The Elder Scrolls: Valenwood Officially Releases This Month

Published Nov 3, 2026, 2:00 AM EST

Nicholas Becher is a gaming journalist with an MFA in Creative Writing from FAU. With extensive experience playing video games, he covers all forms of gaming content at Screen Rant, from breaking news to the latest fan theories. Most-played games range from Clair Obscur to Civ to Elden Ring to Halo 2 and beyond. 

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After more than eight years of near silence, The Elder Scrolls 6 is finally beginning to show some serious signs of life. Bethesda first announced the long-awaited successor to Skyrim back in 2018, and while updates have been few and far between, a new report claims the sequel will officially be titled The Elder Scrolls 6: Sentinel. Although Bethesda has yet to confirm the name, an official announcement could arrive as early as November, coinciding with Skyrim's 15th anniversary.

Of course, one of The Elder Scrolls franchise's greatest strengths has always been its incredible world-building, with each new installment introducing players to another iconic region of Tamriel. From the snow-covered mountains of Skyrim and the volcanic landscapes of Morrowind to the Imperial heartland of Cyrodiil, these locations have become practically synonymous with Bethesda's legendary RPG series.

However, there are still plenty of fascinating regions deserving of more attention, which is largely why Sentinel rumors had been circulating, looking at the region of Hammerfell. However, ahead of TES6's launch, players can head to Valenwood, the sprawling forest homeland of the Wood Elves, in an exciting new release that will officially bring fans back to this beloved corner of Tamriel.

Fans looking to explore Valenwood before The Elder Scrolls 6 finally arrives have a great opportunity thanks to The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era, the officially licensed tabletop adventure game from Chip Theory Games. Its Valenwood expansion, which originally debuted alongside the base game in 2025, is once again available for preorder through Zatu Games for approximately $43, launching later this month.

For those unfamiliar, Betrayal of the Second Era (or BOTSE) is a cooperative strategy game for one to four players, taking place during Tamriel's tumultuous Second Era. Players create their own adventurers, join guilds, explore different provinces, complete quests, and battle enemies across three connected sessions. Character progression is a major component, with players spending experience points to develop unique abilities and prepare for increasingly difficult encounters.

The Valenwood expansion introduces the homeland of the Bosmer, better known as the Wood Elves, with an entirely new map, quests, encounters, enemies, and equipment. Its storyline explores the disappearance of Falinesti, tensions involving independent Wood Orc tribes, and the growing influence of the mysterious Deslandra.

Players can also access three additional classes, including Arcanist, Burglar, and Ranger, alongside the Illusion, Legerdemain, and Light Armor skill lines. The expansion contains new skill dice, enemy chips, encounter cards, and a detailed regional gazetteer. However, Valenwood isn't the only exciting addition to BOTSE. Chip Theory Games has five major expansions in its latest wave, with fulfillment expected to begin in November 2026.

Two of these introduce additional regions: Summerset, featuring the Mage and Assassin classes alongside unpredictable magical anomalies, and Elsweyr, which explores the Khajiit homeland and introduces Thieves, Berserkers, and a dragon that can pursue adventurers across the map.

Meanwhile, Heroes of Tamriel expands character customization with Warriors, Witchhunters, and new combat skills. Fur and Fang introduces werewolf and vampire abilities, while Shadows of Oblivion brings five Daedric Princes into the adventure, each offering unique blessings and curses.

Additional accessories and character packs are also available for preorder. With so much new content arriving, Betrayal of the Second Era is giving The Elder Scrolls fans plenty of ways to return to Tamriel while Bethesda continues developing its next major RPG.