[chirsty aggas]

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/1112872-tes-v-ideas-and-suggestions-177/. 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.
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/1119624-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-69/, 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/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/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/,
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1096566-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-35/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1097314-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-36/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1097723-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-37/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1098448-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-38/, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1098899-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-39/,

Note that Bethesda Game Studios is NOT working on Fallout: New Vegas, Rage, Brink, or Hunted: The Demon's Forge -- Nor do they develop MMOs.

[Lexy Dick]

Over the next two months.

[Charlotte Buckley]

Just the short and sweet of what we know.

Bethesda Game Studios does not make MMOs.

BGS is working on a game, though what the game is has not been revealed. It will utilize the gamebryo engine (the one used in Morrowind, Oblivion, and Fallout 3), but that engine has been significantly revamped. They've been in full production for a little over two years now.

Zenimax (the parent company of BGS) has filed to trademark "Skyrim" which is the name of a province in Tamriel.



And...that's it. We know absolutely nothing else. We have no evidence as to when it will be announced.

[saharen beauty]

Well, another fact we know is that while Todd wants to wait for some unspecified time and place, it is ready to be shown now if he had to do it, and that it will be the shortest time between announcement and release they've ever done.

That also bodes well for their marketing, since that means people will have a fuller picture of the gameplay before release, thus eliminating people speculating beyond what is possible and likely. I remember when Oblivion was in development, people thought so much would happen because the first looks were very early in. If it's in a reasonable state of completion, people can be more sure and reasonable in their speculation.

[Mel E]

If we were right, and most people (who pay attention) now assume it's gonna be Skyrim, why wouldn't they announce it?

They've got the fanbase, they've got the product and would be "proud to show it", they've got the marketing techniques, they've got the world-wide recognition... what's holding them back?

---

Also, the same exact kind trademarks they have for Oblivion, that they had for Skyrim, have expired or been abandoned, there are only 2 live ones now:

1.

• Computer game software for use with computers and video game consoles; downloadable computer game software offered via the internet and wireless devices; Computer game software for use with on-line interactive games; Motion pictures
  
• Entertainment services, namely, providing information relating to electronic computer games via the Internet; Entertainment services, namely, providing on-line interactive computer games; Television programs

2.

• Clothing, namely, shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters, fleece pullovers, jackets; headwear, namely, hats

Intruiged, I looked up some of the trademarks for WoW.

1. Clothing, namely hats, caps, golf shirts, t-shirts, sweaters and jackets.

2. computer game software, computer game programs, pre-recorded motion picture and television films in the nature of real-time strategy games, computer game software that may be downloaded from a global computer network, computer game cartridges to be used in computer game machines adapted for use with television receivers.

3. Entertainment services in the nature of an on-line interactive game provided by means of a global computer network.

---

So, I don't think that Skyrim's gonna be the MMO, they don't have the proper trademarks. At the same time they have trademarks for Computer & Console Videogames, Downloadable game software, Information about videogames on the internet, and for clothing.

But, at the same time, these trademarks were abandoned:

• Computer game programs; downloadable computer game programs offered via handheld computers, wireless telephones and mobile and wireless devices
  
• Providing online computer games; providing online computer game programs offered via handheld computers, wireless telephones and mobile and wireless devices
  
• Computer and video game user instruction manuals; magazines, books, and pamphlets concerning video games; computer and video game strategy guides
  
• Clothing, namely shirts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters, jackets; headgear, namely, headwear.

I don't know why they'd let the Instruction Manual ? slide unless they're going to just put the info on the game on the internet. But they have the SAME exact copyrights under Bethesda Softworks for "Fallout: New Vegas". With no instruction manual trademark. :celebration:

Meaning they both have:

• Computer game software for use with computers and video game consoles; downloadable computer game software offered via the internet and wireless devices; Computer game software for use with on-line interactive games; Motion pictures
  
• Entertainment services, namely, providing information relating to electronic computer games via the Internet; Entertainment services, namely, providing on-line interactive computer games; Television programs

[Mrs. Patton]

I still think that it is going to be the Summerset isle. In Oblivion all the NPCs could say was
"Daedric worship is increasing in the Summerset isle"
"yes it's becoming a very dangerous place."

It may be a distraction tactic. The Skyrim trademark battle could be also.

[Heather beauchamp]

If we were right, and most people (who pay attention) now assume it's gonna be Skyrim, why wouldn't they announce it?

They've got the fanbase, they've got the product and would be "proud to show it", they've got the marketing techniques, they've got the world-wide recognition... what's holding them back?

Timing is key for marketing. If they wait while it's going further into production, they'll have:
A: more screens/videos to show
B: less time to wait until it's ready for release
C: time to pick the most advantageous announcement slot where they will get the most hype.
(I.E.- not around other largely-hyped games)

[Sista Sila]

And...that's it. We know absolutely nothing else. We have no evidence as to when it will be announced.

