[Shae Munro]

There is NO OFFICIAL information about a new TES game release.

This thread is for member speculation of when and if TES V will be released. This is where you post any new information about when it might be released, tidbits from interviews which mention it and such.

It is also where you post your theories of when you think it might come out based on guesses, number crunching, rumors or such.

This is about speculating on the next TES game and when -- or if -- it is going to be released. It is not a place for discussion of what is going to be in it, what type of graphics there will be, or any other subject of that type; they belong in the http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1147719-tes-v-ideas-and-suggestions-188/. If those kind of posts get raised they will be deleted and the poster warned for going off topic.


Please note that this thread is not a personal chat box and that one liners and posts of little substance will be considered as spam and thus the poster will be subject to warnings and suspensions.

No scans of copy righted material are allowed in this thread. Any claims to having insider information will be removed. All other forum rules apply. You agreed to them, so please read them.

More recent interviews of note:
April 27th, 2009: http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/974/974529p1.html
June 25th, 2009: http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=24211 (particularly this quoted part)August 14th, 2009: http://news.bigdownload.com/2009/08/14/quakecon-2009-todd-howard-keynote-highlights/
August 17th, 2009: Pete clarify many things of what happen in QuakeCon in this blog: http://bethblog.com/index.php/2009/08/17/clarifying-about-next-elder-scrolls-game-mmo-etc/
January 6th, 2010: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/kotaku/2010/01/06/chatting-with-fallout-and-oblivions-todd-howard, at the 9:30-10:30 mark Todd Howard said: "[...] we spend a lot of time adding to the engine, [...] and we've sort of been doing that with the big new game [we've been] making since we finished Fallout 3. You know we finished Fallout 3 over a year ago so that whole time has been spent re-doing a large part of our basic technology[...]".
May 4th 2010: http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/interview-bethesdas-pete-hines/ about future games
July 29th 2010: http://www.industrygamers.com/news/bethesdas-todd-howard-on-rpg-development-3d-not-supporting-nintendo-and-more/
August 2010: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-08-16-bethesdas-todd-howard-interview?page=1 and an http://pc.ign.com/articles/111/1112464p1.html

PLEASE NOTE: AS PER MODERATOR REQUESTS IN THE PREVIOUS THREAD, PLEASE CONFINE THIS DISCUSSION TO SPECULATION TO BETHESDA GAME STUDIOS / TES:V. DISCUSSION OF ZENIMAX ONLINE STUDIOS PROJECTS OR AN ES MMO SHOULD GO IN THE http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1119156-official-tes-multiplayer-thread/.

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1146721-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-85/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1147179-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-86/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1147410-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-87/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1147605-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-88/
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1143919-official-tesv-speculation-thread-80/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1144203-official-tesv-speculation-thread-81/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1144640-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-82/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1145334-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-83/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1145334-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-84/,
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1137326-official-tesv-speculation-thread-75/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1139329-official-tesv-speculation-thread-76/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1141791-official-tesv-speculation-thread-77/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1143510-official-tesv-speculation-thread-78/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1143816-official-tesv-speculation-thread-79/,
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1120980-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-70/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1121566-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-71/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1125693-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-72/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1130717-official-tesv-speculation-thread-73/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1134863-official-tesv-speculation-thread-74/,
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1114652-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-65/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1115729-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-66/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1117012-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-67/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1118503-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-68/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1119624-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-69/,
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1110826-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-60/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1110982-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-61/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1111500-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-62/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1112416-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-63/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1113334-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-64/,
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1106754-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-55/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1107601-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-56/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1108632-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-57/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1109811-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-58/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1110163-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-59/,
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1103053-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-50/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1103159-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-51/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1103382-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-52/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1104047-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-53/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1104749-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-54/,
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1101929-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-45/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1102423-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-46/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1102619-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-47/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1102744-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-48/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1102894-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-49/,
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1099526-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-40/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1100100-tes-v-speculation-thread-41/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1100625-tes-v-speculation-thread-42/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1101362-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-43/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1101692-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-44/,

[yermom]

GENERAL BEHAVIOR NOTICE

This thread had a lot of problems lately, and honestly I can't sum it up better than Summer in the last thread:

You folks are still treating this board as a chit chat area and posting about other games and their announcements, folks birthdays and Bioware's habits. Just don't post until there is something new to add about TESV.

