Bethesda Announces The Elder Scrolls Online

[Mike Kayatta]

Bethesda Announces The Elder Scrolls Online

Skyrim's follow-up will be Cyrodiil's first MMO.

One of the most robust, critically-acclaimed single-player experiences in recent videogame history is officially moving to multiplayer with Bethesda's newly unveiled The Elder Scrolls Online, an MMO currently in development for Mac and PC.

"We have been working hard to create an online world in which players will be able to experience the epic Elder Scrolls universe with their friends, something fans have long said they wanted," said Matt Firor, game director of The Elder Scrolls Online. "It will be extremely rewarding finally to unveil what we have been developing the last several years. The entire team is committed to creating the best MMO ever made - and one that is worthy of The Elder Scrolls franchise."

Like other TES titles, The Elder Scrolls Online will examine a previously unseen era in Tamriel history, set a full 1,000 years prior to the events of Skyrim. Unlike other recent entries in the series, however, the game will span multiple territories across the continent, taking players everywhere from the familiar mountains of Skyrim to the arid badlands of Elsweyr.

Story details are predictably sparse at this point, but Zenimax Online, the studio developing the game, has revealed that players will be attempting to stop/survive Deadric Prince Molag Bal's effort to suck the world into his demonic realm of demons for what is, most likely, some sort of demonic purpose. In between those narrative bits, subscribers will be busy solo-questing, exploring a myriad of dank caves and dungeons with their pals, and participating in a "player-driven PvP conflict that pits three player factions against each other in open-world warfare over the province of Cyrodiil and the Emperor's throne itself."

Pricing model, specific mechanics, and other particulars have yet to be announced, but Zenimax has targeted 2013 for the game's release, meaning it probably won't be too long before we get the rest of the scoop. More information is set to be revealed with June's issue of Game Informer.

Source: Game Informer [http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/05/03/june-cover-revealed-the-elder-scrolls-online.aspx]

Image: BethBlog [http://www.bethblog.com/2012/05/03/game-informer-announces-the-elder-scrolls-online/]

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[Quiet Stranger]

All I can say is NICE!!! And that I hope this goes well, if I have a good gaming PC by then I will most certainly consider buying it

 

[gigastar]

Ok so it will be a fairly huge game, tiresome combat and probably loaded with bugs.

I think that alone qualifies it as a TES game.

 

[Steve the Pocket]

So another company tries to compete with World of Warcraft. I think Extra Credits already explained why this is impossible.

 

[Iron Criterion]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Multi-player TES sounds good, obviously, but online? Seriously...

Edit: Who am I kidding. I'll play this, and it'll be glorious.

 

[KeyMaster45]

And thus Blizzard shat its collective pants. I'd been unable to think of any property that might be able to eclipse WoW in MMO success. I believe that TES is that property as it has alot of the same things going for it that WoW had at the start.

• [li]A rabid fanbase[/li]
  [li]A robust mod community[/li]
  [li]A developer with a long history of high quality games[/li]

I'll be watching with interest to see if Bethesda can manufacture the fabled WoW killer the peasantry has spoken of in whispered legends for the last 8 years.

-EDIT-
Since many people seem to think I believe you can mod an MMO allow me to clarify. Modders are likely to become addon authors if the game allows such a thing. Which is why having a robust mod community can work in their favor when launching an MMO.

 

[Azuaron]

Sigh.

I don't want to play Elder Scrolls online. I want to play Elder Scrolls BY MYSELF.

*grumpy old man*

 

[Dandark]

This sounds like it could be pretty cool. Im not too interested in it yet but im probably only going to think of it as an Elder Scrolls game lorewise. I will keep an eye on it though, I hope it's F2P.

 

[John Funk]

I'll be watching with interest to see if Bethesda can manufacture the fabled WoW killer the peasantry has spoken of in whispered legends for the last 8 years.

Short answer: No.

Long answer: No, because while this is a fantasy property beloved by gamers (an excellent seeding ground for an MMO, to be sure), TES Online is up against WoW with 8 years of content upgrades, streamlining, and development under its belt. That is quite literally an impossible hurdle to surmount. If *Star Wars* couldn't kill WoW, what chance does TES have?

WoW will slowly decline on its own over time. At this point, I remain skeptical that any game could ever dethrone it via force - maybe not even Blizzard's own "Titan" project.

 

[Meight08]

Sigh.

I don't want to play Elder Scrolls online. I want to play Elder Scrolls BY MYSELF.

*grumpy old man*

Then dont play it.
OT:Mike please edit it and say Zenimax online is making this and not bethesda games studio
That means there will still be more single player games.

 

[Versuvius]

I am not happy about this. Just..no..not. At all. I am going to rage my neckbeard about this.

 

[Mark D. Stroyer]

...And cue massive disappointment.

See, this has the potential to be amazing. But they're making 'an MMO' and it's going to be horrible as result.

 

[Irridium]

Eh... not so hot on this.

One reason why I love the Elder Scrolls games is because it's one of the last few franchises where I can just say "fuck the world" and play in my own little bubble with no connectivity to anyone.

Not exactly psyched about the prospect of slaying 10 mudcrabs for their genitals either. Ah well, I hope those looking forward to it will enjoy it, at least.

Also, funny image that's relevant:

 

[NLS]

Bethesda Announces The Elder Scrolls Online

Skyrim's follow-up will be Cyrodiil's first MMO.

Ehem. Reading by the article, that would be Tamriel's first MMO. Cyrodiil is where TES IV: Oblivion took place, while Tamriel is the continent where Cyrodiil, Skyrim, Elsweyr, Morrowind(...) and so on are located.

 

[Irridium]

Bethesda Announces The Elder Scrolls Online

Skyrim's follow-up will be Cyrodiil's first MMO.

Ehem. Reading by the article, that would be Tamriel's first MMO. Cyrodiil is where TES IV: Oblivion took place, while Tamriel is the continent where Cyrodiil, Skyrim, Elsweyr, Morrowind(...) and so on are located.

Wait, then wouldn't it be better to call it 'Nirn's first MMO', since Nirn is the planet Tamriel is on?

 

[Mike Kayatta]

Bethesda Announces The Elder Scrolls Online

Skyrim's follow-up will be Cyrodiil's first MMO.

Ehem. Reading by the article, that would be Tamriel's first MMO. Cyrodiil is where TES IV: Oblivion took place, while Tamriel is the continent where Cyrodiil, Skyrim, Elsweyr, Morrowind(...) and so on are located.

Granted, but considering that players will choose to join one of three factions to fight over Cyrodiil specifically, I thought the reference was appropriate.

 

[weirdee]

i dunno, kind of a huge property that dates back to the early days, even before old republic, which hasn't made as many games...wouldn't put it off so fast

world of warcraft isn't about to make a comeback any time soon even with the last expansion, so this would be a prime opportunity to take back the spotlight IF they do it right

a lot of things have to happen before that point though, and inexperience will just kill it if they haven't been planning in the right direction

people have just been burnt out by mmos and are moving towards shorter experiences for online play...there will need to be a lot of quality invested for slim returns

 

[coderedge]

Bah. Where on earth is Fallout 4?