Official: When and If We Will get TESV : The Elder Scrolls Series Discussion

» Fri May 27, 2011 6:56 pm

I had a dream in math class that everyone in the world dissapeared for one year, everyone but me, and somehow I knew they would all come back in exactly one year too, so i became a looter, seteling cars and driving them off cliffs, etc, then I went on a road trip across the country where i skydived off the sears tower and ate ice cream on the brooklyn bridge. (Dont ask.) Then I went to rovkville and broke into the Bethesda Game Studios to see what they were really working on, and was relieved to find it was indeed the elder scrolls 5 skyrim. And todd has a beanie baby collection in his office aparrently. I am not making any of this up, and the dream was VIVID.

and so i dont get told to stay on topic I will say that that Machinima video is to not be trusted. They have been wrong before, many times in fact.

» Sat May 28, 2011 7:09 am

There are a lot of posts on here, so this likely has been discussed; yet I feel compelled to mention that the second TES novel does not yet even have a release date. Since the conclusion of that storyline is at least part of the cannon that predates the next installment of the video game, it feels quite unlikely that an announcement for the game will come before the release of that book. Should we receive word of a release date for that novel, a more accurate speculation of the announcement of a release date for the game can then be made. Does it seem funny to anyone else that we are speculating a date to announce a date for a release of thing we do not know for sure is even a thing?

» Sat May 28, 2011 1:00 am

My guess is that the game's lore will be designed such that reading the books will not be a prerequisite. Therefore, I wouldn't go quite so far as to say that the game's announcement cannot precede the book's release. However, I do agree that they should coincide relatively near to one another. My guess is that the book's announcement and release will be nested between the game's announcement and release.

» Sat May 28, 2011 7:10 am

The book doesn't have any effect on TESV's release. Bethesda made the the basic lore for Keyes to write about, and then went on to make TESV. Keyes doesn't have creative freedom, he has to work with what they gave him. The novel will probably come out this year and then we'll see TESV in 2012. TESV will probably have plenty of in-game books and stuff to explain what happened between Oblivion and TESV, but Bethesda knows exactly what will happen in the second book and aren't waiting for it to be released to start working on the game.

» Fri May 27, 2011 10:05 pm

You would think they would want to announce ES5 before book 2 was released, so they hype each other.

» Sat May 28, 2011 4:27 am

After reading this whole thread, The thing about the questions seems highly unlikely.. You know they could have somthing in the back of the second book telling us about the game. Who knows? They could tell us tomorrow for all we know..

» Fri May 27, 2011 10:40 pm

You would think they would want to announce ES5 before book 2 was released, so they hype each other.

Of course, it works in reverse as well. Using the book to hype TES V.

» Fri May 27, 2011 6:49 pm

Of course, it works in reverse as well. Using the book to hype TES V.

THats truem, but dont you think it would be wise to have such a book on the market after Elder Scrolls 5 has been announced, rather than before?

» Fri May 27, 2011 10:37 pm

THats truem, but dont you think it would be wise to have such a book on the market after Elder Scrolls 5 has been announced, rather than before?

It depends upon how much the events of the book will influence the game and how excited the prospects presented by the book would make the reader base. An exciting development could make people want to play TES V even more.

» Sat May 28, 2011 7:28 am

I used to expect the announcment of TES V sometime in the first quarter of 2009. Didn't happen. Now I'm wondering if perhaps they are waiting for a new generation of game consoles to come out. Because when the Xbox 360 came out, Oblivion was one of the first games available for it, which no doubt helped a lot with sales.

I'm really not up to date on consoles, but if Microsoft has made public any plans for a new xbox, it's scheduled release date could be a hint on when the next TES game will come out.

Edit: According to http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/consoles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-next-xbox-461169 "the general consensus amongst industry professionals is that a new generation of home consoles will arrive on the market in 2011 or 2012." And that is when I expect TES V to come out as well.

» Fri May 27, 2011 5:45 pm

I'm going to post this because I think it best shows the pattern I see. Note that this post is from the future (

) where TESV has already been released.

