I feel like staying in the shadow of Skyrim makes things worse for them. If only they could make a different game, like a TES spin off, to try new things like they did before Morrowind, they'd probably shift their mindset from reiterating and adjusting the same formula ad nauseam to a fewer success. Like, a small 1,5-2y project with a semi-linear action akin to The Dark Messiah of M&M, or a fucking AMID EVIL as a fantasy shooter, but about some lore-important chain of events. They can later reimplement their work on it into a better combat in TES6 and rise some hype about the franchise that is starved from any news by now. Beth have a lot of talents at hand from companies that did shooters they published. They, imho, just need to start small, because Skyrim would tower over them just like Half-Like for Valve unless they break the silence with their Alyx.

Of all possible scenarios, I want the fight for the Red Mountain. Either the original one against the dwemers with their tech, or an L4D-like one against Dagoth Ur and his blighted punks. They did a lot of performative nods to Morrowind, so why won't they just go with it?

I look at Yakuza series and I wish Bethesda would follow their example, with remasters, spin-offs, back-references, side-series and a complete switch of original mechanics just for them to reevaluate what them and Todd want.