I will get into the co-op in a bit but to be honest after playing oblivion and morrowind extensively. I have come to the conclusion that we need a companion of sorts to help on your journeys. Fallout 3 incorporated the dog companion mechanic. But I was thinking of it being a lot more deeply, and for example if your a mage you can recruit someone to join you and you teach them your spells that only you've got, and you can share equipment etc and allowing you to actually have a companion to help you in like a tight situation. BUT

This could be expanded further with the idea of co-op this should only be online, as a local splitscreen would ruin the game but for players to go online only 2 in one world. It is similar to the concept of Fable 3's co-op which to me worked. You can only have one player enter another players world. I think TES series could even consider a more MMO approach to certain areas but still keep it grounded to it's RPG root.

I wonder what you all here think?
much appreciated

People get mad and raise pitchforks in the air if you mention co-op. For whatever reason, a lot of people believe if they were ever to add it, that it would cause the rest of the game to be worse. Co-op is being discussed already though in http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1150059-the-engine-and-possible-co-op/

As for the NPC companions, I could totally see them doing something like that. I don't think I'd use it myself personally since I tend to almost always play a super sneaky stealth character, but I'll bet a lot of people would.

I understand what you mean by everyones mention to co-op being very bad to most people but I personally think it would give it a spice of injected life, but I understand peoples problems, but yer if not I would like what i said about companions being expanded to how I said or more as it would give a new later of depth and customisation to the game.

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1150059-the-engine-and-possible-co-op/