[Adam Baumgartner]

I am going to keep an eye out for the "no word" mark to appear and that should give us an indication that the announcement will be about a month out. I'll let ya know if I spot it!

What do you mean 'no word' mark?

[Ray]

What do you mean 'no word' mark?

All trademarks are assigned also with a "word mark" like "Skyrim" but just before they announce a game they typically will trademark a drawing or picture that therefore has no "word" associated with it. For Oblivion they trademarked the Daedric letter for "O" as it was on the cover of the game art. For Fallout, they trademarked the fallout boy. So there will likely be a "no word" mark along the same lines for the new game.

[Mandi Norton]

"One thing I can say is that from when you first hear about it to when it’s out will be the shortest it’s been for us. It’s pretty far along. When we show it, we want to show a lot, because there’s a lot of game there to play right now.
“You know, if [global VP of PR and marketing] Pete Hines came in and said, ‘I want you to show it,’ I’d be like, ‘Okay, I’m ready to show it.’ But we’ve just decided for now not to yet.”
Howard wouldn’t even hint if it was a new Elder Scrolls title or not, but instead mentioned the game was created using modified version of Fallout 3’s engine.
“Fallout 3 technically does a lot more than Oblivion,” he said. “The new stuff is an even bigger jump from that.
“I can say it is on the existing platforms, which we’re really happy with. You almost feel like you have a new console when you see the game.”

You realize that this is HUGE news? They were thinking of announcing it by n0w, but they decided to wait...They are wellinto development, close to an anouncement.

Close to an anouncement.

:celebration: :celebration: :celebration: :celebration:

[lauren cleaves]

You realize that this is HUGE news?

Not to be rude but we've been talking about that here since, like, the very hour that interview was posted online.

[CSar L]

Not to be rude but we've been talking about that here since, like, the very hour that interview was posted online.

Hour? more like minute

[Kayleigh Mcneil]

Not to be rude but we've been talking about that here since, like, the very hour that interview was posted online.

Sorry guys. I come home from college, read that interview, and I couldn't stop myself.

So um...Now that I'm calmed down...Late 2010 annoucement?

[Genocidal Cry]

Sorry guys. I come home from college, read that interview, and I couldn't stop myself.

So um...Now that I'm calmed down...Late 2010 annoucement?

Thats what I'm hoping for.

[Kill Bill]

So um...Now that I'm calmed down...Late 2010 annoucement?

Doubtful, IMO.
I'm still set on a early 2011 announcement.

[Smokey]

I am really excited about the fact that they say it looks like it is on a new console. That sounds amazing, considering that Bethesda doesn't overhype their games.

[Connie Thomas]

I'm thinking we should start keeping in mind Game Informer covers again. The October cover, which will be revealed at PAX in September, is definitely not TES V, so we don't have to start thinking about it yet. But Bethesda is going to announce the game before the cover is revealed so once October starts we should prepare for a potential announcement, which will, frankly, likely lead to disappointment. However, the way I see it is, the more GI covers turn out to not be TES V, the higher the chance that the next one will be the one. That would have sounded crazy a few days ago when we had no idea when TES V would be announced, but after the comments from Todd it isn't so crazy.

And remember guys, it was never the prospect of a GI cover alone that caused all those problems a few months ago with Dragon Age 2, it was that we were following a GI editor's twitter and convinced ourselves that he was definitely talking about TES V. I think that as long as we completely avoid bringing tweets into the conversation here we should be fine.

[Gill Mackin]

All trademarks are assigned also with a "word mark" like "Skyrim" but just before they announce a game they typically will trademark a drawing or picture that therefore has no "word" associated with it. For Oblivion they trademarked the Daedric letter for "O" as it was on the cover of the game art. For Fallout, they trademarked the fallout boy. So there will likely be a "no word" mark along the same lines for the new game.

Sounds like a great way to know when the announcement's coming, good thinking SyltStryder. :thumbsup:

@AntiBody: I figure we'll see an announcement from Beth themselves (on the dev blog or official ES site most likely) before it's revealed anywhere else. I'm not gonna hold my breath for a GI cover until Beth has already made the announcement. What will most likely happen is that there will be a GI cover/spread, but we won't find that out until a few days after Beth announces TESV on the ES website.