I recommend ignoring Fallout 3's section until you see the pattern with everything else, because Fallout 3's development is a little weird due to the fact that it was "announced" when Bethesda bought the rights to it but hadn't even started developing it yet. With everything else you can see that the announcement is in the middle, while Fallout 3's is in the beginning.

================================================================================

Work started on Morrowind in November 1998, it was developed all of 1999, announced in March 2000, shown at E3 in May 2001, and released May 2002.
(1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)

The team split into two teams, one developed Morrowind DLC and the other developed Oblivion until June 2003.

Work started on Oblivion in May 2002, developed in 2003, announced in September 2004, shown at E3 in May 2005, and released March 2006.
(2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006)

The team split into two teams, one developed Oblivion DLC and the other developed Fallout 3 until October 2007.

Work started on Fallout 3 in July 2004, developed in 2005, developed in 2006, the first trailer was released in 2007, it was shown at E3 in July 2008, and released October 2008.
(2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)

The team split into two teams, one developed Fallout 3 DLC and the other developed TESV until August 2009.

Work started on TESV in October 2008, developed in 2009, announced in 2010, shown at E3 2011 and released in 2012.
(2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)

================================================================================

That's just what I think will happen anyway. Thoughts, opinions?

Pete Hines said that after Oblivion the team split into three teams. One for Fallout 3, one for Oblivion DLC, and one for the next Elder Scrolls (obviously a very early phase back then).

» Sat May 28, 2011 4:52 am

Pete Hines said that after Oblivion the team split into three teams. One for Fallout 3, one for Oblivion DLC, and one for the next Elder Scrolls (obviously a very early phase back then).

I'd very much like to see the source where he said that, if you don't mind. I partially believe you, but I need a source.

» Fri May 27, 2011 8:34 pm

Man, this is kinda depressing as far as one can get depressed in the context of video games. Just found out a few weeks ago there is no TOR in 2010. There is obviously no Elder Scrolls in 2010, and some are saying even 2011. Are there any top notch sandbox/open world RPG's coming out this year? I know I have Dragon Age to turn to soon (after Bioshock 2), but that is a different type of RPG from TES. FFXIII is coming out very soon as well but again, very different type of RPG.

I'm hoping for a 2010 Elder Scrolls announcement to lift my RPG dolldrums. Modded Oblivion can only slake my thirst so much.

» Fri May 27, 2011 11:33 pm

I'd very much like to see the source where he said that, if you don't mind. I partially believe you, but I need a source.

I believe I am wrong in a sense. I am still looking for the article but I believe it was actually the writer of the article stating at the very end of the piece, that Pete Hines said they were splitting up into three teams, one for Oblivion DLC, One for FallOut3 and one for the next Elder Scrolls game. Then if my memory serves, that was slapped down by gamesas because obviously they don't like to say a word about a game until it's well underway. I'll keep looking for that article.

» Sat May 28, 2011 2:53 am

http://www.xbox365.com/news.cgi?id=GGrGLiNudN03092320

And what's next the Bethesda team? According to Pete, once the game is shipped the team will be split into groups. One group will focus on support for Oblivion such as patches, updates, and expansions. Another group will focus on the next Elder Scrolls game. And finally one group will be working on Fallout 3.

Notice how it's not a direct quotation but rather the author saying Pete said etc... I believe that gamesas went into damage control after this interview, however, and denied it, etc... This quote is from March, 2006.

I remember another interview from Todd Howard himself that stated clearly, gamesas was a much larger company since Morrowind and they were not forced to develop one title at a time.

I'm sure that gamesas has been working on the proverbial face melting Elder Scrolls game for a very long time, and we'll get an announcement sometime this year, and a release in 2011.

» Sat May 28, 2011 3:59 am

http://www.xbox365.com/news.cgi?id=GGrGLiNudN03092320

And what's next the Bethesda team? According to Pete, once the game is shipped the team will be split into groups. One group will focus on support for Oblivion such as patches, updates, and expansions. Another group will focus on the next Elder Scrolls game. And finally one group will be working on Fallout 3.

Notice how it's not a direct quotation but rather the author saying Pete said etc... I believe that gamesas went into damage control after this interview, however, and denied it, etc...

I remember another interview from Todd Howard himself that stated clearly, gamesas was a much larger company since Morrowind and they were not forced to develop one title at a time.

I'm sure that gamesas has been working on the proverbial face melting Elder Scrolls game for a very long time, and we'll get an announcement sometime this year, and a release in 2011.

Hmm... interesting. Well, Bethesda usually reveals when they started working on a game after it's released, so I guess we'll know for sure when they do. Maybe they will release it in late 2011, if they've been working on it since 2006 that is.

» Sat May 28, 2011 8:34 am

I have to imagine that the original Elder Scrolls V team was made up primarily of your story writers, story-boarders, and virtually nothing technical. That being said, perhaps they were really ready to hit the ground running at some point and we'll have that announcement we all crave sooner than later. I guess only time will tell.

» Fri May 27, 2011 9:21 pm

I think new http://bethblog.com/index.php/2010/02/04/fallout-new-vegas-teaser-trailer-now-online-watch-it-and-win/ will overshadow any potential announcement of TESV for a while.

EDIT: Not to mention that New Vegas has a http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/02/04/fallout-new-vegas-set-for-fall-2010.aspx of Fall 2010. Bethesda will probably be hyping up that game and not TESV.

We might not see an announement about TESV as soon as I hoped...

» Sat May 28, 2011 9:25 am

gamesas is not developing New Vegas, so in terms of development it has no impact on TES. But I hear what you're saying, nobody has reason to believe an Elder Scrolls announcement is imminent.

» Sat May 28, 2011 8:50 am

http://www.xbox365.com/news.cgi?id=GGrGLiNudN03092320

After thinking about it, I think it's impossible that they started working on the game, even just a little, after Oblivion. Because that would be mean that while Fallout 3 was developed alongside Oblivion and TESV, and only by itself for a little while, it was released 4 years and 3 months (ish) after Bethesda bought the property. That would also mean that TESV has been developed alongside Fallout 3 for 3 years and 11 months (ish) now, yet we haven't even gotten an announcement. I just can't see that being true.

» Sat May 28, 2011 1:18 am

gamesas is not developing New Vegas, so in terms of development it has no impact on TES. But I hear what you're saying, nobody has reason to believe an Elder Scrolls announcement is imminent.

They're not developing it, but they are publishing it. Chances are they are going to be doing a lot of hyping of it. Its not to say that development of TESV isn't going or won't still go on, its just that the chance of an announcement of TESV went into the tubes. Whether or not Bethesda is developing it is irrelevant. Its already being called Bethesda's game (like in the gameinformer link).

I guess its time to go back into hybernation for TESV.

Now if the New Vegas trailer would just finish buffering!! :brokencomputer:

» Sat May 28, 2011 12:54 am

After thinking about it, I think it's impossible that they started working on the game, even just a little, after Oblivion. Because that would be mean that while Fallout 3 was developed alongside Oblivion and TESV, and only by itself for a little while, it was released 4 years and 3 months (ish) after Bethesda bought the property. That would also mean that TESV has been developed alongside Fallout 3 for 3 years and 11 months (ish) now, yet we haven't even gotten an announcement. I just can't see that being true.

I don't think there is anything impossible about it, but who knows. Also, keep in mind that we know nothing about how development has been going. There could have been major setbacks, or even complete restarts. That sort of thing, as I'm sure you know, happens with games, no more so than with games that have long development cycles. Like you said before: they'll tell us information about when development started after the announcement (whenever that comes). For all we know Pete Hines will say something like, "well, we began writing and sketching out this game in 2006, and started developing in earnest in 2007, but after nine months of that we came to the heartbreaking conclusion that this game needed to be more than what current hardware was providing us so we rebooted..." Who knows. It's just hard to say. The truth, I'm sure, will be far stranger that anything we make up.

