Some game players are excited about the release of Elder Scrolls Online. Players can preorder the game directly from ZeniMax Online Studios for release on March 31, 2014, or choose to order it from a major retailer, such as Amazon or Walmart, for release on April 4, 2014. Those who choose to order it through ZeniMax Online Studios will receive a book containing game tips and a 12 inch statue. Preorders are being accepted for $60 by the website, and about five dollars cheaper from retailers. The game will be released for PlayStation 4 and for Xbox One in June 2014.
It looks like players will need to by the pre-release Imperial collection to be able to play the imperial in any race. In addition, the white horse may run faster with the Imperial collection. In addition, those purchasing the Imperial collection may be able to get to the end of the game sooner. These extra bonuses on a game that both costs money and a subscription fee has many game reviewers upset.
The catch for many game players will be that players will have to pay $15 each month that they plan to play the multi-person game. Therefore, if a player wants to play the game each month, the first year will cost players $240. Some game players may find that cost prohibitive.
Matt Firor in making the announcement said,
[quote align=”center” color=”#999999″]We’re thrilled that gamers are looking forward to diving into The Elder Scrolls Online and we’ve been working hard to deliver the game that fans want – one that’s worthy of the Elder Scrolls name. Choosing the right business model is part of that. We are going with the subscription model for ESO[/quote]
Yet, many people remain skeptical if players are that interested in playing the game. Many who were provided with the Beta version of the game to test report that the beginning of the game is extremely slow. This observation has led many to believe that the studio is worried about recouping the money that they have spent on the game’s production.
Many players have also looked forward to being able to play the entire world of Tamriel, but those with the Beta version report that much of it is still locked off, although the studio has said they will be offering continuing updates to the game. The game has been in the planning stages since May 2012.