Of course it can't hurt to watch GI closely; this is just my best guess as to what will happen and I've been wrong before... But personally I think the "no word" mark SyltStryder mentioned is the best bet. Maybe once we see that happen, we should consider tracking GI and Beth workers on Twitter and the like, looking for hints. But like you say, we should not get too worked up over things we see unless they are clear cut and official.

[Nadia Nad]

Sounds like a great way to know when the announcement's coming, good thinking SyltStyder. :thumbsup:

Picture of a burly Nord incoming!

[Jason Rice]

I'm thinking we should start keeping in mind Game Informer covers again. The October cover, which will be revealed at PAX in September, is definitely not TES V, so we don't have to start thinking about it yet. But Bethesda is going to announce the game before the cover is revealed so once October starts we should prepare for a potential announcement, which will, frankly, likely lead to disappointment. However, the way I see it is, the more GI covers turn out to not be TES V, the higher the chance that the next one will be the one. That would have sounded crazy a few days ago when we had no idea when TES V would be announced, but after the comments from Todd it isn't so crazy.

Statisticially, a outcome has no effect on a variable. For instance, if you roll a dice, and it comes up six, there isn't a more likely chance that it won't be six the next time. Just because a cover isn't ES5 dosen't make it more likely that the next one will be.
Time however does in face effect the outcome. If there is a 100 percent chance of an annoucement, as time passes, the chance that any given day will be a announcement increases.
So covers to game magazines have no impact, it's possible, what with so many unannounced games from develoers right now, that there won't be a cover at all, making probability in that instance extremely unreliable.

[Nicole Elocin]

I registered to say I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this yet

http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/2010/08/16/bethesda-snaffles-up-arkane-makers-of-arx-fatalis/

It hasn't been discussed much here because it doesn't seem to involve TES V at all. However we do have a thread http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1110103-zenimax-acquires-arkane-studios/.

There have been a few offhand mentions in here, generally people who feel that Arkane could do a good Elder Scrolls spinoff. However it seems that Arkane already has their hands full - hopefully with a direct or spiritual sequel to Arx Fatalis!

Also, I could have sworn I was registered here before, and the forums look a tad different now, did bethesda wipe their boards?

Bethesda changed their boards. All of the accounts remained intact.

And no, they didn't wipe their boards (if I get what I think you mean), they just redid the layout.

*tsk* *tsk*

The system admin will occasionally purge inactive accounts - that is accounts that haven't logged in recently (generally the past year) it has nothing to do with posting. From my understanding most of these purges are limited to accounts with no posts or only a handful of posts but they'll sometimes raise or remove the post count requirement. If you didn't have many posts and you hadn't logged in for some time that's probably what happened to you account.

[Gwen]

Not that it necessarily helps in speculation, but just as an aside:

Did anyone catch up on the fact that http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-08-17-mass-effect-2-confirmed-for-ps3? Now, that may not seem related on the surface, but - IIRC and that's often a big IF - there was a picture of a document circulating these threads before E3 where the same news was said to be announced at Sony's presser. It didn't happen, obviously. Interestingly, in that document TESV was also said to be announced at E3. The document was discredited as notable source of speculation / seen as mere rumor because of some of the more controversial titles it contained. Still, merely out of interest, does anyone know if the picture is still around somewhere? I'd just like to see it again.

[Jessica White]

Not that it necessarily helps in speculation, but just as an aside:

Did anyone catch up on the fact that http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-08-17-mass-effect-2-confirmed-for-ps3? Now, that may not seem related on the surface, but - IIRC and that's often a big IF - there was a picture of a document circulating these threads before E3 where the same news was said to be announced at Sony's presser. It didn't happen, obviously. Interestingly, on that document TESV was also said to be announced at E3. The document was discredited as notable source of speculation / seen as mere rumor because of some of the more controversial titles it contained. Still, merely out of interest, does anyone know if the picture is still around somewhere? I'd just like to see it again.

I remember that. No clue where it is though.

I think we might hear more after NV comes out.