» Fri May 27, 2011 8:41 pm

I think new http://bethblog.com/index.php/2010/02/04/fallout-new-vegas-teaser-trailer-now-online-watch-it-and-win/ will overshadow any potential announcement of TESV for a while.

EDIT: Not to mention that New Vegas has a http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/02/04/fallout-new-vegas-set-for-fall-2010.aspx of Fall 2010. Bethesda will probably be hyping up that game and not TESV.

We might not see an announement about TESV as soon as I hoped...

While we might not get an announcement in the next week, I don't think that this completely eliminates the possibility of a TES 5 announcement. After all, New Vegas isn't being developed by Bethesda. While we may hear some hype about New Vegas, if Beth wants to announce TES 5, its going to announce TES 5.

After thinking about it, I think it's impossible that they started working on the game, even just a little, after Oblivion. Because that would be mean that while Fallout 3 was developed alongside Oblivion and TESV, and only by itself for a little while, it was released 4 years and 3 months (ish) after Bethesda bought the property. That would also mean that TESV has been developed alongside Fallout 3 for 3 years and 11 months (ish) now, yet we haven't even gotten an announcement. I just can't see that being true.

Fair enough, but how long did the folks over at Blizzard develope Starcraft 2 alongside their other games without giving any formal announcement? It happens all from time to time. I understand your disbelief at it however there's a reason. I mean the first years were just pre production so they came into work those days drawing up ideas for stories trying to think of what to do, getting concept art, stuff like that probably. They weren't coming in every day going into cubicles working on the same game for those nearly 4 years. And if they had look on the bright side, when they do announce it, it will come out extremely quickly.

» Sat May 28, 2011 2:44 am

I really think there is going to be at least an Elder Scrolls announcement in 2010, though perhaps not the game. Here is another quote from a gamesas employee talking about the game.

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/bethesda_elder_scrolls_v_arrive_2010

Dust hasn't even began to think about settling around Fallout 3's cushy new spot on store shelves, but developer Bethesda already has the coordinates set for its next megaton's drop date. According to publishing exec Paul Oughton, Bethesda plans on releasing another title in its sprawling, freeform Elder Scrolls series of RPGs -- in only two years, no less.

"At the moment we've got Fallout 3 for this year and potentially there's a new Elder Scrolls title in 2010," said Oughton.

Now I understand this was another case where gamesas came out immediately and denied it, and again went into damage controll (See my posting about Pete Hines). It just seems to me there are too many leaks and gaffes about the Elder Scrolls for them not to have been working on the game for a long time. This would also support my theory that perhaps there was a set back and the game was suppose to be released this year, but rather it's only going to be announced this year. All speculation of course!

» Sat May 28, 2011 8:06 am

It's a peculiar strategy Bethesda is taking with keeping silent about projects. Bioware already announced that they plan on Dragon Age 2, and I think I recall reading that ME 3 was a distinct possibility. svcker Punch has already announced they're going to do a sequel to Infamous. Borderlands 2 is going to happen. So, you've got these successful publishers announcing within a month or so after release that they are planning on the next game. But then you get some publishers that won't even announce what they are working on.

I like the strategy where I'm told what the next project is. Even if it is a few years down the road, I'll be keeping my ears perked up and my eyes open for new information about the game. I just find it so weird for a developer to dodge and evade attempt to confirm/deny a project. It's like they've got something bad to hide. To me, it feels rather alienating. My purchases help fund them, the least they could do is let me know what I should save up my money for.

Wow. QFT. I hate the Gestapo games Bethesda is playing, what's so wrong with just coming out and announcing your game like every other developer out there?

This, amongst other things, makes my speculation meter tip towards the "No TESV" side. I mean really. TES V will be a HUGE FREAKING GAME!! You think Bethesda would just keep it all under wraps until 6 months till release? I don't think so.... I really don't. But who really knows.