[Adam Porter]

Really? The fact that they say they are sharing IPs and say they are working closely with Bethesda's staff doesn't convince you that they are, in fact, using one of Bethesda's IPs?

Here's a direct quote:

"Because we are all inside the same corporate structure, we share IP and because our offices are only about an hour apart, we can work closely with Bethesda's staff."

Why would they be working with Bethesda if they weren't using one of their IPs? For the hell of it? Why would they say they share IPs, if they aren't sharing IPs? They may not have said it outright but it's pretty much 100% certain they are indeed using one of Bethesda's IPs.

I know what you are saying. I've read it all before. As I mentioned, there's a good chance they are using one of Beth's IP's, based on what they've said. That being said, we don't have any solid proof that an Elder Scrolls game is being made. That's all I meant.

[Horror- Puppe]

That being said, we don't have any solid proof that an Elder Scrolls game is being made. That's all I meant.

Yeah, that's true. Though I personally believe there's a very good chance, just by using the process of elimination with Bethesda's IPs. They can't make a Fallout IP, so making a TES one just makes sense. But yes, you're right, we have no proof that it is or isn't a TES MMO.

Here's hoping for a Where's Waldo? MMO

I can see the game's description now:

Where's Waldo?

...Everywhere.

[Jade Muggeridge]

Can't the devs see that their lack of announcements is turning us against each other? We need a sentence, a screenshot, or something just to hold us off because at this rate the forum-fans are gonna kill themselves! Talos save us!

[Everardo Montano]

So, if the Skyrim trademarks weren't renewed for the last time in January, would that mean the same thing as the trademarks expiring at the end of July, meaning they'd have to wait some number of months to get the trademark back?


Also, does Bethesda Game Studios have full availability of the new versions for the middlewares they've been using, such as Speedtree, Havok, etc.? With every new update in these middlewares, does Bethesda get the new versions for free?

[Joey Avelar]

So, if the Skyrim trademarks weren't renewed for the last time in January, would that mean the same thing as the trademarks expiring at the end of July, meaning they'd have to wait some number of months to get the trademark back?

Yep, if they didn't file for an extension the trademark would have expired, just like it will at the end of July if they don't announce it.

[Erich Lendermon]

Yep, if they didn't file for an extension the trademark would have expired, just like it will at the end of July if they don't announce it.

So, if the trademark expired, and they got it back months later, they would have 5 or 6 extensions the same way it was before? So I guess it makes sense they would announce it this summer.

[Matt Gammond]

So, if the trademark expired, and they got it back months later, they would have 5 or 6 extensions the same way it was before? So I guess it makes sense they would announce it this summer.

Yep, because it'd be a new trademark. But of course if they announce it before this one expires then the current trademark wont expire for a number of years.

[Nadia Nad]

Is it possible for someone to acquire this trademark before them, after it expires? :whistling:

[Alexis Acevedo]

Is it possible for someone to acquire this trademark before them, after it expires? :whistling:

I assume so, but if they plan on letting it expire, I'm sure their legal team wont waste a second filing for a new one. So you better get those papers ready well before it expires Mike

[Lew.p]

Really? The fact that they say they are sharing IPs and say they are working closely with Bethesda's staff doesn't convince you that they are, in fact, using one of Bethesda's IPs?

Here's a direct quote:

"Because we are all inside the same corporate structure, we share IP and because our offices are only about an hour apart, we can work closely with Bethesda's staff."

Why would they be working with Bethesda if they weren't using one of their IPs? For the hell of it? Why would they say they share IPs, if they aren't sharing IPs? They may not have said it outright but it's pretty much 100% certain they are indeed using one of Bethesda's IPs.

Well it seems likely that they are, but it is a recruitment form... It is likely they're basically saying "why" they are good, and just use the IP as saying that we have the chance, and may sometimes use it, to work with Bethesda.

Anyway, I just want too know, that even if they were using some of Beth's IP why would it be an MMO?

