Elder Scrolls MMORPG confirmed?

  • By thorsen-ink, GameSpot
  • Posted Nov 2, 2007 1:21 pm PT

Source: See below. What we heard: Today, a variety of game-news sites reported that new evidence has surfaced that an Elder Scrolls massively multiplayer online role-playing game is in the works. Such a notion isn't exactly new. In August, ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Elder Scrolls...

Source: See below.

What we heard: Today, a variety of game-news sites reported that new evidence has surfaced that an Elder Scrolls massively multiplayer online role-playing game is in the works. Such a notion isn't exactly new. In August, ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Elder Scrolls developer and publisher Bethesda Softworks, announced the creation of a new MMORPG studio, ZeniMax Online. Last week, the company announced it had landed $300 million in funding for future projects including its MMORPG development effort, which is headed by Mythic Entertainment cofounder Matt Frior.

Today's flurry of reports was prompted by the fact someone noticed that ZeniMax registered the URL elderscrollsonline.com. Though the Web address is currently inactive, many took ZeniMax's ownership of the URL as proof positive that its MMORPG will be set in Elder Scrolls' realm of Tamriel.

Or it could just be a simple case of cybersquatter prevention.

"We are tired of people squatting on domains related to our games or simply not being able to get them if we needed them (note oblivion.com, fallout.com, and many others) and decided a while back we'd get these to keep it from happening again," Bethesda's PR chief Pete Hines told GameSpot. "People are grabbing domains like these and trying to extract money from us for them, or using them for some other purpose."

The official story: But while Hines was up front about the explanation for the URL registration, his chatty demeanor evaporated when the subject turned to the ZeniMax MMORPG. "They aren't talking about what they are doing and won't be for a long time," was all he would say.

Bogus or not bogus?: Bogus that the URL registration confirms the existence of an Elder Scrolls MMORPG. However, with others holding the Fallout and Star Trek MMORPG rights, the RPG franchise--famous for having MMORPG-size open worlds--is the only truly proven property in Bethesda's catalog.

369 Comments

  • Dapio09

    Posted Dec 21, 2009 11:04 am PT

    They should just make another game that has trophies/Achievements and online play

  • mungothehutt

    Posted Dec 17, 2009 8:53 pm PT

    I honestly can't see an Elder Scrolls MMO working well...it definitely wouldn't have the same atmosphere that previous ES games have. I agree with "brad12d3" in that I'd rather play single player than have to deal with noobs or trying to compete with people that take a game too seriously. I'd rather play it on my own time than constantly so I can stay ahead of the peers.

  • brad12d3

    Posted Oct 19, 2009 10:53 am PT

    Why the hell is everything starting to turn into mmos? I spent years waiting for KOTOR 3, but no they make a pc only mmo. I have been waiting years for ES5, now they are talking about making it into an mmo? I want my story driven single player RPGs that I can get swept up in without random nutcases running around

  • Parkway2010

    Posted Sep 20, 2009 11:27 am PT

    I don't understand why you people are hating on this idea? It would be epic greatness in disc form. Just have to kill the people who suck and hit you in the back because they can't aim, and bring in the pros. That problem's solved. I'm sure they'd find a way to fix lag for those big raids too. So that's solved. You whine about someone killing you over gear because they're a bit higher than you? Would you not do the same if you had the choice? I would. Gimme some gear nubs! XD God I hope they go through with this.

  • Master___C

    Posted Sep 1, 2009 11:44 pm PT

    This is official. My friend's dad works in the gaming business and was asked to work on this game. The next Elder Scrolls game is an MMO, no idea when it is planned to be officially announced/released though

  • xTDBxDark

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 8:04 am PT

    I think that 4 player co-op would be good and set up your own shops kinda deal. but not as far as going to mmorpg lvl. That would be bad LAGGGGG so bad. If they do make it online they will have to do something about the waiting and sleeping system but my friends and i would love to go out either dungeon crawling or adventuring soooo.... Yeah this would be a great thing to do. I cant' wait to do this on XBOX Live. Bosmer Nighblade

  • Greenhelm

    Posted Aug 17, 2009 11:13 am PT

    message to spartanjd. its called bethesda! duh whats wrng with you? you insulted bethesda. you insulted me and most of all....wel you insulted yerself, but most of all you insulted bethesda!!! anyway, they should at least make it likemorrowind, with the graphics of oblivion or Fallout. seriously you should be able to explore all of tamreil. maybe the game could be called elder scrolls tamriel and maybe in an expansion pack you can explore akavir. im gonna make a bosmer bard.......

