular, is that the easter egg revealed two possible locations for the The Elder Scrolls 6 title. Another is that Bethesda is creating its own distinct metaverse, and Starfield exists in a world where The Elder Scrolls is a video game.
Speculation About Starfield's The Elder Scrolls Easter Egg
The mark in the Starfield trailer looks like the western portion of Tamriel's map, specifically the regions of High Rock, Hammerfell and, possibly, the top of the Summerset Isles. Fans have used the image to build on theories that The Elder Scrolls 6 will take place in one of those locations. Coupled with a Bethesda tweet that led fans to theorize Hammerfell would be The Elder Scrolls 6 title and setting, the theory around the mark is one of the most popular. It's also possible The Elder Scrolls 6 will be in High Rock and Hammerfell. However, these theories still lack any verified information from Bethesda that would give the theory any weight.
It's also possible Bethesda is using the mark to tell fans the Starfield story takes place in a world where The Elder Scrolls also exists. Perhaps, as in real life, they're a video game series to be played, or its part of Starfield's history, making the space RPG a bizarre futuristic extension of the fantasy series. Interesting as it is to explore, this theory is the least likely, but it does serve as a thin explanation for a The Elder Scrolls easter egg.
The final possibility, and the most likely, is that Bethesda developers decided to troll their fans. While it was strongly suspected Bethesda would talk about Starfield in the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, a presentation at E3 2021 on The Elder Scrolls 6 was less certain. Bethesda likely knew its ionate fanbase would pick through the Starfield trailer frame by frame, and thus decided to plant an easter egg for The Elder Scrolls. If this is the case, it was a brilliant move on Bethesda's part as they were able to create hype around a title completely glossed over at E3 2021.
