Since Oblivion, fans of the Elder Scroll series have asked for a multiplayer component to the game. Unlike linear experiences with tightly driven storylines which resulted in forced multiplayer arena experiences like that of Bioshock 2, the world of the Elder Scrolls lends itself to a more open multiplayer format. Players have already seen from their companions during quests that it sometimes helps to have someone watching your back when a dragon comes down from the sky or bandits surround you from both sides in a tight cave.
This past week, Bethesda Softworks announced that multiplayer is finally coming to the Elder Scrolls world, but not in the way many people expected. While there had been strong rumblings of a Fallout MMO, Bethesda has revealed that they have been working on an Elder Scrolls Online game. Instead of just focusing on individual regions like Skyrim or Cyrodiil, the entirety of Tamriel will be at players’ disposal. Players will have the option to join three warring factions, each vying for control of Tamriel and represented by either a lion, a dragon or a bird of prey.
In addition to the PvP focus of the Elder Scrolls Online, the game’s story will take place a thousand years before the events of Skyrim with one of the Daedric Princes, Molag Bal appearing as the main enemy for all factions to deal with.
Not much else has been revealed yet about the Elder Scrolls Online thus far but check out the trailer after the jump and, as always, stick to The Flickcast for all your gaming news.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZN5F–AJCw[/youtube]