  • MooncalfReviews

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 11:46 am PT

    It could definately work, as long as it wasn't derivitive, taking things from existing (and rather tiresome) MMOs. It would be amazing, as long as they did it exactly like Oblivion, but with real people's characters living in the cities rather, driving the ecconomy, perhaps even heading the guilds if they get voted as leader by the other players. What you're talking about there is an Elder Scrolls universe where every character is played by a real person, and THAT'S what an MMO should be like!

  • damaster101

    Posted May 20, 2009 4:57 pm PT

    Elder Scrolls with multiplayer option on xbox 360?It has to be done.

  • Barighm

    Posted May 20, 2009 12:22 pm PT

    Elder Scrolls as it is, but set in a persistent world with repeatable quests, other players, and a few abilities tweeked to be fair for MMO play...

    Sure, why not? Sounds fun to me, as long as the game is basically as I described it above: Oblivion with MMO-esque multiplayer.

  • Snake718718

    Posted May 12, 2009 1:31 pm PT

    i say if they added a multiplayer option to oblivion they should do it like fable2 except with the whole stupid fixed camra thing and people having to stay in the same spot or if they make an mmo they keep everything pretty much the way it is just have a bunch of other plays tho an maybe advance the story alittle so people can actuly say there playing different people an not just a different looking but same person

  • killeridis

    Posted May 8, 2009 5:35 am PT

    well i hope we hear for a new elder scroll at e3 but plz god not another mmo i have enough................ But an elder scroll with multiplayer option i say hell yes.

  • hajjjustin

    Posted May 6, 2009 10:47 am PT

    F*** that No mmorpg this ant WoW a multi player option might be ok, but thats it.

  • sullivano1

    Posted May 3, 2009 2:18 am PT

    oblivion would be awsome as an mmorpg but you should have the choice to go online or single player
    because it would be a great oppurtunity to make them even more popular
    if it was an mmorpg you should be able to set up shops and make unique talking choices that you can chose yourself

  • spartanjd

    Posted Apr 15, 2009 3:15 am PT

    i wonder if it is a new game our a downloadable

  • spartanjd

    Posted Apr 15, 2009 3:13 am PT

    man i dont know in my life that bestad soft made a bad game i am sure they are going to ace this no doubt

  • Chizaqui

    Posted Apr 14, 2009 8:22 pm PT

    nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

  • Phantsy16

    Posted Mar 15, 2009 2:02 pm PT

    They better not f*** Elder Scrolls with an mmo, im serious.

  • sonicwhip

    Posted Feb 19, 2009 6:01 pm PT

    whats the point of an mmorpg it would of been stupendously successful if they added a co-op mode to the single player game(offline and online co-op)
    to adventure with a friend.

  • sune_Gem

    Posted Feb 14, 2009 1:33 am PT

    Elder Scrolls MMO? Thats not for me...
    Elders Scrolls Multiplayer 1-4 players? Thats for me.

    I've allways wanted to play oblivion Co - Op with a friend or 2 but an MMO Will have monthly Fee's, alot of jerks, Lag, over/under powered issues and you probally wont be able to level up by doing things like mercantile and speechcraft and playing the game as a merchant etc

    Just stick to the single player its oh so good at (But adding a Co Op function in aswell wont go a miss )

  • Australians

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 9:42 pm PT

    they said there developing The elder scrolls V but there is no real eveidenice to say this game is possibly becoming a MMORPG

  • tpk212

    Posted Dec 26, 2008 5:05 pm PT

    i dont no about this!
    really good game but mmorpg? u would hav to put in more levels and characters,
    hope it works out though! would be pretty sweet!