How freaking hard is that? Please don't make us sit in this thread 24/7 because quite frankly we can just close all discussion about it.

Take a break. Spend the time searching for something new or call a friend or take a walk. :toughninja:

We feel that this is an important thread in this forum but not so important that we're going to let it run rampant. Lately it's been a chore to take care of, if this continues we're going to start handing out warnings for this behavior and when the thread hits 200 posts we may wait a few days before opening a new iteration.

Consider this your official notice to be on your best behavior.

FURTHERMORE

Please use http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1146475-video-game-awards-2010/ for general discussion of the Spike TV Video Game Awards.

[Maria Leon]

I can see how you would view it as off topic but we are only talking about the other games as to rule them out as the next GI cover in February. Which we think and hope is the next installment of the Elder Scrolls. If we talk about how its been less than a year since ME2 was released we are saying it because that rules it out as the next GI cover. Im not trying to be argumentative but it seems like the mods have consistently missed this point.

We were talking in circles though and that should stop.

22 users viewing a topic with 2 posts. Im feeling lonely guys.

[suzan]

I can see how you would view it as off topic but we are only talking about the other games as to rule them out as the next GI cover in February. Which we think and hope is the next installment of the Elder Scrolls. If we talk about how its been less than a year since ME2 was released we are saying it because that rules it out as the next GI cover. Im not trying to be argumentative but it seems like the mods have consistently missed this point.

I don't think its best to disagree. If the mods see it as off topic, its off topic, end of thread.

I think us fans have got nearly all we can from Reiner and such, without going into confidential matters.
I'm just sitting tight until the VGAs, despite not having high hopes for it, and see what happens after that.

[Carlos Vazquez]

If you are new to the Speculation threads (or it has been a while since yoy have participated), this summary of useful information should help you get caught up: http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1147605-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-88/page__view__findpost__p__16774019

Also, regarding the discussion of other games - if I'm interpreting this correctly, unless it's directly related to a potential future TES announcement, it's off limits. No proposing or "ruling out" of games we feel compete with the slot we expect TES to fill. If that's the case, I respectfully disagree with what the staff defines as "off-topic", but I will happily comply because, frankly, I'd rather have somewhere to discuss TES:V developments and have to pare down what we discuss than have no place whatsoever to do so.

Still, I am having trouble understanding why the determination has been made the way it has - aside from maybe 1/10th of the posts which were truly not discussing a potential Elder Scrolls announcement or related topics, everyone seemed more focused on true speculation than they have been in a long time. The volume and frequency of posts has gone up, sure - but in my opinion, that's due to a perceived impending TES-related announcement, not an increase in unrelated posts.

Anyway, that's all I have to say about that. On to speculating.

[Tamika Jett]

So the VGA's are tomorow....... :celebration:

For some strange reason, I am starting to fell there won't be a feb. GI cover, IDK why but March is what I am starting to think.

[Emma Parkinson]

I can see how you would view it as off topic but we are only talking about the other games as to rule them out as the next GI cover in February. Which we think and hope is the next installment of the Elder Scrolls. If we talk about how its been less than a year since ME2 was released we are saying it because that rules it out as the next GI cover. Im not trying to be argumentative but it seems like the mods have consistently missed this point.

A small amount of discussion like this is OK providing it's kept closely tied to the topic at hand but it's quite common in these threads for these discussions to go on at length and in depth, and often only keeping a tenuous connection to TES V.

So it's acceptable to say "I don't think Bethesda would show TES V at the VGAs, they've gone with magazine unveilings lately and even expanded upon this with FONV. Granted FONV was developed by Obsidian but it's a Bethesda IP. I'd guess that Orcstomper Xtreme will be shown at the VGA instead, that would fit Acme Games developement cycle since their games are usually released three years apart."

It would not be acceptable to start with that and then include an in depth run down of the Acme Games developement cycles, their marketing strategies, or what not. If people are discussing the VGAs it also isn't acceptable to have a side-conversation about what you think will and won't be there, that belongs in it's own thread in Community Discussion. (Where it would be fine to dissect the marketing strategies of Acme Games by the way).

A general discussion of Bethesda Softworks or BGS may touch on other titles they're involved with, specifically the Fallout titles, and we're more understanding here: a discussion of BGS dev cycles that didn't involve Fallout would be rather silly. However we still don't want to see an in depth discussion on Fallout developement or what they're doing with RAGE, etc.