Fun to speculate though. Now that NV is out the next logical thing to hear about from Beth would definitely be a new TES. I have hope it is only a matter of time now till we hear something.

[Lily]

Since we know the game is far along in development, and Fallout: New Vegas is out, I really believe it's only a matter of a few months before we'll have the announcement. I'd put money on it being a Christmas time-frame announcement. Elder Scroll games have never been released during the holiday time frame, and already knowing it will be the fastest announcement to release duration ever for a Bethesda title, I predict an August 2011 release.

[evelina c]

I still think that it is going to be the Summerset isle. In Oblivion all the NPCs could say was
"Daedric worship is increasing in the Summerset isle"
"yes it's becoming a very dangerous place."

It may be a distraction tactic. The Skyrim trademark battle could be also.

I'm sure I've read on here before that filing a trademark costs a fair amount of money - probably more than it's worth just to set up a red herring for the relatively tiny amount of TES fans who have happened across the information. But who knows? :shrug:

[Emma Copeland]

Since we know the game is far along in development, and Fallout: New Vegas is out, I really believe it's only a matter of a few months before we'll have the announcement. I'd put money on it being a Christmas time-frame announcement. Elder Scroll games have never been released during the holiday time frame, and already knowing it will be the fastest announcement to release duration ever for a Bethesda title, I predict an August 2011 release.

Fastest announcement to release time does not necessarily mean a super fast release. It could still very well be released in the 2011 holiday season because it seems that bethesda softworks has no problem with that time period now (if you count October as holiday season). Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas were both released in October, right?

IMO hoping for an August announcement is a bit of a stretch. I could see it being released in late September or any time in October. If you truly think that beth hates the holiday season and would never want their games being bought as Christmas Preasants then Sept or Oct seems reasonable to me.

I do however agree with the holiday announcement... as it is the only part of the year left.

I'm sure I've read on here before that filing a trademark costs a fair amount of money - probably more than it's worth just to set up a red herring for the relatively tiny amount of TES fans who have happened across the information. But who knows?

SyltStryder would know for sure. Im sure others know too but Sylt is the expert on data around here I would say.

[Miguel]

I'll throw something out there: Could it be that Skyrim is a project name? The province of Skyrim is smaller than Cyrodiil, so I find it difficult to believe they're going to make a game with just that province. Since technology has advanced quite a few years now, it seems that High Rock, Hammerfell and Skyrim combined would be the next step up, in terms of land covered.
Thus my thought is that Skyrim would not be the only province involved in TES V, but the game needs a project name and Skyrim would seem handy there. Wouldn't know why they would need to trademark it then, but perhaps others can think of some reasons.

[Brooke Turner]

I don't know why they'd let the Instruction Manual ? slide unless they're going to just put the info on the game on the internet. But they have the SAME exact copyrights under Bethesda Softworks for "Fallout: New Vegas". With no instruction manual trademark. :celebration:

The reason the 3rd trademark was abandoned is probably less indicative than you think. Simply put, they ran out of time to use this particular trademark and so had to let it expire. I expect them to have a new application submitted before too long.

[Laura Shipley]

I'll throw something out there: Could it be that Skyrim is a project name? The province of Skyrim is smaller than Cyrodiil, so I find it difficult to believe they're going to make a game with just that province. Since technology has advanced quite a few years now, it seems that High Rock, Hammerfell and Skyrim combined would be the next step up, in terms of land covered.
Thus my thought is that Skyrim would not be the only province involved in TES V, but the game needs a project name and Skyrim would seem handy there. Wouldn't know why they would need to trademark it then, but perhaps others can think of some reasons.

It's possible, but it's probably just either going to be to a different scale or have more underground dungeons.

[sam westover]

It's possible, but it's probably just either going to be to a different scale or have more underground dungeons.

Or make the content more dense and interesting. More varied dungeouns with seperate stories?

[Devin Sluis]

Oblivion was an example of rushing to complete on time. You can see where they had originally spent time designing it and then rushed by using copy and paste. This may be why they are not announcing the date so that they do not have to rush to finish it.

[Riky Carrasco]

I'll throw something out there: Could it be that Skyrim is a project name? The province of Skyrim is smaller than Cyrodiil, so I find it difficult to believe they're going to make a game with just that province. Since technology has advanced quite a few years now, it seems that High Rock, Hammerfell and Skyrim combined would be the next step up, in terms of land covered.
Thus my thought is that Skyrim would not be the only province involved in TES V, but the game needs a project name and Skyrim would seem handy there. Wouldn't know why they would need to trademark it then, but perhaps others can think of some reasons.

Allow me to tackle a few things here:

There is absolutely no benefit to trademarking a project name. Trademarks are only useful in protecting names (brands, sayings, etc.) used in commerce. If the "project" name isn't the real name to be used in commerce, then there is nothing that needs protection.