  • betterness16

    Posted Dec 13, 2008 4:09 pm PT

    Obviously, the game would have to be almost completely re modified to work as a MMORPG. Like others have already pointed out, how exactly would the leveling work? How would the story work and the characters within the stories? I can visualize up to 2 to 4 players and find a way to keep the feel and looks of the game intact,... but MMORPG?? I'm not sure. Oblivion was such a well done single player RPG that I would hate for something so good to turn so bad. But what do I know? I'm just a gamer, not a game designer. I'm sure Bethesda has the power to do just about whatever they would like... 300 million is a lot of money, I don't care if you are Bill Gates. My point being, I'm afraid that the game would turn into a GTA4 muliplayer experience- or a MGS4 MMO instead of a true MMORPG. I just don't see how its going to be possible. But I would love to be proven wrong on this one.

  • daddyslttlpiggy

    Posted Dec 5, 2008 11:01 am PT

    well I dohave to say that I have not gotten into many of the mmorpg's that are out there right now and I have tried alot of them. FF11 is to slow paced, WOW is way overrated and actually kinda stupid in my opinion. this is one that I think I could get into though. I love the elder scrolls series, and an mmorpg would just be awsome.

  • EarthShakerX

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 5:57 am PT

    I'm actually for monthly fee, the reson is that if we give them money every month, they will be able to create expansion packs, and allows us to play and enjoy the game longer. But if you are going to have a monthly fee, do as LOTRO and make something called "Lifetime suscription" You pay them 300$ and you'll be able to play for your entire life. But please, don't have higher payments than 15$ for each month.

  • dretcher

    Posted Nov 3, 2008 3:40 pm PT

    so, i've been looking for a great fantasy MMO for a long time, and i've been saying to people that the elder scrolls would make a great one(PC, NO WAY IN HELL CAN A GREAT MMO BE ON 360. now that that's behind us, think about how the world is setup in the first place. it's huge. just tamriel is an enormous world for single player, although i agree its not big enough for an MMO. However, if u take the entire world, including the Morrowind worlds, and all the other games, think about how brilliant it would be. Now, i agree that they would have to do something with the leveling system, cause that would never work for an MMO. Just have certain areas of the map that are for higher lvls. You could group up with other players to do missions, or go into the aleid ruins to pvp against some of the games best. Haven't any of you wondered if ur character could kick ur friends characters ass?And it's got all the different character styles, which is allready great. And i love the thing at the beginning, the tutorial where u can change ur character type before you get out of the place if you didn't like it? I've played a lot of mmo's, and usually i delete like 5 or 6 characters before i figure out which one i like. No more of that. They could even make it RvR, which would be awesome, but only if they pulled it off, which would be rediculously tough. However, in my opinion, some form of ongoing battle with good versus evil is completely necessary. And the oblivion gates in tamriel are like gods way of saying i think this game should be an MMO, and this is where they will PVP. (In my mind, God is a game dev). As for a standard 15 dollar a month MMO fee, i dont really have a problem with that. It really isn't that much, and i find it worth it, since i play MMO's like a fat guy eats doughnuts. I like what tobias said, have it kind of like guildwars, with instances. The single player game has so many instances anyway, it makes it perfect. Aeilid ruins, caves, all kinds of assorted things like that. And the towns would be just that more interesting with hundreds of players in them. And with all the items in that game, they could make a spectacular econ system, with forges, alchemy places, mage shops, and all kinds of different things. i see so many possibilities with this game. and bethesda, if u happen to read this, rock on, and u'll certainly have at least one customer the day it comes out

  • dragoonmaster18

    Posted Oct 26, 2008 6:57 am PT

    hopefully its on PS3 or 360 or PC.

  • asurvivor

    Posted Oct 18, 2008 8:19 pm PT

    Thank You Beztha!!!!!
    Maybe Todd could throw in some awsome extra features in too
    Todd is soo cool =)

  • hand4hire

    Posted Oct 5, 2008 11:43 am PT

    i absolutely agree DoctorEnzek 100%

  • DoctorEnzek

    Posted Oct 2, 2008 9:34 pm PT

    Holy cow I would love an Elder Scrolls, WoW-murdering, MMORPG. More than that though... i would like to see a fifth installment of this absolute godly franchise.