I don't mind clarifying this but any further questions need to be PMed to me or one of the other moderators, we don't want this thread to become a discussion of itself.

[Leanne Molloy]

End Lurk/

Ok, lurking 5 threads still hasn't given me this answer
What does VGA stand for, what is it? Im guessing its some sort of gaming convention like E3?
And im guessing its on tomorrow?

[Nicholas]

My only other input is this:

After the VGAs are over tomorrow, I'm going to ask Reiner if the cover is one of the games that were unveiled.

[Cagla Cali]

End Lurk/

Ok, lurking 5 threads still hasn't given me this answer
What does VGA stand for, what is it? Im guessing its some sort of gaming convention like E3?
And im guessing its on tomorrow?

The Video Game Awards. They're kind of like the grammys for video games. They'll be on Spike TV starting tomorrow at 8PM eastern time (5PM pacific time).

Edit: Probably should have mentioned, every year there are a bunch of video game announcements and reveals. This year I think they are planning on having like 10+ so some of us (myself included) are kind of hoping TESV might be one of them.

[roxanna matoorah]

End Lurk/

Ok, lurking 5 threads still hasn't given me this answer
What does VGA stand for, what is it? Im guessing its some sort of gaming convention like E3?
And im guessing its on tomorrow?

Video Game Awards. We're guessing that there will be no TES news there.

EDIT: Ninja'd

[Frank Firefly]

@Mr Tissue box.

Great Idea
Then we can nail down if the game is TES5

[sophie]

Video Game Awards. We're guessing that there will be no TES news there.

I agree, if Bethesda had an in-developement game they'd already announced I could see them showing a new gameplay video or something similar at the VGAs - but an announcement seems unlikely. I don't think Bethesda will necessarily stick with big magazine unveilings but I do think they'd avoid an event that has so many other announcements in it. I'm sure an Elder Scrolls V announcement would get plenty of coverage even if it was in the middle of a big event like the VGAs or E3 but why compete for air time if you don't have to?

Then again, does anyone have viewer numbers for the VGAs? If it's comparable to Game Informer's subscription base that would be a point in its favor - and if you can stream it online from anywhere in the world that could be worth a lot too.

[MARLON JOHNSON]

Then again, does anyone have viewer numbers for the VGAs? If it's comparable to Game Informer's subscription base that would be a point in its favor - and if you can stream it online from anywhere in the world that could be worth a lot too.

http://news.bigdownload.com/2010/01/25/spike-tvs-2009-video-game-awards-see-dip-in-ratings/

"Variety's Cut Scene blog reports that the show had just 647,000 viewers tuned into the show last December."

EDIT: Post below has better information.

[ZANEY82]

Then again, does anyone have viewer numbers for the VGAs? If it's comparable to Game Informer's subscription base that would be a point in its favor - and if you can stream it online from anywhere in the world that could be worth a lot too.

According to these figures, the ratings have dropped in recent years.http://weblogs.variety.com/the_cut_scene/2010/01/so-how-did-the-vgas-do-in-the-ratings.html. http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2010/12/01/game-informer-magazine-subscribers-surpass-4-3-million-over-800k-in-2010-beating-out-time-people-and-sports-illustrated.htm.
These are from a quick google search, albeit, but the second article shows results from Us consumer reports.

I think if Bethesda were to show TES:V at the VGAs, they would have announced it first, like you said, why would you compete for attention for such a long awaited game?

[Stat Wrecker]

Thank you mods for reopening the thread! Your vigilance is welcomed.

[Jennifer Rose]

Just got my issue of Game Informer in the mail today! Hopefully someone didn't post what I'm about to in the section of the last thread that I haven't read yet, if someone has feel free to make me feel silly.

Anyway:

This article is in the "Classic" section of the magazine. It is the second to last section, in between the end of the reviews and the "Game Over" section, which usually features a short article about something random. This section isn't always there. For example, it wasn't there in the December issue, or the October issue, but it was there in the November issue. And in that issue, it was two pages about the fall of the company Tengen and the legal issues surrounding Pong. I'm mentioning this all to point out that this while this section isn't regularly used in an issue, it isn't totally random either.

Onto the article itself. As I mentioned before, the first two pages are all quotes from developers about specific games. Nothing really interesting here. On the third page is the title "Elder Lore" and a map of Tamriel with 9 circles and numbers over the location that each of the games and expansion packs took place in, two of those numbers being in a little hole "torn" into the map labeled "Oblivion." Above it is a quote from Todd talking about how they try to treat the world like a real place that you can make a difference in.