[Kayla Oatney]

I am thinking an early 2011 announcement is most likely as well as the company at large will have cleared its slate quite a bit by then. I do suppose anything is possible after New Vegas gets released , i just think a Q1 '11 announcement is more likely.

[Camden Unglesbee]

The system admin will occasionally purge inactive accounts - that is accounts that haven't logged in recently (generally the past year) it has nothing to do with posting. From my understanding most of these purges are limited to accounts with no posts or only a handful of posts but they'll sometimes raise or remove the post count requirement. If you didn't have many posts and you hadn't logged in for some time that's probably what happened to you account.

I was inactive for a couple years with >500 posts and my account got deleted. >:(

[Vicky Keeler]

I'm just as eager as you guys, but to not be too disappointed I have to keep in mind that the second game they mentioned - the one now in pre-production - could be TES V, while the game soon to be announced could be something else. Fallout 4? Something brand new? Also, since New Vegas is out late October, I doubt they would want to announce TES V or anything similar by then, as that would take the focus away from that game. Or so I think.

Btw, does anyone here know how long it was between the announcement of Morrowind and Oblivion, and their release?

[lilmissparty]

I'm just as eager as you guys, but to not be too disappointed I have to keep in mind that the second game they mentioned - the one now in pre-production - could be TES V, while the game soon to be announced could be something else. Fallout 4? Something brand new? Also, since New Vegas is out late October, I doubt they would want to announce TES V or anything similar by then, as that would take the focus away from that game. Or so I think.

Btw, does anyone here know how long it was between the announcement of Morrowind and Oblivion, and their release?

Morrowind:

announced-2000

released-2002

2 years between announcement and release

Oblivion:

announced:2004

released-2006

1 1/2 years between announcement and release

[Loane]

Ok, thanks. Nice to know what we are looking at here.

[Racheal Robertson]

I'm just as eager as you guys, but to not be too disappointed I have to keep in mind that the second game they mentioned - the one now in pre-production - could be TES V, while the game soon to be announced could be something else. Fallout 4? Something brand new? Also, since New Vegas is out late October, I doubt they would want to announce TES V or anything similar by then, as that would take the focus away from that game. Or so I think.

Btw, does anyone here know how long it was between the announcement of Morrowind and Oblivion, and their release?

Why would they be working on fallout 4?obsidian are working on new vegas.

[djimi]

Why would they be working on fallout 4?obsidian are working on new vegas.

Yeah, but New Vegas isn't Fallout 4. Fallout 3 was a huge success, and New Vegas is being quite hyped. Perhaps they want to continue while the iron is still hot? I don't know, I'm just rambling to not get my hopes up, really.

[{Richies Mommy}]

It's not Fallout 4. Well we can't rule it out but I'd say it's about a 1% chance. I'd be VERY surprised to find that the upcoming game is anything other than TES V. It's been a long time since they visited the ES universe, and regardless of how successful Fallout 3 was, the ES titles still have the more loyal fanbase for Beth, I think. And I think regardless of what game it is the same people will buy it and it will be successful... But the fact that they only recently stopped releasing FO3 DLC, and that Obsidian is coming out with Fallout: New Vegas (which Beth is producing and therefore hoping will succeed), make it highly unlikely that they are already revisiting that franchise. Plus that would mean that FO4 has been in preproduction since FO3 was in early development, which just doesn't make any sense. And it makes even less sense when you factor in that this would mean there wasn't a TES title in preproduction while they were working on FO3 / enjoying Oblivion's success.

No, I'd ay it's at least 95% likely to be a TES title. Though whatever it is I'll be following it, but if it's not TES I'll be pretty bummed.

PS Sorry I realize this is a pretty poorly worded post, but it's late and I'm too tired/lazy to spend another 5-10 minutes trying to rephrase things. Hopefully the message still gets across.

[marie breen]

Plus that would mean that FO4 has been in preproduction since FO3 was in early development, which just doesn't make any sense. And it makes even less sense when you factor in that this would mean there wasn't a TES title in preproduction while they were working on FO3 / enjoying Oblivion's success.

That was a very good point. I hadn't thought of that. :celebration: