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The Elder Scrolls Online

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The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited
Developer(s)ZeniMax Online Studios[3]
Publisher(s)Bethesda Softworks[4]
Director(s)Matt Firor[3][4]
Producer(s)Ala Diaz
Designer(s)Nick Konkle
Richard Lambert
Programmer(s)Daniel Dunham
Artist(s)Jared Carr
Mathew Weathers
Writer(s)Wynne McLaughlin
Lawrence Schick
Composer(s)Brad Derrick
Rik Schaffer
SeriesThe Elder Scrolls
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One[3][4]
ReleaseMicrosoft Windows, OS X
April 4, 2014[1]
PlayStation 4, Xbox One
June 9, 2015[2]
Genre(s)Massively multiplayer online role-playing game[3]
Mode(s)Multiplayer

The Elder Scrolls Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing video game developed by ZeniMax Online Studios. It was originally released on April 4, 2014 for Microsoft Windows and OS X. It is a part of The Elder Scrolls action fantasy video game franchise, of which it is the first open-ended multiplayer installment.

On January 21, 2015, it was announced that an active subscription would not be needed to play the game from March 17, 2015 onwards. The game was then renamed as The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited.[5] The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One console versions were released on June 9, 2015.[6]

As with other games in The Elder Scrolls franchise, the game is set in the continent of Tamriel and features a storyline indirectly connected with the other games. The Elder Scrolls Online had been in development for seven years before its release in 2014. It initially received mixed reviews, but these improved significantly with the re-release and rebranding as The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited, with the majority of reviews praising the new changes.

Gameplay

As in previous The Elder Scrolls titles, gameplay is mostly nonlinear,[7] with a mixture of quests, random events, and free-roaming exploration of the world.[8] The game does not provide a mode for single-player offline play, although the developers have stated that there will be "plenty of content" designed to accommodate players who prefer to play solo.[9]

The player is able to play as numerous races such as Nords, Redguards, Bretons, Imperials, Dunmer (Dark Elves), Altmer (High Elves), Bosmer (Wood Elves), Orsimer (Orcs), Khajiit, and Argonians. Players must choose one of four classes when creating their character. Each class gives the player various different attacks, spells, and passive effects. The game has other character choices beyond those of race and class, such as the player character also being able to become either a vampire or a werewolf, each of which grants its own skill tree.

Setting

As with other games in The Elder Scrolls series, the game is set on the continent of Tamriel. The events of the game occur a millennium before those of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and around 800 years before The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. It has a broadly similar structure to Skyrim, with two separate conflicts progressing at the same time, one with the fate of the world in the balance, and one where the prize is supreme power on Tamriel. In Elder Scrolls Online, the first struggle is against the Daedric Prince Molag Bal, who is attempting to meld the plane of Mundus with his realm of Coldharbour, and the second is to capture the vacant imperial throne, contested by three alliances of the mortal races. As the player, you have been sacrificed to Molag Bal, and Molag Bal has stolen your soul, the recovery of which is your primary game objective. The game begins in the Wailing Prison in Coldharbor, where your soulless husk has been enslaved. This opening continues another Elder Scrolls tradition, of beginning the game with the player as a prisoner.[3]

Many parts of the continent of Tamriel are available in the game, with most zones being accessible based on faction. Some zones are accessible with DLC-only from the Crown Store, while others are accessible to players of any faction when they reach a certain level. Players have the opportunity to join any of the three factions warring over the Ruby Throne of the Emperor of Tamriel:[3] the First Aldmeri Dominion (represented by an eagle) led by Queen Ayrenn, composed of the Altmer (High Elf), Bosmer (Wood Elf), and Khajiit races; the Daggerfall Covenant (represented by a lion) led by High King Emeric, composed of the Bretons, Redguard, and Orsimer (Orcs); and the Ebonheart Pact (represented by a dragon) led by Jorunn Skald-King, composed of the Nord, Dunmer (Dark Elf), and Argonian races. Players may also unlock an additional race, Imperial, which may be a part of any of the three factions. The other major ruling faction of Tamriel is the Empire, led by Empress Regent Clivia Tharn, which has fallen into instability and disrepair, and serves as a non-joinable faction. Pre-ordered copies of the game included the "Explorers' Pack", which allowed all races to be played in each of the factions, and this feature is available in the Crown Store.[10]

Development

The Elder Scrolls Online had been in development for 7 years before its release in 2014.[3] It is the first project for ZeniMax Online Studios, which was formed in 2007. Matt Firor, studio lead at ZeniMax Online, is also the director of The Elder Scrolls Online.[4]

While rumors of a massively multiplayer The Elder Scrolls game had been circulating for years, accurate information about the game and its imminent May 2012 announcement was not leaked until March 2012, to online publication Tom's Guide by an anonymous industry source.[11] According to the leak, the game was scheduled to be shown at E3 2012 in June and QuakeCon 2012 in August. On November 8, 2012, Bethesda released a video on YouTube called "An Introduction to The Elder Scrolls Online", in which the game's developers talk about the game's content and development.[12] Several actors were announced to voice the characters of The Elder Scrolls Online, among them John Cleese, Bill Nighy, Kate Beckinsale, Lynda Carter, Alfred Molina, Michael Gambon, Jennifer Hale, Malcolm McDowell, and Peter Stormare.[13]

Beta sign-ups for The Elder Scrolls Online began on January 21, 2013, and continued for seven rounds until February 26.[14][15][16]

On June 2013, Sony announced that The Elder Scrolls Online would be available on PlayStation 4 at their E3 press conference. It was later clarified by Bethesda that it would also be available on Xbox One.[17] While players on PC and Mac play together, those on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 play only with others on the same platform.[18] In August 2013, at Gamescom, it was announced that The Elder Scrolls Online would have a monthly subscription fee upon release for all platforms.[19][20] Subscriptions can be purchased in 30-, 90-, and 180-day increments.[21] While it was announced in January 2014 that the game would not require a PlayStation Plus subscription to play online,[22] the Xbox One version will require an Xbox Live Gold subscription in addition to a The Elder Scrolls Online monthly subscription.[23] On May 8, 2014, Bethesda spoke about development of the console editions, announcing that the release date for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of the game would be delayed until the end of 2014, though it was revealed in December 2014 that the game's console debut was once again delayed into the Spring of 2015. ZeniMax Online Studios announced that players who purchase The Elder Scrolls Online before the end of June 2014 will have the opportunity to transfer their characters from Microsoft Windows or Mac OS to either console platform and receive a free 30-day subscription.[24]

Release

The Elder Scrolls Online was announced on May 3, 2012 on the Game Informer web site and in that same month's issue of the magazine.[3] It was released on April 4, 2014 for PC and Mac. Home console releases for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were released on June 9, 2015.

Shortly after the game's launch, it was reported that some players were unable to activate the 30-day complimentary game time included with their purchase until a subscription had been set up and—in "a strange state of affairs" and "most likely a mistake"—after a full month had been paid for.[25] A serious item duplication exploit was discovered that allowed players to gain huge fortunes, which was patched shortly after release.[26] ZeniMax later announced that they had permanently banned thousands of accounts because of the exploit.[27]

Subscription

On January 21, 2015, it was announced that an active subscription would no longer be needed to play the game effective March 17, 2015.[28] Aside from the initial game price, there will be an optional subscription called "ESO Plus" which grants free access to all current and future downloadable content (DLC) and a monthly allotment of 1500 Crowns, one of the in-game currencies, as long as the player stays subscribed. The DLC will also be available for separate purchase in the Crown Store. Additionally, the optional subscription grants various perks that allow players to progress slightly faster than a free player.[29]

Downloadable content

The Imperial City

On June 14, 2015 at the Bethesda showcase at E3, new downloadable content was announced for the Imperial City, the Capital of Cyrodiil.[30] It was released for the PC and OS X on August 31, 2015, for the Xbox One on September 15, and for the PlayStation 4 on September 16. It introduced a new currency known as Tel Var Stones, and added the game's largest dungeon to date, The Imperial City Sewers. The city itself is overrun by the forces of Daedric Prince Molag Bal, with every district and the central White-Gold Tower being merged into his realm.[31]

Orsinium

At the E3 showcase, the new zone of Wrothgar was announced in a DLC called Orsinium, the capital of the Orsimer better known as Orcs.[30] The DLC was released on November 2, 2015, for Windows and OS X, November 17, 2015 for Xbox One, and November 18, 2015, for PlayStation 4. It introduces a long new solo challenge known as the Maelstorm Arena, as well as two new public dungeons named Rkindaleft and Old Orsinium. The questline involves assisting the Orcish King Kurog with rebuilding the city of Orsinium.[32]

Thieves Guild

The Thieves Guild DLC was revealed by Zenimax in a livestream to be set in a new area, Abah's Landing in Hammerfell, featuring an all new quest line and game mechanics.[33] The DLC will be released for PC and OS X on March 7, 2016, for Xbox One on March 22, and for PlayStation 4 on March 23.[34]

Dark Brotherhood

At the end of the 2015 E3 trailer, was a note with a black hand on it that stated the words, "We Know", a reference to a Dark Brotherhood guild in previous Elder Scrolls games.[30] The DLC will take place in the Gold Coast of Cyrodiil, and will introduce new story content and gameplay mechanics. It will be released in Q2 of 2016.[33]

Upcoming content

At Quakecon 2014, Zenimax revealed upcoming content, including the new zone of Murkmire in Black Marsh as well as a new spell/enchanting system.[35] Matt Firor, the game director, later stated that spellcrafting had been "put on the backburner", and while not planned to be released in 2016, will be evaluated and altered accordingly, and is planned to be released sometime later in the future.[33]

Reception

Original release

The Elder Scrolls Online initially received mixed reviews; the game has a weighted aggregate rating of 71/100 on Metacritic, based on 64 reviews.[44] PC Gamer gave the game a score of 68/100, writing that it is "an MMORPG of moderate scope with a few good ideas" but cautioning that "'okay' isn't good enough when you're facing down this much of a premium."[42] The game was mainly criticized for an excess of bugs, a "phasing" mechanic that separated players from groups, and its Veteran Progression System. There was also some controversy about the game's utilization of a subscription model.

