For me not to buy Skyrim would be that it's Steam only. By that I mean it's PC only and not for consoles. Seeing that it is released on the 360 and PS 3, I will be getting it for the 360. I don't think my computer will be able to play Skyrim. The only reason I got Xbox was to play Morrowind. The only reason I got the 360 was to play Oblivion. Thank God I don't have to buy a new console to play Skyrim.

If it requires Steam.

I had so many issues with Steam while trying to play New Vegas, I uninstalled both Steam and New Vegas from my system. The game was a waste of $60.
I didn't have any problems with New Vegas... when it would launch. All the issues were with the Steam launcher.

Not only that, Steam complicates the ability to mod the game.
The Script Extender team had to go through the Steam people to get a work around to be able to get their new functions injected into the NV executable... which is encrypted.
That means the Script Extender is then not only tied in to a specific version of the game, but also a specific version of the Steam Launcher.

I could not care less if the Steam launcher is up to date or not. But if I want to use the Script Extender, then I have to spend extra time on line downloading the update to Steam as well.
I spent more time downloading updates to Steam and making sure NVSE would run under the new update than I spent actually playing the game.

I brought two copies of Oblivion (CE and GOTY), and two copies of FO3 (a standard copy and a GOTY copy). If I had known two months ago what I know now, I would not have brought one copy of New Vegas.
If Skyrim is launched through Steam, I'll not be buying a copy of it.

Get me once, shame on you. Get me twice, shame on me.

This:

"The Elder Scrolls 5 Skyrim has been confirmed to be a hack-n-slash game, like God of War 1,2 and 3..."

:banghead:

Lack of 1st person view and an absent Construction Set. All else is mere molehills.

The exclusion of a Tausig2 cookie.

im not buying it unless its under 20 usd

Exclusive distribution through steam. I don't hate steam (I like the concept of constant and instant updates) but I just don't have internet. And I won't, for a very long time or until the economy picks up. I won't even bother buying the game for 360 instead of PC, I just won't buy it.

MMORPG. Even then, I'd still consider it, as long as there wasn't some ridiculous monthly subscription fee on top of that.

100 percent certainty of not buying: my death before the PC CE of game is available for preorder, the game not being released on PC, forced install and/or use of an online gaming client for playing/patching a single player offline game.

Not having a PC capable of running the game, at time of purchase, would not stop me from purchasing the PC CE of the game. When Oblivion CE was available for preorder, I paid in full for my preorder more than a month before release date. This was despite my knowingly not being able to run the game at time of purchase, and as things turned out, not being able to run the game for a full year and a half after purchase.

Forced install of OS intrusive DRM would merely delay my ability to play the game until such time as I could set up a totally separate OS install for playing such an infected game.

Jenifur Charne

What would make me not by Skyrim?

The game being a simplified (even more dumbed down, if that's even possible) version of Oblivion - or just equal to it - with just better graphics and superficial improvements, which I expect (but don't hope) it to be.

The only thing that could make me not buy it is if they find that Bethesda has ties to evil organisations bent on destroying the world, and by purchasing Skyrim I will be directly funding the end of the world. And even in that case, I would seriously consider still buying.

EDIT : To those Steam haters, I think there is a good chance that it will be on Steam, considering New Vegas being on Steam. Unless the anti-steam community is vocal enough, they probably will keep it on there. Its arguably the least intrusive DRM out there, and for the most part I think it worked pretty well with New Vegas.

It would have to be very drastic for me to not even buy it. Drastic like being an MMO or having machine guns or being unavailable for PC. But none of those will happen, knock on wood, so l'm not terribly worried.

Nothing could keep me from buying it, but if Vampires and Werewolfs are left out I will be disappointed.

Is it just me, or doesn't it seem quite likely that Skyrim will be Steam-connected? Oblivion and Fallout 3 have both been added to Steam afterwards, while NV has to be connected to Steam (I think? Haven't played NV yet) even if you buy a disc.

Just saying, be mentally prepared for it. Personally, I love Steam. I've had WAY more issues with SecuROM and/or GFWL.

OnT: There's nothing that would keep me from Skyrim. I repeat, nothing.

I believe that would be called Redguard 2 then. I never did buy Redguard because of that. Now I regret it because I don't have the complete TES games now. But if Skyrim is hack and slash, then I think I will be forgoing it because I will save my money for Diablo III then.

quests involving: Killing 11 mudcrabs on the 11th day of the 11th month.

MMORPG. Online co-op i could deal with at best, MMORPG I couldn't.

Cameo roles from the following celebs: Justin Bieber, Kanye West, The Black Eyed Peas, Carrot top, Akon, Lady Gaga.

Least intrusive DRM? Try this one: You need to be online once after installing the game to enter your serial number and decrypt/register your game. That's it. From there on, this computer doesn't need to be online ever, and nothing beside the game itself is running. No CD checks either.

That's how the DRM for the http://www.gamersgate.com/ version of Fallout 3 works, and I love it.

Meh, the world is small price to pay

Multiplayer. Because that should only be reserved for the TESMMO rpg that Zenimax online is making.

Being dead.

Overuse of dragons, dumbed down stats, "Go fetch this for me" style quests, use of the Gamebryo engine.

Those things are just annoyances except the latter. Even if it had all of those I would still buy it.

If I got hit by a bus. :angel:

They can put as much crazy thingamajings in the game, but if they make it an online-game or make it unable to play if you aren't hooked up to the internet then I'll pass. I have nothing against online registration of the game, but permanent connection required.... no.

Big turn-offs for me would be a sub-par graphics engine and the removal of open world game play. The combination of those two, would likely see me passing on the game.

In order of importance

* I'll be overseas most of the year for the next several years so scalable graphical requirements for me is important.
* Invasive DRM.
* No modability (particularly with level scaling)
* Poor reviews
* Overhyping, a lot of the hype on Oblivion was just false.