[Michelle Chau]

At least 31 threads. Or 6200 posts.

But really, we don't know much, but we know more than nothing. Actually we know something big. And that is the trademark which expires soon for a video game named "Skyrim."

Its the biggest solid evidence we have for TESV.

There's really nothing else to speculate on:
1. Bethesda announcing at E3 is unlikely as they have never done this before and Pete Hines has personally said it is not a good place to do so.
2. Bethesda waiting until the 'next consoles' is also highly unlikely as Sony and Microsoft have both expressed that they want to keep the current consoles for several more years. The announcements and promotions of Natal and the PS Move are evidence of this.
3. Bethesda is working on a project (they have said this), and they have specifically said that they do not make MMOs. So, we can say with confidence that the next game is not going to be an MMO.
4. Obsidian is working on New Vegas, so we can say with confidence that the project Bethesda is working on is not Fallout-related.
5. Pete Hines has specifically said they realize how successful the TES series is and they have no plans to abandon it.
6. Pete Hines has expressed that QuakeCon is a good place to announce and/or showcase games, and Zenimax wants to expand it. QuakeCon is around the same time the trademark expires.
7. Bethesda has showcased both Oblivion and Fallout 3 in Gameinformer. They are likely to continue that pattern.
8. Bethesda has announced past games first online. They are likely to continue that pattern.

Likely scenario (in my opinion):
1. TESV announced, likely online, sometime between now and trademark expiration date.
2. Showcased in a Gameinformer.
3. Showcased at QuakeCon.
4. Usual showcasing at game conventions and online and stuff until release.
5. Released a year or two from now.

I think that the 'statement of use' and 'use in commerce' complicated trademark gooblygook, will not matter all that much in the end.

I mean, there's no way they can release TESV this summer.

I like your lists... i like 'em a lot :tops:

[Makenna Nomad]

I'm not usually one to kick a dead horse, but there's not much else to do so here I go. About this trademark expiring business, I don't think they would have bought it as a cruel joke to have led us on for these past few years or cancel it if its there major working title. And would they really throw out a couple thousand dollars, just so they don't have to announce a game a bit earlier than expected? Isn't that like if someone just burned $10(or whatever the equivalent is in your country) for no real reason?(Without the whole illegal part)

[kasia]

Well, like many of you, I go to the Elderscrolls home page every morning, hoping for an announcement there. Then I browse the speculation thread here to see what everyone is talking about. Well, this morning, I got all excited when I saw a new headline on the Elderscrolls page. I mean, why wouldn't I? The last time it was updated was 1/7/2010. But then I came back down to reality when I realized the big news there was just an article about Oblivion and Fallout 3 making the PC gamer list. I suppose I'm just being too optimistic. :banghead:

[ONLY ME!!!!]

Dear Todd/Pete/GStaff/guy with the panda avatar,

We need speculation before some people go mad.

Sincerely,
A concerned forumer

[cosmo valerga]

i dont think it will be showcased in game informer this time. I think it will be replaced with a showcasing at Quakecon. Judging by pete hines' comments. Anyone else see this?

[Kill Bill]

Well, like many of you, I go to the Elderscrolls home page every morning, hoping for an announcement there. Then I browse the speculation thread here to see what everyone is talking about. Well, this morning, I got all excited when I saw a new headline on the Elderscrolls page. I mean, why wouldn't I? The last time it was updated was 1/7/2010. But then I came back down to reality when I realized the big news there was just an article about Oblivion and Fallout 3 making the PC gamer list. I suppose I'm just being too optimistic. :banghead:

Their rankings kind of surprised me, I thought F3 and Ob would be high, but not #2 & #7. That sort of makes Beth their top developer ( except maybe Valve)

[Code Affinity]

How long you ask? For as long as we have to keep refuting outdated posts like these below:

Sorry, I didn't realize that the Natal thing was already discussed.

Do you happen to know which thread number it's in? I wouldn't mind giving it a read.

[Felix Walde]

Their rankings kind of surprised me, I thought F3 and Ob would be high, but not #2 & #7. That sort of makes Beth their top developer ( except maybe Valve)

True. I was really surprised FO3 went all the way to number 2? I'm planning on playing though it while I wait for TES5. Finishing up Dragon Age right now.

[jodie]

True. I was really surprised FO3 went all the way to number 2? I'm planning on playing though it while I wait for TES5.

I actually prefer it over Oblivion by quite a bit. I felt that the dialogue system was far superior to Oblivion's "I don't know how to say more than one word sentences" system. Additionally, I liked the way perks were implemented compared to Oblivion. I also enjoyed how rare or epic items were seemingly randomly distributed around the map making exploration of dark tunnels worthwhile.

[RaeAnne]

I actually prefer it over Oblivion by quite a bit. I felt that the dialogue system was far superior to Oblivion's "I don't know how to say more than one word sentences" system. Additionally, I liked the way perks were implemented compared to Oblivion. I also enjoyed how rare or epic items were seemingly randomly distributed around the map making exploration of dark tunnels worthwhile.

i have been hearing alot of nice things about FO3 lately , which is nice considering it came out like what a year and a half a go…or a little more then that now.