  • zakattack47

    Posted Sep 20, 2008 11:52 am PT

    But along with this they should add other users being able to join you like a Counter-Strike Lobby, have IP address, easily locate, but even though MMO's in my opinion r annoying at best. Theres way too many rude people, many times people will farm/grind what u need, and of course like others have said the leveling. I don't know if they want to make the MMORPG then i say go ahead but, at least have the option of LAN or private servers so u don't have to deal with all the other jerks who play. Just Your Friends.

  • zakattack47

    Posted Sep 20, 2008 11:44 am PT

    If Bethesda wanted to make more money they should continue the Expansions to go to different areas ALONG WITH having another game that depicts what happened in the past and play in the same worlds but at different times. With the element of time there is a endless possibility of what could happen and the massive addiction of many other users and it would just about never get old.

  • ElCatto

    Posted Sep 14, 2008 3:40 am PT

    it would be better if it were a single player if it turns out to be an mmorpg i hope there will be no subscription

  • hellwilliams

    Posted Sep 12, 2008 4:21 pm PT

    Ya, I heard about this treatment,I think it will beneficial for all.I recently read about the benefits.Anyway nice post,Thanks.... --------------------------------------------------------------
    williams

  • RYAN_121

    Posted Aug 28, 2008 6:40 am PT

    yeah i agree with gonzoguy

  • RYAN_121

    Posted Aug 28, 2008 6:40 am PT

    yeah i agree with gonzoguy

  • GonzoGuy

    Posted Aug 18, 2008 9:34 am PT

    Ditto on no monthly fee. I really like Oblivion but I'm not paying a subscription for it.

  • noctoural88

    Posted Jul 16, 2008 5:51 am PT

    i hope you dont have to pay a monthly fee

  • lyndonrebutoc

    Posted Jun 25, 2008 10:01 pm PT

    Well, they must include the whole tamriel, plus more continents, so it will be fun to play, Cyrodiil is very large map for a singleplayer game(like ESIV: Oblivion), But for a MMORPG i think not,,,, maybe seperate them in expansion packs, like for example Elder Scrolls Online(1st build, Cyrodiil is th only map) then Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind(expansion pack to add morrowind), Then so on.,.

  • Neceron

    Posted Jun 25, 2008 4:17 pm PT

    Well, what if Bethesda made it so that you could create and join servers? I don't mean like a bunch of servers hosted by Bethesda but I mean servers like ones that you can host youself. These servers would basically be your game file that you and other players can play on. There could even be a password system so that if you wanted it, only friends could join. Of course this would also require a single-player version to create said game file, but I don't think that anyone would complain about that.

    This idea obviously has flaws, and was formulated within a matter of minutes (and might have been said already), but I do hope that this may seem like an idea to anyone that is reading it.

  • NukeU

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 9:01 pm PT

    I usually dont like massively multiplayer, but that sounds awsome.

  • NewYork1996

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 2:05 pm PT

    AN elder scrolls MMORPG wood b the best!!!!!!!!!!

  • Vampiro_HuntT3R

    Posted Jun 12, 2008 7:21 pm PT

    After reading Tabio's comment, I think I have got nothing to say. The person explained it damn well that I'm already out of words. I don't think anyone else could do it that better. Anyway..Hail Elder Scroll. xD!

  • SPD_WeBmAsTaH

    Posted Jun 11, 2008 8:45 pm PT

    I want it now, MOAR ELDER SCROLLS GAMES!!!

  • tobiasrieper

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 7:22 pm PT

    Heres My View...
    Guild Wars Has A Good Instance System, Its Possible to meet people in towns, form a party and go into your partys OWN private version of the game in explorable areas.. thus this could be implemented in the elder scrolls MMO to stop people being halted during quests through the various things that could happen...