[Samantha hulme]

Anyway, I just want too know, that even if they were using some of Beth's IP why would it be an MMO?

...

Because its Zenimax Online. They make mmos. Is literally right at the top of what Antibody posted.
"...massive AAA quality MMOG title..."
"We are focusing solely on MMOGs..."

[Love iz not]

Why does everyone assume that, because it's Bethesda, it must be an Elderscrolls game? The gameplay style does not lend itself at all too an MMO, and while yes their would be name recognition for "Elderscrolls!" those who play Bethesda games are typically "hardcoe" about it. Even if they don't play many other games the very nature of the type of games Bethesda makes either means people are likely either to play it for less than an hour and not be interested. Or play it for 200 hours and love it. Meaning there's a large market segment who'd go "ooh Elderscrolls" that would also say "Eww" to anything like a typical MMO.

[Roberta Obrien]

Why does everyone assume that, because it's Bethesda, it must be an Elderscrolls game? The gameplay style does not lend itself at all too an MMO, and while yes their would be name recognition for "Elderscrolls!" those who play Bethesda games are typically "hardcoe" about it. Even if they don't play many other games the very nature of the type of games Bethesda makes either means people are likely either to play it for less than an hour and not be interested. Or play it for 200 hours and love it. Meaning there's a large market segment who'd go "ooh Elderscrolls" that would also say "Eww" to anything like a typical MMO.

It's not Bethesda, it's Zenimax Online. I'll post what I said earlier again:

As far as the MMO is concerned:

A. We know that Zenimax Online is using one of Bethesda's IPs for it's MMO. http://www.zenimaxonline.com/faq.html

B. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethesda_Softworks#Games_developed_by_Bethesda In the last decade, they've made games for a few series, namely Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, IHRA Drag Racing, and PBA Tour Bowling.

C. Most games in the IHRA Drag Racing and PBA Tour Bowling series got anywhere from mediocre to horrible review scores, and they certainly aren't well known. That leaves The Elder Scrolls and Fallout.

D. Bethesda said in court that they aren't working on a Fallout MMO, and if I recall correctly it was under oath. Look at the court records on Duck and Cover to see for yourself. Besides, Zenimax Online was formed before Fallout 3 was even released, so they would be taking a big risk by making an MMO for it before Fallout 3 was even out yet.

So that just leaves one IP left, The Elder Scrolls. And unless they're working on a brand new IP and the whole thing about "one of gaming's best known IPs" is a lie, it's the only thing that makes sense.

If you find a hole in that theory that actually makes sense, I'll give you a cookie. I don't think Bethesda wants to get sued for perjury by making a Fallout MMO, so it's pretty damn likely that it's an Elder Scrolls MMO.

[Cody Banks]

not a hole, but another possibility.
Beth did some star trek stuff (or was it terminator). That stuff has been on the rise in popular culture, at least about when zenimax started up.
So, if put to a vote, could terminator or star trek be "one of gamings best known ID's"? I feel like claiming that title for TES is a bit pre-mature.
So could a possible zenimax MMO start up from some star trek or terminator arcitecture?

Granted, that stuff was a long time back. And I am not working off solid facts, just memory and naive intuition.

[Schel[Anne]FTL]

If you find a hole in that theory that actually makes sense, I'll give you a cookie. I don't think Bethesda wants to get sued for perjury by making a Fallout MMO, so it's pretty damn likely that it's an Elder Scrolls MMO.

And a possible hole I find in your theory is the use of the term IP. As I see it, Zenimax Online's website uses 'IP' in a plural sense (meaning many assets) as opposed to a singular sense - in which case it would have referred to a game universe and is the way you and others have interpreted it. In the sense ZO uses it, 'intellectual property' could mean any proprietary information such as graphic assets, sound assets, engine code, or other things and does not exclusively refer to using a game universe. I believe we can safely interpret Zenimax Online as saying through their website that since they're owned by the same company they can share game development assets with Bethesda much like they can also share assets with ID Software. Remember that Zenimax Online was formed and their website up before Zenimax Media bought ID Software, which is probably why ID isn't referenced there.


