Slashdot Mirror
Elder Scrolls MMOG In Development?
Gamespot reports on the rumours swirling around the possibility of an Elder Scrolls Massively Multiplayer Online Game. They began when ZeniMax formed their very own Massive development company, ZeniMax Online. The company subsequently hired Matt Firor, formerly of EA Mythic, as its head. Now, the discussion online is centering on the registration of a URL that hints at big things to come for Bethesda's world. Pete Hines, spokesman for Bethesda, has a perfectly rational explanation: '"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 ... People are grabbing domains like these and trying to extract money from us for them, or using them for some other purpose.' 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."
I have played Morrowind and Oblivion as much as possible, doing every guild's quest, etc. etc. It'd definitely be cool to have more life in the Elder Scrolls games, and to have lots of people participating. On the other hand, it'd be a bit odd if every adventurer in the tavern has an unknown past, and was a prisoner set free for mysterious reasons on a one-person quest to save the world from evil. That's the back story to all these games, and I suppose that would have to change, because 20,000 people on a quest to rid the world from evil is a different dynamic, though it is certainly possible, especially if it involves a war with 2 sides, and plenty of co-mingling, as well as soldiering (think Imperial Legion quests with big parties). The idea definitely has potential as well as possible pitfalls.