Elder Scrolls MMORPG is official, will cost Bethesda 300 million

I don't think that this funding changes our focus in terms of what we are about and are trying to accomplish. The additional resources will allow us to expand our publishing efforts-both our own titles and those of other studios-and to pursue development of more titles, working with internal and external development teams.

Asides from this, Pete Hines was still pretty tight lipped about the project in general. Hopefully, we'll have more news as the days go by so stay tuned for more updates as we get them.

Just posting in before all the zomg another MMO. The gaming market is idd being overloaded with MMO crap. But I'm sure Bethesda has the talent to acomplish creating a good quality MMO.

The Elder Scrolls is a off-line RPG at heart... but me personally I'm curious what they will pull off. Who knows we got a potentionalWoW killer here :P

Not buying, they should just keep single player. I don't want to play some crappy MMO. Just like with KOTOR 3.

EVE Online was made with next to no money i don't see how a game could cost 300 million, just a waste.Grantelicious

MMO's have the highest development cots of any genere, because they are dsigned to provide years of content.

EVE Online was made with next to no money i don't see how a game could cost 300 million, just a waste.Grantelicious

Launching a mmorpg these days are really expensive.

[QUOTE="Grantelicious"]EVE Online was made with next to no money i don't see how a game could cost 300 million, just a waste.kort-nilsen

Launching a mmorpg these days are really expensive.

Even still, if you invest 300 million dollars into a property like an MMO, that means that you won't make any money back unless you get a million people to subscribe at 15 bucks a month for almost three years, assuming you don't spend any money at all after the game goes live, which obviously isn't going to be the case when you factor in the cost of servers, bandwidth, new content development, support staff, etc. If all 300 million bucks are going into development of an MMO, then they better hope it is a smash hit, because otherwise that's going to be the death of that company.

I'm betting the 300 million is for a variety of projects instead of just the MMO. Otherwise they're insane.

[QUOTE="kort-nilsen"]

[QUOTE="Grantelicious"]EVE Online was made with next to no money i don't see how a game could cost 300 million, just a waste.MattRorie

Launching a mmorpg these days are really expensive.

Even still, if you invest 300 million dollars into a property like an MMO, that means that you won't make any money back unless you get a million people to subscribe at 15 bucks a month for almost three years, assuming you don't spend any money at all after the game goes live, which obviously isn't going to be the case when you factor in the cost of servers, bandwidth, new content development, support staff, etc. If all 300 million bucks are going into development of an MMO, then they better hope it is a smash hit, because otherwise that's going to be the death of that company.

I'm betting the 300 million is for a variety of projects instead of just the MMO. Otherwise they're insane.

Indeed.

[QUOTE="kort-nilsen"]

[QUOTE="Grantelicious"]EVE Online was made with next to no money i don't see how a game could cost 300 million, just a waste.MattRorie

Launching a mmorpg these days are really expensive.

Even still, if you invest 300 million dollars into a property like an MMO, that means that you won't make any money back unless you get a million people to subscribe at 15 bucks a month for almost three years, assuming you don't spend any money at all after the game goes live, which obviously isn't going to be the case when you factor in the cost of servers, bandwidth, new content development, support staff, etc. If all 300 million bucks are going into development of an MMO, then they better hope it is a smash hit, because otherwise that's going to be the death of that company.

I'm betting the 300 million is for a variety of projects instead of just the MMO. Otherwise they're insane.

I have to believe that 300 million number is a typo. MattRorie

So it's either a typo, or a large sum devoted for funding many projects, I'd believe.

Yeah. According with both the wiki entry on MMORPGs and a Gamasutra feature that I can't link because I didn't have an account, standard dev cost for a MMORPG is about 10 million. Even when considering other costs such as the ones Matt pointed out, that $300 mil figure is exceedingly large.

So it's either a typo, or a large sum devoted for funding many projects, I'd believe.

SteelAttack

Actually, that figure is correct. $10 million dollars for the game itself and 290 million dollars for me to star in it as an NPC. I honestly think I am being under paid really but I suppose I will just take what I can get.:roll:

The only saving grace an Elder Scrolls MMORPG would have going in would be the possibility of coming up with a new gameplay system for the genre. A bit hard to do when the games themselves often have crippling bugs and the certain mechanics poorly thought through.

Altogether however, the lore of the Elder Scrolls series is uninspired and boring, and the same can be said of its unimaginative art design or of the fairly straight-forward and rarely exciting quests.

They'd be better off trying to come up with a new concept from scratch than trying to weld Elder Scrolls onto it. Perhaps the other continents are filled with talented ideas but Tamriel, for which the series is reliant on, is terribly dry.