ZeniMax responded to and fixed many of the game's early criticisms, releasing major updates since the game's launch. In January 2015, they announced that the game would no longer be using a subscription model, becoming effective March 17, 2015, in favor of a business model similar to The Secret World and Guild Wars 2. ZeniMax also announced that the game would be coming to next-generation consoles on June 9, 2015, and that the game would be rebranded as The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited.[45]

Tamriel Unlimited

Tamriel Unlimited received mostly positive reviews. The PlayStation 4 version of the game has a weighted aggregate rating of 76/100 on Metacritic, based on 17 reviews,[38] PC version has 80/100 based on 4 reviews[36] and Xbox One version received 78/100 based on 8 reviews.[37] MMORPG gave the game an 8.5/10, noting that "Elder Scrolls Online was in no way as big of a disaster as FFXIV was when it first launched, yet for the second time in two years we have another MMORPG that has managed to completely improve upon its initial experience to become one of the best games in the genre."[46] Eurogamer's Dan Whitehead reviewed the game, saying that "For fans eager for a new fix all these years on from Skyrim, that may well be enough. The ability to share the adventure, somewhat clumsily, with friends is both a selling point and a pitfall, but those who concentrate their efforts on the Alliance War will find the experience worthwhile."[47]

Sales

Metro reported that The Elder Scrolls Online was the top-selling game in the United Kingdom for the week of April 5, 2014, for individual formats, and number two across all formats.[48] When the game was released on consoles, the game once again became the top-selling game in the United Kingdom for the week of June 15, 2015, across all formats, becoming the year's second best-selling game at retail[49] The game was ranked the best-selling digital PlayStation 4 game of June 2015 in the United States and Europe.[50][51] In the United States, the game was the second and sixth best-selling game of June and July 2015, respectively.[52][53][54]

References

  1. ^ Dyer, Mitch (December 11, 2013). "The Elder Scrolls Online PC, Xbox One, and PS4 Release Dates Announced - IGN". IGN. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  2. ^ "The Elder Scrolls Online drops subs, console release date announced". VG247.com.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "June Cover Revealed: The Elder Scrolls Online". Game Informer. May 3, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d "Elder Scrolls Online makes MMO of series". Gamasutra. May 3, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
  5. ^ "ESO HEADS TO CONSOLES JUNE 9TH". The Elder Srolls Online. Zenimax Online Studios. January 21, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  6. ^ "ESO on Consoles- Update". Bethesda Softworks. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  7. ^ "The choices you make, from the alliance you join to the battles you fight, will shape your destiny and the world of Tamriel", Amazon.com, Retrieved on January 26, 2014
  8. ^ Evans-Thirlwell, Edwin (December 31, 2013). "Elder Scrolls Online interview: Bethesda talks risks, rewards and compromises". Official Xbox Magazine. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
  9. ^ "Will The Elder Scrolls Online Have A Single-Player, Offline Mode?". Bethesda Softworks. February 7, 2013. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
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  12. ^ "An Introduction to The Elder Scrolls Online". YouTube. Bethesda Softworks. November 8, 2012. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  13. ^ Makuch, Eddie (January 23, 2014). "Elder Scrolls Online voice cast is seriously impressive". GameSpot. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
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  17. ^ Sliva, Marty (June 10, 2013). "E3 2013: Elder Scrolls Online Coming to PS4, Xbox One". IGN. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  18. ^ Kain, Erik (July 8, 2013). "Elder Scrolls Online: Bethesda Calls Next-Gen Cross-Platform Play 'Just A Nightmare'". Forbes. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
  19. ^ Mahardy, Mike (August 21, 2013). "The Elder Scrolls Online Will Require a $15 Monthly Subscription Fee". IGN. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
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  27. ^ "Taking Action Against Cheaters in ESO".
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  29. ^ "The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited FAQ". The Elder Scrolls Online. ZeniMax. January 21, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
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  31. ^ "Imperial City Launch Details". Zenimax. July 15, 2015. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
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  33. ^ a b c "The Year Ahead - 2016". Zenimax. January 12, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  34. ^ Matulef, Jeffrey. "The Elder Scrolls Online's Thieves Guild DLC dated for March". Eurogamer. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
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  53. ^ "Lego Jurassic World tops the US retail charts for July". Eurogamer.net. 13 August 2015.
  54. ^ Handrahan, Matthew (18 July 2014). "The Old Republic earned $165 million last year - report". GamesIndustry.biz. Gamer Network. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
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