Allow me to offer my interpretations of ZO's website and hopefully put this useless MMO speculation to rest:

"...we have access to some of gaming's best known IP..." - If they were referring to a game universe then it seems more logical that they would have phrased it this way: "...we have access to one of gaming's best known IP...", which ironically is how most here have misquoted it as saying.

"...the massive success of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Fallout 3 only adds to the assets that helped fund ZeniMax Online." - The way they use 'assets' here (both monetary and IP) supports my interpretation of a plural understanding of IP.

"Because we are all inside the same corporate structure, we share IP and because our offices are only about an hour apart, we can work closely with Bethesda's staff." - Again, 'IP' is used in a plural form and therefore not referring specifically to a game universe.


I am not attempting to disprove here the theory that Zenimax Online COULD be developing a TES MMO, which is quite possible. However, some here have erroneously jumped to the conclusion that Zenimax Online's sharing of IP could only mean making a TES game - such a conclusion is pretentious at best with the information we have and at worst simply false.

[Emma]

not a hole, but another possibility.
Beth did some star trek stuff (or was it terminator). That stuff has been on the rise in popular culture, at least about when zenimax started up.
So, if put to a vote, could terminator or star trek be "one of gamings best known ID's"? I feel like claiming that title for TES is a bit pre-mature.
So could a possible zenimax MMO start up from some star trek or terminator arcitecture?

Granted, that stuff was a long time back. And I am not working off solid facts, just memory and naive intuition.

Bethesda lost the terminator license long ago, judging by the many terminator games to come out since then, so that's not possible. And they never developed a Star Trek game, contrary to popular belief, they only published a few. Everything in the chart I linked is all they've ever developed. I researched it myself and made sure everything was accurate. You should have seen it before I came and organized it, it was so full of games they didn't actually develop I was amazed.

Allow me to offer my interpretations of ZO's website and hopefully put this useless MMO speculation to rest:

Definitely seems plausible, that's for sure. I'd certainly be relieved if it wasn't a MMO based off of any of Bethesda's games, and what you said does give me a little more hope.

[Jennifer Munroe]

I'd certainly be relieved if it wasn't a MMO based off of any of Bethesda's games, and what you said does give me a little more hope.

I would likewise be relieved. The fear of a TES MMO is the stuff of nightmares for me.

[Marlo Stanfield]

All right. It seems my ignorance is cured. Thanks

snip

And I said ID, huh, I see how all the anagrams run together if we're not careful.

[Anthony Rand]

I would likewise be relieved. The fear of a TES MMO is the stuff of nightmares for me.

I honestly don't think so. Because IMO, I don't think it'll impact the next TES game though. So if they DO come out with a TESMMO, it wont phase me, because I'll still have TES:V.

[Robert Jackson]

If they don't release any information by the expiration, I'm going to trademark it.

[ONLY ME!!!!]

If they don't release any information by the expiration, I'm going to trademark it.

You could sell it back to them, for a price. Demand information.

[adame]

Or money...

[JR Cash]

I honestly don't think so. Because IMO, I don't think it'll impact the next TES game though. So if they DO come out with a TESMMO, it wont phase me, because I'll still have TES:V.

I agree, we still get what we want. Also, I hate every MMO I've tried, but hey, maybe Elderscrolls could change that. :foodndrink:

I really don't like many games that aren't elderscrolls anyways.

[Phoenix Draven]

Even if they had developed Star Trek games, and not published them, there's no way they'd make a Star Trek MMO. There's already one being made by a different company.

[Shianne Donato]

Every MMO iv played have absolutely no story. You just apear in the game world out of thin air, and do endless "go for" quests or power level your chracter for no other reason than its the only other thing to do.