[QUOTE="SteelAttack"]Yeah. According with both the wiki entry on MMORPGs and a Gamasutra feature that I can't link because I didn't have an account, standard dev cost for a MMORPG is about 10 million. Even when considering other costs such as the ones Matt pointed out, that $300 mil figure is exceedingly large.

So it's either a typo, or a large sum devoted for funding many projects, I'd believe.

juradai

Actually, that figure is correct. $10 million dollars for the game itself and 290 million dollars for me to star in it as an NPC. I honestly think I am being under paid really but I suppose I will just take what I can get.:roll:

How can this surprise anyone? After Oblivion, it was quite apparent that Bethesda was just in it for the big monies, then the Fallout 3 showing doubley confirmed it. The obvious next step for them would be to sink cash into an MMO for a WoW-like success.Alaris83

I don't understand the Bethesda haters. Oblivion is an incredible game, and an incredible value. It might not be Morrowind, but it is still pretty dang good. I've easily played more hours of Oblivion than I have of every other game that I've purchased since its release combined.rragnaar

[QUOTE="DarkRider23"]Hopefully this doesn't get in the way of Elder Scrolls V.dvader654

Exactly, I hope this doesnt replace anything.

I'm going to 3rd this.

I'm fine with companies making online spinoff games, but don't let it get in the way of the real deal. Same with Kotor 3.

What? Isn't the KotOR MMO just a speculation? Is it real?

If so, than that kind of sucks becuase isn't KotORalways been about the story? If it's a MMO than what's the point?

How can this surprise anyone? After Oblivion, it was quite apparent that Bethesda was just in it for the big monies, then the Fallout 3 showing doubley confirmed it. The obvious next step for them would be to sink cash into an MMO for a WoW-like success.Alaris83

What are you talking about? EVERY companies main objective is to make money and satisfy the consumers. What do you expect Bethesda to do? Spend $100 million on a game and then only make back $50? Seriously... get with the program.

And could you please explain how Oblivion showed that they were just in for the money? The game was a high quality game unlike the crap that EA sells to make money.

US$ 300 million into the project and will be looking to ZeniMax Online Studios to handle the upcoming projects they have planned.ASK_Story

I think this sounds very cool. I loved Oblivion so if I can get something like that in a world that is ever expanding where I can interact with other game players doing quests and want not then I'm definately on board with that.

Yeah I think the 300 million thing is for a number of projects. I doubt even Microsoft would throw in that kind of money especially on an MMO that will continually cost money.

[QUOTE="DarkRider23"]Hopefully this doesn't get in the way of Elder Scrolls V.dvader654

Exactly, I hope this doesnt replace anything.

I'm with you guys. I love the series but MMO's aren't my cup of tea.

[QUOTE="dvader654"]

[QUOTE="DarkRider23"]Hopefully this doesn't get in the way of Elder Scrolls V.Nifty_Shark

Exactly, I hope this doesnt replace anything.

I'm with you guys. I love the series but MMO's aren't my cup of tea.

MMOs would be great if they didn't have monthly costs, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

and people thought the dialogue in Oblivion was bad... wait until all you see it leet speak from hundreds of mmo junkiessmerlus

The dialogue in Oblivion wasn't as bad as some people are making it out to be.

[QUOTE="DarkRider23"]Hopefully this doesn't get in the way of Elder Scrolls V.dvader654

Exactly, I hope this doesnt replace anything.

Wow. Honestly $300 million...

Thats quite a gamble...

What are you talking about? EVERY companies main objective is to make money and satisfy the consumers. What do you expect Bethesda to do? Spend $100 million on a game and then only make back $50? Seriously... get with the program.

And could you please explain how Oblivion showed that they were just in for the money? The game was a high quality game unlike the crap that EA sells to make money.

DarkRider23

I'm not going to repeat myself for the reading impaired. Suffice it to say that a developer should strive to advance and improve the genre rather than become the next McDonalds of gaming.

Well that's too bad. Though I'd be willing to bet it's in development anyway, seems like a natural evolution for the series.

Unlike a bunch of folks in this thread I'd be excited to try it out if that were the case. Would love to dive into another quality MMORPG at some point - between this, the rumored KOTOR game and the Marvel/DC offerings I hope at least one fits the bill.

15 times the cost of Uncharted? Jesus. If it ends up like WOW, great, but if it ends up like Vanguard, Bethesda might end up bankrupting themselves.EvilTaru

:D:lol:

Is there any chance they can get this out before they finish Fallout 3?

Yeah, 300 million is insane numbers. I just posted whatever was there.

But either Bethdesda is way over-confident, insanely arrogant thinking Elder Scrolls will surpass WoW (which I assume that's what they're planning on), or that budget is just a investment for other projects as well.

Or they are really that crazy and wants to make the biggest MMO ever with this.

Right, dibs on the username: Sir Farts Alot.

I'll be the orc in the leather thong and spiky shoulder pads. Let's meet up.