    Also Guildwars has NO monthly fees, which i think, is the best idea for TES Online... seriously, they have been making money through their expansions throughout the years, and if they just split Tamriel into 9 games (there are 9 Countries in the continent of Tamriel) then they could make money and keep true to their fans!

    If they used the guild wars campaigns system for the games, it could work well, however, i dont think you should be limited to only being able to create an imperial in the cyrodil game, a dark elf in morrowind, etc i think if you buy the 1st game, you should get to make a character of any of the races and use them across all the countries/continents?

    I think what im trying to say is people associate mmorpgs to World Of Warcraft, whereas the less popular Guild Wars Has some good points that could be used for the elder scrolls mmo.

    The Game Should Retain The Mobility & Feel Of Being Able to control the character just like you would control yourself in real life, "live another life in another world" comes to mind, the main thing missing from most mmos is the involvement of BEING the character, immersiveness is what morrowind strived in and thats why people still love it today! (not to mention oblivion!) so if youre reading this elder scrolls officials, please please please keep true to your roots!

    CO-OP play is what i would like to see mainly, and mmo is really a broad sense of what is meant by elder scrolls multiplayer

    all i want to see is the chance to play the game, with friends and maybe random people, explore and level up together or alone, take down hard enemies in groups, steal great loot (distraction burglary perhaps?) help each other finish quests?

    there are soo many different things that could be implied into the next elderscrolls, i think that either mmorpg, or just co-op, it will definately be one to play, they make the best games ive ever played, thats why i will always love bethesda!

    I Think that with 2-4, 8-16, 32-64 players it would be great... and an mmo would be great if made right, i can just imagine now, dark elf mages, wood elf bowmen, nordic axe wielders, swashbuckling redguards, working together in groups, fighting their way through the black marsh, visiting Martin Septims Dragon Form In Stone In the Imperial City, it makes me feel really great about what could happen!

    as for competitive play... i think thats something that needs to be in a controlled enviroment, such as arenas in guild wars, fighting only when you want to and not when a lvl 70 wants to beat a lvl 30 into the dirt *cough* World Of Warcraft *Cough*
    please dont be a blizzard clone Bethesda ahhaa
    and i doubt they will go with what guildwars has already done either, they may use some things, they may use nothing, but they said in an article, an mmo is something they can only do if its totally innovative and new, which could be an adaptation of some guildwars things, some wow things, some age of conan, some lord of the rings online... or they could scrap it all and just say lets invent the best thing ever, which they have done on many occasions!

    i think either way TES V with multiplayer capabilities would make everybody very very happy

  • zaldir

    Posted Jun 8, 2008 12:26 pm PT

    one of the reasons why TES games is so fun is because you are able to mod them. You can make totally new worlds for them. In this way, the game will never become old or not fun anymore. But this isn't possible in a MMO. It would TOTALY ruin the TES series.
    The CS is an important thing in the TES series, so I think this is a BAD idea!

    And one thing I hate in MMO's is that when you do a quest NOTHING happens. In a singleplayer game, if you kill someone special, they will be dead forever, but in a MMO, they will respawn after some minutes. This ruins everything about a RPG game. That's one of the main reasons why I like RPG (singleplayer) games more than MMO games.

    But adding a multiplayer system would be great! Being up to 5 friends playing. Either over the internet, or via LAN. And you would still be able to play singleplayer if you wanted to!

  • failyur

    Posted Jun 7, 2008 12:13 pm PT

    if they don't make a mmorpg they should definately make it co-op mabe even up to 4 players

  • failyur

    Posted Jun 7, 2008 11:45 am PT

    they should set it up like most console games, campaign and multiplayer. what people don't think about is what you could do with a mmorpg. instead of having a single assasins guild there would be multiple factions controlled by people competing or fighting with one another. they could develop a contract system so you could put a hit out on someone. Or you could have the fighters guild escort you through a hostil area. they could make each server have about 4000 people on at a time so its not too crowded yet theres people around. Tamriel as a whole is big and there would be endless fun. dominating the game and then having nothing to do kinda ruins the fun the game makes. Yet playing with your friends or a cousin online would mean you could try new stuff and it'd make restoration a useful skill

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