An 19 page PDF profiling The Elder Scrolls Online has allegedly been leaked from the digital issue of Game Informer for June 2012. The leak features screenshots, concept art and tons of info about the just-announced MMO. According to the preview, the game posits the question, “What happens when hundreds or thousands of prophesised heroes all think that they should be emperor?”
Developers working on Elder Scrolls Online at ZeniMax are after a "good game first," and not a good MMO or Elder Scrolls game. It must stand on its own before those two factors take root. Creative director Paul Sage affirms you still get that 'playing the hero' feeling from any Elder Scrolls adventure. Players "absolutely get that same experience" with plenty of distractions.
Gamesbrief founder Nicholas Lovell is predicting that ZeniMax will launch the upcoming MMO The Elder Scrolls Online as an archetypal monthly subscription-based MMO, but will eventually switch to the fremium model. According to Lovell, "I still believe that subscription games are on the way out. It is conceivable that Bethesda will launch with a subscription service to attract the early adopters, because that is the model they understand."
The upcoming Marketplace content for the next two weeks includes major titles like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Saints Row: The Third available from Games on Demand, while Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 makes its debut tomorrow. The major Collector 2 downloadable content for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 will also be launched, which includes the hyped Face Off duels.
The 1.6 patch for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has gone into beta, which PC gamers can check out right now through the Steam Beta Client. The biggest addition will have mounted combat; that is, players will be able to perform both melee and ranged combat while riding a horse. The patch will also fix some of the more troublesome glitches in the Xbox 360 version.
With The Elder Scrolls Online outed, Bethesda are keen to explain how the brand will tackle the MMO world. While many new ideas circulate, game director Matt Firor has confirmed an old part of the genre is set to return.
It seems to be the week of trademark applications. ZeniMax Media has followed up its recent patent for Dragonborn and the "Fus Ro Dah" shout with another tasty trinket.
Xbox 360 gamers are being given a chance by Bethesda to beta-test the upcoming Dawnguard expansion for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. All they need to do is fill out an application from the official site here. The developer states that the beta will begin in a week after E3 2012. If that weren't enough, those lucky users who were picked will get a redemption code to get the expansion when it's released during the Summer for free.
The reactions to Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls Online MMO has been mixed, as the studio was expecting them to be. Some assumed it would be "Skyrim, but massively multiplayer." That level of fidelity though can't be reached for an MMO, says Pete Hines. When it was "first conceived" they knew it would get mixed commentary, and likened it to Fallout 3's beginnings.
Mounted horse combat arrives with patch 1.6 for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on PC and Xbox 360 as the latest title update is now available. There are a host of other tweaks included too. A fair few deal with game crashes and plugging data leaks, as well as some teething trouble with Kinect. There's been some AI path finding optimisations. W00t! Bow damage fixed.
Bethesda has announced in its Twitter feed that beta keys for the upcoming The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim expansion, Dawnguard, have been sent out.
Rare engineer David Quinn says the studio are investigating ways to make Kinect understand a natural conversation between the player and onscreen character.
Major Nelson has revealed the content that will be hitting Xbox Live Marketplace for the next two weeks from the 26th June to the 9th July. The most noteworthy content hitting Marketplace is the highly anticipated Dawnguard expansion for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which will run gamers a whole 1600 MSP ($19.99 USD), as well as the free Mass Effect 3 Extended Cut and the Close Quarters expansion for Battlefield 3 for 1200 MSP ($14.99 USD).
The upcoming free Earth multiplayer downloadable content for Mass Effect 3 highlights the upcoming Xbox Live Marketplace content revealed by Major Nelson's blog. Other notable offerings includes a Bethesda DLC sale with content for Oblivion and Fallout 3 at 50% off, followed by a half-off sale for Ubisoft games. The Summer of Arcade proceedings start with the release of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD on the 18th July as well.
The recent Dawnguard DLC for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim had a streak of nudism after some NPCs got a little forgetful in donning their garments. Bethesda would like to remind them. It's down to a "version mismatch" and were working with Microsoft to fix it. Well apparently the birthday-suit enthusiasts have now been thoroughly scolded with a 31MB update.
Bethesda has announced that a beta version of the 1.7 update for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is now available on Steam. The patch will be released on all platforms once finalized.
Thanks to the current exclusivity agreement with Microsoft, Bethesda marketing boss Pete Hines has stated that the major Dawnguard expansion for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has not been "announced" yet for PC or PlayStation 3.
Owners of the PC version of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim can rejoice as the highly anticipated Dawnguard expansion is now available for download. It was released last week in a timed exclusive for Xbox 360 owners. However, PlayStation 3 users will have to wait some more, because Bethesda doesn't feel the DLC is ready yet.
For the third week SEGA's London 2012: The Official Video Game has kept its medal winning feet standing atop the highest point of the all format podium, with LEGO Batman 2 earning silver. It's bronze again too for Mario & Sonic London 2012, and runner-up 4th for Batman: Arkham City. The Amazing Spider-Man webslinged 5th from 7th, with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim 6th.
Bethesda has announced what appears to be an Xbox 360 exclusive expansion to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, an add-on called Hearthfire. Simply put, the new expansion gives the dovahkiin a place to live.