[Nathan Barker]

i have been hearing alot of nice things about FO3 lately , which is nice considering it came out like what a year and a half a go…or a little more then that now.

Fallout 3, I only bought it because it was a Bethesda RPG and I wanted to see if they took any suggestions regarding Oblivion. In many ways they did, like fast travel, etc. I will not buy New Vegas because it is Fallout but not Bethesda, plus way too much advertisemant. I can't go on the blog without seeing seven New Vegas posts.

[c.o.s.m.o]

Fallout 3, I only bought it because it was a Bethesda RPG and I wanted to see if they took any suggestions regarding Oblivion. In many ways they did, like fast travel, etc. I will not buy New Vegas because it is Fallout but not Bethesda, plus way too much advertisemant. I can't go on the blog without seeing seven New Vegas posts.

Well what else do you expect them to talk about? It's a blog for talking about their games, developed or published. New Vegas is one of them, so of course they're going to talk about it a lot.

[Shiarra Curtis]

Well what else do you expect them to talk about? It's a blog for talking about their games, developed or published. New Vegas is one of them, so of course they're going to talk about it a lot.

I know. I'm just venting, really. But you need to admit, there's a LOT of New Vegas stuff on there consecutively.

[Michael Korkia]

I know. I'm just venting, really. But you need to admit, there's a LOT of New Vegas stuff on there consecutively.

Because it is coming out soon.

[Ownie Zuliana]

Look, look, I'm just saying, the game isn't even out and I'm already sick of it. Same thing happened with Bayonetta, that movie Legion, and now that James Bond-meets-Mass Effect game, as well as FNV. Anyways, off-topic, screw it.

[Je suis]

So did the skyrim trademark expire or something?

[Tammie Flint]

So did the skyrim trademark expire or something?

Nope. Just some technicalities with the Skyrim trademarks.

[roxanna matoorah]

Nope. Just some technicalities with the Skyrim trademarks.

What technicalities. Like legal stuff?

[Connor Wing]

What technicalities. Like legal stuff?

Read through this thread and the last, you'll see what he's talking about.

[Sandeep Khatkar]

Oh. Don't care then.

[Soph]

Basically the thread has been running around in circles trying to become lawyers.

[josh evans]

Basically the thread has been running around in circles trying to become lawyers.

Haha. Now the thread makes a lot more sense to me.

[gary lee]

Haha. Now the thread makes a lot more sense to me.

Yeah it does get hard to understand what is happening if you don't check in every 2 hours

[Philip Lyon]

Does anyone know how long it takes to actually file a statement of use? I'm sure the government, being the efficient machine that it is, takes months to fully deliberate about the mark, gets drunk, accidentally sends it to india, swims to india to retrieve it, spends a week in India discussing its rediscovery, and brings it back to the US to some patty mcfattya$$ whose hair is taller than shaq, and who hasn't worked since the OB mark, so has to relearn the process.

In case the sarcasm is too much, I'm curious if the SoU takes a while to get pushed through the mark office.

On another note, the SoU may get filed after the game release, but what about the merch mark? I would assume there is a limited number of ways to use merchandise in commerce. That is, they either need to sell it or get it in stores for purchasing. Since this mark will also be expiring before the game's, I would say there is still reason to believe TESV will be announced this summer.

[Rob]

Sorry, I didn't realize that the Natal thing was already discussed.

Do you happen to know which thread number it's in? I wouldn't mind giving it a read.

No big deal; who wants to read through 31 threads of mostly nonsense? I'm not exactly sure which thread this was discussed, but I would venture a guess somewhere more near the first few threads.

Basically the thread has been running around in circles trying to become lawyers.

Who, me? :whistling:

Does anyone know how long it takes to actually file a statement of use?

The filing part probably takes relatively little time (it's just paperwork), but the approval time, as is typical of government bureaucracy, may take several weeks. Thankfully, the USPTO database is fairly up to date so even if the SOU isn't approved it would still show up on TARR as having been received.

On another note, the SoU may get filed after the game release, but what about the merch mark? I would assume there is a limited number of ways to use merchandise in commerce. That is, they either need to sell it or get it in stores for purchasing. Since this mark will also be expiring before the game's, I would say there is still reason to believe TESV will be announced this summer.

This is a good observation, and in ignorance I at first thought that the "Skyrim" mark being used on the merchandise would be considered Use in Commerce for all trademark applications. Therefore, my prediction was that they'd announce the game and also offer the merchandise to satisfy the Use in Commerce requirement. However, I now believe that will ONLY satisfy Use in Commerce for the trademark applying specifically to the merchandise and not the ones associated with the game. My only hope at this point is that offering something like pre-orders (or some other option) would be considered Use in Commerce, thus making an announcement this summer a possibility. However, no one has yet been able to present any evidence of this having been done before so until we get more information we'll just have to wait and see.