To be perfectly honest, when The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was first announced it took me a while before I noticed it before eventually getting hooked on to it for hours that I have now lost count of. However, as great as that was, it’s now a bigger treat to know that The Elder Scrolls Online has finally received a release date for both PC and next generation consoles in April and June next year, respectively.
While we have been treated to a number of details in the past regarding the online rendition of the popular Elder Scrolls title, a specific release date for the same was yet to be found out. However, Bethesda Softworks has now finally announced that although the game won’t be getting a simultaneous release across all platforms, it will arrive on April 4 for PC and Mac, while next generation consoles like a PS4 and Xbox One will see a release for the same in June.
Published by Bethesda Softworks and developed by ZeniMax Online Studios, The Elder Scrolls Online is basically the result of around six to seven years of development by Zenimax Online Studios, and is the first MMO in the 20 years since the franchise first kicked off with The Elder Scrolls: Arena way back in 1994.
“Worldwide demand for The Elder Scrolls Online is extraordinarily high. This means we need to do a staggered rollout of the different versions of the game to spread out the initial service load and ensure an enjoyable, smooth gameplay experience,” Game Director Matt Firor wrote in a special message for the game.
“It is not only a game we are launching – it is a large online service as well, and our number one priority is to ensure a trouble-free, stable rollout for everyone.”
“We’ve had approximately 4 million people sign up for beta and that number continues to grow. We hope that just about every one of you who have signed up for beta will get an invitation to play sometime between now and the weeks before launch. These tests are very important, not only for gameplay feedback, but also to test our infrastructure,” he added.
“Beta tests can sometimes be a little rough when we are testing some systems for the first time with large numbers of players. So thank you to all who have participated for your understanding and support. It is very much appreciated.”
As revealed earlier, The Elder Scrolls Online is set to require a $15 monthly subscription fee for subscribers. And although the company is willing to offer fans a free month of gameplay, the price for the initial game is yet to be disclosed.
