The makers of the fantasy MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online have postponed the launch of the console port by six months. We wonder what that could mean.
The six-month delay came as a surprise to most. While signs were increasing that Zenimax would not be able to meet the date for PS4 and Xbox One; such a drastic delay was still unexpected. Especially considering how important the console release is for the game. After all, 6 out of 7 Skyrims sold worldwide fit either into an Xbox 360 or a PS3. Had everything gone according to plan, the console versions would have been released in an atmosphere of hype surrounding the PC version.
The console titles could have settled in a ready-made nest of top reviews, word-of-mouth, and hype instead of in a world where Angry Joe throws dollar bills around as Cobra Commander.
It cannot be denied that The Elder Scrolls Online is not exactly a bed of roses after a month. The MMORPG launched with too many bugs, and too many failures in communication and support burden the title. Even the biggest fan must admit that TESO could have benefited from a few more months in development.
A console release six months after the launch of the PC version means that Zenimax not only has much more time at the drawing board to bring the game into top shape but also a fresh start in the minds of customers. However, for this purpose, the marketing machinery must also be restarted, which is associated with enormous costs.
On the other hand, one hopes that the title will present itself in a better form by Christmas than it is today. With the announced features and numerous bug fixes, Zenimax shows initiative and a vision. However, the delay was only announced late and has consumed a lot of goodwill among console players. But such wounds heal quickly – especially when some mad things have been going on until Christmas. With the offer to players to start on PC now and switch to console later, they also send a message of goodwill.
The worst-case scenario: Star Wars: The Old Republic
[quote_right]Free2Play?[/quote_right]
At the moment, wicked tongues claim that The Elder Scrolls Online is already on the verge of collapse, that the game will soon become “Free2Play” and that Zenimax wants to cash in on console players before it is too late.
This is an extremely negative assessment of the situation, which we do not share. While the game undoubtedly has problems, the “good” core of the game, the good substance, is visible. Also, “Star Wars: The Old Republic“, often cited as a title that started strong and crashed quickly, serves as a poor example. After all, SWTOR developed splendidly after a while, although by then a large mass of players had moved on to the next hype title.
The best-case scenario: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
In the best case, Zenimax takes the same difficult path as Square Enix. Their Final Fantasy title (a name that is at least as big as The Elder Scrolls in Asia) struggled at launch with enormous problems and disastrous test results. The atmosphere was terrible, so they took a hard (also unpopular) step, took the game offline, improved it and later resurrected it as “A Realm Reborn” – and that with resounding success.
Of course, no one at Zenimax is talking about taking the PC version offline. But continuing to develop the game for 6 more months, smoothing the rough edges, getting the balance right, and only then opening the gates of Tamriel for PS4 and Xbox One players could prove to be a clever move.
Of course, the whole thing would have a taste of “The PC players were the guinea pigs”, but in MMORPGs we are a little bit always that, aren’t we? Console players would probably have dealt with the growing pains of an MMORPG even less than MMO veterans on PC.
