Bethesda Game Studios has provided an official update on the lifetime sales of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, confirming the title has reached 65 million copies sold. This milestone brings the 2011 RPG into a statistical tie with CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which confirmed the same sales figure earlier in May 2026.
Quick Facts
- Skyrim Lifetime Sales: 65 million copies.
- The Witcher 3 Lifetime Sales: 65 million copies.
- Release Years: Skyrim (2011); The Witcher 3 (2015).
The update on Skyrim was included in a broader communication from Bethesda regarding the studio's current status and the development of future projects. The company noted that despite the 15-year gap since the game's original release, it remains a consistent performer for the publisher. Bethesda also briefly addressed the status of the next entry in the series, stating that development of The Elder Scrolls 6 is proceeding as planned.
For comparison, The Witcher 3 reached its 65-million-copy milestone in May 2026, roughly four years after its initial launch compared to Skyrim’s 15-year tenure. While the two titles currently share the same total sales figure, they occupy similar high-tier positions in all-time industry sales rankings.
Bethesda's statement comes during a period of organizational change, following reports of widespread layoffs at Xbox. The studio emphasized its continued focus on its core franchises, including Fallout, Starfield, and the upcoming The Elder Scrolls 6, which remains in active development.