SWTOR got it wrong – oh so very wrong – but here we are once again, looking at a mega-bucks MMO that could make World of Warcraft wriggle around uncomfortably, like it’s wearing underwear a size too small. Like it or not, Skyrim is a game which crossed to The Other Side, that strange and terrifying world of people who play games but don’t follow gaming. Y’know, Normals. As such, Bethesda’s upcoming massively multiplayer monster-stabber The Elder Scrolls Online has at least a chance at a very big audience, not purely the MMO-educated. We shall see!
Today’s big news, though, is that Bethesda have opened up beta sign-ups for TESO, and they have a fancy-pants new trailer too. Guess where I’ve put that?
Basically the trailer is a group of Tamriel super-friends (presumably one from each of the game’s main factions) duffing up some baddies in a HI-OCTANE Peter Jackson movie sort of way, all meeting up then looking like they’d quite like to murder each other. There’s some pretty impressive CGI facial work in there too:
BIFF, etc.
As for beta sign-ups, well- you’ll be wanting to go here to do that. “Timing and details of the start of playtests will be provided at a later date to those who register”, and only “selected” registrants will find themselves approved. I wouldn’t mind being selected: I know TESO appears to be doing things very differently to all previous Elder Scrolls games and that’s caused some controversy among the faithful, but I’d very much like to make my own judgement from experience.
Lest ye forget, here’s what the game proper looks like:
Release date-wise, all we have is ’2013′ still – which at least would imply beta-time mightn’t be too far off.
Elder Scrolls Online beta sign-ups open
by Steve Watts, Jan 22, 2013 8:45am PST
Related Topics – The Elder Scrolls Online, Bethesda Softworks, PC, The Elder Scrolls series
The Elder Scrolls Online has opened its beta signups today. Bethesda didn't reveal its plans for exactly when the beta tests would be rolling out, but the beta form gives you a way to increase your chances for selection when the waves start hitting.
The sign-up form says that the more fields you fill out, the better your chances, and it includes a status bar to show your current odds. It even has a field where you can argue your case for access to the beta. The beta will be partly to stress-test the "Megaserver" tech, which will let players join one large connected world.
"We're really excited to get the game into players' hands," said game director Matt Firor, in the announcement. "We receive invaluable feedback through the beta process, and that helps us ensure that the game will be one of the best online gaming experiences ever offered -- one worthy of The Elder Scrolls franchise."
via shacknews