On the fourth page is a summarization of each game and expansion pack, and on the right of the page is a picture of Morrowind (with one of those images that came with it's announcement that looks nothing like the final product), Tribunal, Bloodmoon, Oblivion (with a picture from KOTN for some reason) and Shivering Isles. In each summarization is a little section where the interviewer asks Kurt Kuhlmann the "Impact" each game had on the lore. And at the bottom of the page it tells the reader to go to "gameinformer.com/mag for our full interviews with the developers at Bethesda, including expanded story details and central characters from each franchise entry, as well as accounts of the technical advancements made in each game." It's too bad that when you go to that link, the most recent issue you can view is October 2010, so those interviews are seemingly out of reach.

My conclusion:

I'm a bit less sure than I was yesterday. The article wasn't just randomly inserted into the magazine, it is in a section devoted to talking about "Classics." However, it does still seem odd that they'd highlight the Elder Scrolls out of the blue, and even go so far as interview the developers about it. I'm certainly not saying all hope is lost or anything, but I'm just a bit less sure than I was.

[Elle H]

I agree, if Bethesda had an in-developement game they'd already announced I could see them showing a new gameplay video or something similar at the VGAs - but an announcement seems unlikely. I don't think Bethesda will necessarily stick with big magazine unveilings but I do think they'd avoid an event that has so many other announcements in it. I'm sure an Elder Scrolls V announcement would get plenty of coverage even if it was in the middle of a big event like the VGAs or E3 but why compete for air time if you don't have to?

Then again, does anyone have viewer numbers for the VGAs? If it's comparable to Game Informer's subscription base that would be a point in its favor - and if you can stream it online from anywhere in the world that could be worth a lot too.

The most recent ratings (2009) peg the VGAs at an audience of about 680,000. Note that this was a 28% drop from the year before, so if we were to predict this year's numbers, they'd be smaller than 680,000. SOURCE: http://i.joystiq.com/2009/01/14/spike-video-game-awards-ratings-down-26/

In comparison, thanks to the mandatory subscription coupled with every GameStop rewards card subscription, GameInformer has a subscriber base of 4,364,170. That number does not include the likely large numbers of people who read and buy GameInformer off the shelf. SOURCE: http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2010/12/01/game-informer-magazine-subscribers-surpass-4-3-million-over-800k-in-2010-beating-out-time-people-and-sports-illustrated.htm

So yeah, there really is no comparison. A GameInformer cover will net you anywhere from 7 to 10 times the number of "potential impressions" that the VGAs offer. The only advantage the VGAs have is video content.

[Princess Johnson]

I'm a bit less sure than I was yesterday. The article wasn't just randomly inserted into the magazine, it is in a section devoted to talking about "Classics." However, it does still seem odd that they'd highlight the Elder Scrolls out of the blue, and even go so far as interview the developers about it. I'm certainly not saying all hope is lost or anything, but I'm just a bit less sure than I was.

My hypothesis is that GI interviewed the Bethesda devs for the Jan spread while they were talking to them about the big Elder Scrolls V reveal for Feb's issue.

[sharon]

I'm a bit less sure than I was yesterday. The article wasn't just randomly inserted into the magazine, it is in a section devoted to talking about "Classics." However, it does still seem odd that they'd highlight the Elder Scrolls out of the blue, and even go so far as interview the developers about it. I'm certainly not saying all hope is lost or anything, but I'm just a bit less sure than I was.

In past issues of GI, have games featured in the "Classics" section been as extensive as in this issue?

[Laura Cartwright]

In past issues of GI, have games featured in the "Classics" section been as extensive as in this issue?

*Digs into storage*

The May issue didn't have the section.
The June issue had it and it was two pages about the year 1998 and all the gaming related events that happened in it.
The July issue had it and was two pages about the VMU for the Dreamcast.
And I don't own the August or September covers due to Game Informer taking decades to start sending you issues after you change addresses.

So to answer your question, judging by the issues I have, no, they usually aren't. Of course, none of the sections in the issues I had were about a specific series of games.

[Red Sauce]

So yeah, there really is no comparison. A GameInformer cover will net you anywhere from 7 to 10 times the number of "potential impressions" that the VGAs offer. The only advantage the VGAs have is video content.

