Dark Souls 2 or Elder Scrolls Online?

[Maxtro]

Dark Souls 2 is coming out March 2014 while Elder Scrolls Online has a TBA date of Spring 2014.

Lets pretend that both games are coming out on the same day. Which one is more attractive?

Both games appeal to somewhat similar markets and will cost $60 up front. Both games will provide multiple hours of content and it won't be unheard of to spend hundreds of hours on either. Both games will have online content.

One game costs $15 a month to keep playing past the first month, the other doesn't.

I'm curious to see how things will turn out.

 

[StriderShinryu]

Dark Souls 2 by about several thousand miles for me. I'm not really sure that they appeal to the same demographic though. Or, at least, beyond the core sort of ven diagram meeting of fans, the outlying audience that makes of the majority of each games player base is totally different.

 

[Maxtro]

I'd say that both Dark Souls and Elder Scrolls appeal to the same market. Both are "fantasy" games where you build up one character and adventure through a world with deep lore, collecting loot and engage in singular (non-party) combat.

To me, the main difference between them is that Elder Scrolls games don't try to punish you or want to turn you into a masochist.

 

[Erttheking]

If it's a choice between a game where you have to pay 15 bucks every month or a game where you have to pay 60 bucks to own it forever, I'd chose Dark Souls II, on top of the tighter combat mechanics that the series is known for.

 

[Juste Goose]

I have very little interest in Dark Souls 2, but absolutely no interest ESO. So I guess Dark Souls wins.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

Dark Souls is my second favorite game of this console generation. I have no interest in MMOs. A no brainer for me.

 

[SlaveNumber23]

Well Dark Souls is one of my favourite games of all time and Dark Souls 2 looks like nothing but improvement on the previous title's formula. The Elder Scrolls Online on the other hand looks like another sub-par WoW wannabe relying on its name to get by, and on top of that you have to pay ridiculous subscription fees, with the insult of micro transactions as well. Even if TESO turned out to be a great game I doubt I could lower myself to buy into such a bullshit business model. Dark Souls 2 wins in my eyes by a LOT.

 

[Maxtro]

I'd say that both Dark Souls and Elder Scrolls appeal to the same market. Both are "fantasy" games where you build up one character and adventure through a world with deep lore, collecting loot and engage in singular (non-party) combat.

To me, the main difference between them is that Elder Scrolls games don't try to punish you or want to turn you into a masochist.

One game is a singleplayer RPG with online elements. The other is a full fledged MMO. They do not appeal to the same market at all.

The funny thing about that, is that ESO is based on The Elder Scrolls series, which has always been single-player RPG. It's almost as if ESO isn't even targeted at Elder Scrolls fans.

Frankly, I doubt I'd be the only guy who buys ESO, plays for it for the first free month, and doesn't talk to anybody and just plays it like a normal Elder Scrolls game.

 

[ShinyCharizard]

Dark Souls II of course. That takes priority over any other game released in that time-frame. Plus Elder Scrolls online will be rather mediocre I think.

 

[thesilentman]

Dark Souls 2, because at least I don't have to pay monthly to play it forever. =P

It's also just all around more interesting than Elder Scrolls. The Souls series are just better games per se than Elder Scrolls, hence why my interest lies there.

 

[MysticSlayer]

Dark Souls 2. The Elder Scrolls Online held absolutely no appeal to me before they announced their business model, and announcing their model was basically just further confirmation that I should avoid it. Not to mention, if I were to pit any Elder Scrolls game, at least outside of Oblivion, against Dark Souls, Dark Souls would win easily. The fact I'm not a huge fan of MMOs doesn't help TESO either.

 

[BathorysGraveland2]

For me, it's Dark Souls 2. I never played Dark Souls 1 myself, due to the PC port being really bad, or so I heard, but I did watch an LP of it and it seemed fun. I heard Dark Souls 2 is getting a much better PC port right off the bat, so I'm certainly interested in playing the sequel for myself.

I have no interest at all in MMORPGs, so Elder Scrolls online I'm completely indifferent about.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Hmm. Forum known for loving Dark Souls, and hating MMOs. In addition, Dark Souls II looks like more of the same of what people liked about Dark Souls, whereas ESO has shown poorly at most trade fairs and is getting roundly trashed on by even ardent MMO fans...most particularly since unveiling their triple dipping payment scheme.

I WONDER WHICH GAME WILL PULL OUT AHEAD?

I have a cursory interest in Dark Souls II due to liking Dark Souls, although I fear it's going to play like a glorified expansion pack, and part of me wonders if I didn't get Dark Souls out of my system already.

ESO is going to have to show me something special post release for me to take any interest in it whatsoever. I love the IP, but this is not an Elder Scrolls game, and it is not being made by the people who have been caretaking the franchise these past 20 odd years. It smacks of a lazy cash in, and early reports from beta seem to support that suspicion. It could very well surprise everyone and turn out special...I will attempt to keep an open mind. But for the time being my eyes are on Wildstar and Everquest Next as the next pretenders to the MMO throne.

 

[Smooth Operator]

These really don't fit in the same market, DS is all about the personal experience with some multiplayer elements while ESO will hinge on multi exclusively.

DS2 I will wait and see because I haven't finished the first DS due to it's grind element, but I'm still far more interested then in ESO as it is an MMO which are poor in quality all around, not to mention ESO will set you back $240 in the first year alone (and you aren't even getting the full content).

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

I can't believe you can even consider it a comparison. I would take any non-MMO over an MMO. Dark Souls 2 by a mile.

 

[TimtheBigDaddy]

Why not both? That's what I'm planning.

 

[Broderick]

I would say Dark Souls 2. I loved the first one, and still play it from time to time, and I am very interested and pleased with some of the changes and improvements from Dark Souls. While I love the Elder Scrolls series, ESO is not being made by bethesda, and I am not exactly liking what they have shown me thus far. Not to say I do not like mmo's, I played WoW for 9 years, but if they are to do an Elder Scrolls MMO, I would have rather it been by the company that cared for the series all these years(even if they made a couple of changes I didn't like).

So yeah...Dark Souls 2 for me! Also here is a video that helped hype me up a bit for Dark Souls 2!

 

[King of Asgaard]

Dark Souls 2, no question.

I've put hundreds of hours into both Demon's Souls and Dark Souls.
DS2 seems to be an improvement on most of the stuff in its predecessors.
What I've seen of it from demos looks fantastic; sort of familiar, but fresh enough to throw seasoned veterans like myself a curve ball.
It's my most anticipated game of 2014.

TESO on the other hand is an MMO, and I don't play MMOs.
Besides, even if it's online Skyrim (and I liked Skyrim), the business model is deplorable, and my laptop doesn't have a chance of running it.