The fact that the last two games were of a province is a reason to believe the next will as well. The "size" between Cyrodiil and Skyrim will be solely dependent on scale. As you go even further back in the series, the games took place in smaller map regions yet the game worlds were much bigger than Cyrodiil. In my opinion they messed up Cyrodiil and made it look too small. I would be sorely disappointed if they combined provinces and I am not alone in this opinion.

[Spencey!]

Fastest announcement to release time does not necessarily mean a super fast release.

And let's consider delays.

I think "look for Skyrim in stores in quarter #" is going to be as specific as they'll be, until the game's shipped to company warehouses. And no, I haven't formed the belief from anything but my own, uninitiated ideal.

In my opinion they messed up Cyrodiil and made it look too small. I would be sorely disappointed if they combined provinces and I am not alone in this opinion.

Awful timing, decreasing the scale. We know from books and rumors, Skyrim's kings have expanded in every compass direction, known or otherwise. Ah well.

[Rob]

Awful timing, decreasing the scale. We know from books and rumors, Skyrim's kings have expanded in every compass direction, known or otherwise. Ah well.

I wonder if they'll re-vamp the maps for the new boundries or keep the map boundries from the province's boundries during Oblivion.

[Jhenna lee Lizama]

I had to fill in my d.o.b. at the elderscrolls.com homepage. Was that always there, or is it something new for the upcoming TES?

[Jeff Tingler]

We went over this in the last thread.

[lisa nuttall]

Sorry, i dont read all the threads, because it is full of useless speculations, just like my post.

[alyssa ALYSSA]

I agree about previous posts, but it was made of quite a lot of optimistic people. They couldn't wait for the next game and so convinced themselves that they were correct.

[Pants]

I dont mind people speculating. As long as they know it's just that: speculation.

So to be on topic: I speculate for a late 2012 release date which is being pushed back tot spring 2013 :celebration:
Offcourse, i have not even the slightest evidence to back this up.

[Tai Scott]

If we were right, and most people (who pay attention) now assume it's gonna be Skyrim, why wouldn't they announce it?

They've got the fanbase, they've got the product and would be "proud to show it", they've got the marketing techniques, they've got the world-wide recognition... what's holding them back?

---

Also, the same exact kind trademarks they have for Oblivion, that they had for Skyrim, have expired or been abandoned, there are only 2 live ones now:

1.

• Computer game software for use with computers and video game consoles; downloadable computer game software offered via the internet and wireless devices; Computer game software for use with on-line interactive games; Motion pictures
  
• Entertainment services, namely, providing information relating to electronic computer games via the Internet; Entertainment services, namely, providing on-line interactive computer games; Television programs

2.

• Clothing, namely, shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters, fleece pullovers, jackets; headwear, namely, hats

Intruiged, I looked up some of the trademarks for WoW.

1. Clothing, namely hats, caps, golf shirts, t-shirts, sweaters and jackets.

2. computer game software, computer game programs, pre-recorded motion picture and television films in the nature of real-time strategy games, computer game software that may be downloaded from a global computer network, computer game cartridges to be used in computer game machines adapted for use with television receivers.

3. Entertainment services in the nature of an on-line interactive game provided by means of a global computer network.

---

So, I don't think that Skyrim's gonna be the MMO, they don't have the proper trademarks. At the same time they have trademarks for Computer & Console Videogames, Downloadable game software, Information about videogames on the internet, and for clothing.

But, at the same time, these trademarks were abandoned:

• Computer game programs; downloadable computer game programs offered via handheld computers, wireless telephones and mobile and wireless devices
  
• Providing online computer games; providing online computer game programs offered via handheld computers, wireless telephones and mobile and wireless devices
  
• Computer and video game user instruction manuals; magazines, books, and pamphlets concerning video games; computer and video game strategy guides
  
• Clothing, namely shirts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters, jackets; headgear, namely, headwear.

I don't know why they'd let the Instruction Manual ? slide unless they're going to just put the info on the game on the internet. But they have the SAME exact copyrights under Bethesda Softworks for "Fallout: New Vegas". With no instruction manual trademark. :celebration:

Meaning they both have:

• Computer game software for use with computers and video game consoles; downloadable computer game software offered via the internet and wireless devices; Computer game software for use with on-line interactive games; Motion pictures
  
• Entertainment services, namely, providing information relating to electronic computer games via the Internet; Entertainment services, namely, providing on-line interactive computer games; Television programs

Hmm, just one question; what catagory do toilets come under? After all, if I was Todd, I wouldn't want a over zealous plumbing manufacturer to come in and steal my next ES title.

Skyrim: The toilet of the future, has a ring to it, doesn't it?

On the serious side of things, I expect an announcement sometime next month, and a release late 2011, early 2012, although I wouldn't be dissapointed if they spent more time on it; more time = better game, just as long as they don't release it at 11:59 on the 20th of December, 2012 (that is 1 second before the world will supposedly end, isn't it?).