The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim came out on November 11, 2011. Today it turns 15, and it’s still one of those games you go back to without needing an excuse.
Fifteen years and still going
In July, Bethesda said Skyrim has passed 65 million copies, which puts it among the best-selling games ever. And it hasn’t stood still: in December 2025 the Anniversary Edition came to Nintendo Switch 2, with all three expansions and the Creations content, and in August an update expanded mod storage on consoles and redesigned the Creations store.
What surprises me most is that the community keeps finding things. Fifteen years later, people are still turning up secrets and details nobody had noticed.
What’s next: The Elder Scrolls VI: Sentinel
On November 3, at the end of the video celebrating 40 years of Bethesda Game Studios, Todd Howard revealed the name of the next game: The Elder Scrolls VI: Sentinel.
That’s everything official for now: no gameplay, no release date, no platforms. There’s a city called Sentinel in Hammerfell, and I think that’s where the name comes from and that the game takes us to that province. But it’s a guess: Bethesda hasn’t said anything about it. It’s a long way off, so in the meantime it’s back to Skyrim.
Why I made Skyllector
I love this game, and what I like most is how replayable it is: you can start over with another character, another race, another class, and the playthrough feels different. And since people keep discovering secrets, there’s always something new to look for.
It’s also a very special game for my wife and me: it’s something we share. The funny part is that she always starts a playthrough planning to try a different class, and she always ends up as an archer doing the Dark Brotherhood quests.
Me, I do try to make a different character every time. And on those second and third runs I wanted to not miss anything, and to move faster so I could keep getting more out of it. I wanted a companion, so I made it an app: Skyllector.
It solved two things for me. If I put the game down for a while, the app takes me straight back to where I was. And even when I’m not home or anywhere near the console, I can check on my iPhone what I still have left, so I show up to the next session knowing what I’m going for.
What the app does
- Per-character progress: each playthrough has its own percentage, by category: story, factions, shouts, artifacts, books, achievements, and more.
- Two modes: free-form Tracker or Guided Mode by chapters, with a spoiler-free option.
- A free map of Skyrim, Solstheim, and Blackreach, in beta: every place shows what you’re missing, and any quest or item can be shown on the map.
- New in 1.3.0: Relics, with all 14 dragon priest masks, the 11 claws with every door combination, and the 24 Stones of Barenziah; and the 44 Crimson Nirnroots of Blackreach, by zone. Both are part of Pro.
- iPhone Duo: open it and the list and details sit side by side.
- It works offline, with no accounts, no ads, with widgets and sync through your own iCloud.
The free version covers the main story, factions, and Dragon Shouts with one character. Skyllector Pro is a one-time $1.99 purchase, with Family Sharing, that unlocks the rest of the categories, Guided Mode, and unlimited characters.
If you’re marking 15 years with a new playthrough, Skyllector is on the App Store.
Sources
- Bethesda has officially confirmed that The Elder Scrolls 6 is called Sentinel — VGC
- The Elder Scrolls 6 Is Officially Titled Sentinel — GameSpot
- Skyrim and The Witcher 3 have both sold 65 million copies — GamesRadar+
- Skyrim Update, August 20 — Bethesda
- Skyrim Anniversary Edition on Switch 2 — RPG Site
Skyllector is an independent project, not affiliated with Bethesda Softworks LLC or ZeniMax Media. The Elder Scrolls and Skyrim are trademarks of their respective owners.