Ouch!

If the VGAs have live streaming available to an international audience that is still one significant advantage over Game Informer - Both the Oblivion and FO3 unveilings were GI exclusives so it was a month before the international audience had something more substantive than a fan overview. Of course Bethesda could always go with multiple magazines as they did with FONV or do an online unveiling so the VGA's advantage doesn't seem to trump it's small viewership.

[Breanna Van Dijk]

Just got my issue of Game Informer in the mail today! Hopefully someone didn't post what I'm about to in the section of the last thread that I haven't read yet, if someone has feel free to make me feel silly.

Anyway:

This article is in the "Classic" section of the magazine. It is the second to last section, in between the end of the reviews and the "Game Over" section, which usually features a short article about something random. This section isn't always there. For example, it wasn't there in the December issue, or the October issue, but it was there in the November issue. And in that issue, it was two pages about the fall of the company Tengen and the legal issues surrounding Pong. I'm mentioning this all to point out that this while this section isn't regularly used in an issue, it isn't totally random either.

Onto the article itself. As I mentioned before, the first two pages are all quotes from developers about specific games. Nothing really interesting here. On the third page is the title "Elder Lore" and a map of Tamriel with 9 circles and numbers over the location that each of the games and expansion packs took place in, two of those numbers being in a little hole "torn" into the map labeled "Oblivion." Above it is a quote from Todd talking about how they try to treat the world like a real place that you can make a difference in.

On the fourth page is a summarization of each game and expansion pack, and on the right of the page is a picture of Morrowind (with one of those images that came with it's announcement that looks nothing like the final product), Tribunal, Bloodmoon, Oblivion (with a picture from KOTN for some reason) and Shivering Isles. In each summarization is a little section where the interviewer asks Kurt Kuhlmann the "Impact" each game had on the lore. And at the bottom of the page it tells the reader to go to "gameinformer.com/mag for our full interviews with the developers at Bethesda, including expanded story details and central characters from each franchise entry, as well as accounts of the technical advancements made in each game." It's too bad that when you go to that link, the most recent issue you can view is October 2010, so those interviews are seemingly out of reach.

My conclusion:

I'm a bit less sure than I was yesterday. The article wasn't just randomly inserted into the magazine, it is in a section devoted to talking about "Classics." However, it does still seem odd that they'd highlight the Elder Scrolls out of the blue, and even go so far as interview the developers about it. I'm certainly not saying all hope is lost or anything, but I'm just a bit less sure than I was.

Thanks for posting that about the article, I'm at school and won't be able to see my issue for a while. Anyway, I feel like they wouldn't interview the devs for no reason, unless it was something important such as an upcoming reveal/cover.

[snip]

[Ladymorphine]

*Digs into storage*

The May issue didn't have the section.
The June issue had it and it was two pages about the year 1998 and all the gaming related events that happened in it.
The July issue had it and was two pages about the VMU for the Dreamcast.
And I don't own the August or September covers due to Game Informer taking decades to start sending you issues after you change addresses.

So to answer your question, judging by the issues I have, no, they usually aren't. Of course, none of the sections in the issues I had were about a specific series of games.

It seems this is pretty significant then, for a series to have an entire four page spread devoted to it's history, development etc. As well as having the developers comment on it. Hmm? :happy:

EDIT: Yes, no, maybe? Correct me if I'm wrong, anyone. Have any other game series received this much attention in the "Classics" section?

[Jennie Skeletons]

Ouch!

If the VGAs have live streaming available to an international audience that is still one significant advantage over Game Informer - Both the Oblivion and FO3 unveilings were GI exclusives so it was a month before the international audience had something more substantive than a fan overview. Of course Bethesda could always go with multiple magazines as they did with FONV or do an online unveiling so the VGA's advantage doesn't seem to trump it's small viewership.

Ouch indeed. Not that I'm surprised. The Video Game Awards, seriously?
Personally I wish Pete and Bethesda, heck pretty much everyone else in the industry, would take a big hint from Blizzard and Diablo 3. "We're making Diablo 3, we don't know when it'll be out. Here's what the games about, here's a twenty minute public, video presentation available to everyone, everywhere." Boom! Done. It's the age of the internet and I have to go digging around to see a presentation on Deus Ex 3 some dude had to capture on his own camera? That's just plain wrong.