Should you pre-order Elder Scrolls Online?

The beta events are almost over. The launch is under a month away. It’s time to decide: are you in or out on Elder Scrolls Online. Let’s help you make up your mind.

You should pre-order Elder Scrolls Online if you’re looking for an online Elder Scrolls experience.

All along, I’ve been saying the same thing over and over: if you were to combine an Elder Scrolls game with an MMORPG, you’d get Elder Scrolls Online. It’s as simple as that. The questing, the exploration, the storytelling, the crafting, the experience; it’s all there. It’s just that you’ll be adventuring with hundreds upon thousands of other people simultaneously because, you know, it’s an MMO. That being said, however…

You shouldn’t pre-order Elder Scrolls Online if you’re still looking for a reason to subscribe.

As much as I enjoyed playing through demos of Elder Scrolls Online, I have to admit that I haven’t exactly been sold on paying $14.99 a month yet. Will that sell come after launch? It’s possible; my curiosity has been piqued enough to purchase on day one. For those still looking for a reason, however, a “must subscribe” reason honestly hasn’t come yet. Sure, the prospect of playing through an Elder Scrolls environment with friends and strangers alike is intriguing, but why pay $14.99 a month for something I might not play in three months when I can just play Morrowind?

You should pre-order Elder Scrolls Online if large scale PVP is your thing.

Without a doubt, the greatest part of the beta experience was the large scale PVP battles. Here’s what you’ll find: three factions, one zone, hundreds of players, and attacks on armored fortresses. What’s not to like? When Bethesda and ZeniMax Online said large scale battles, they weren’t kidding around. Add in the Elder Scrolls combat and you have a PVP experience that I haven’t seen anywhere else in an MMO. Sure, it's weird and awkward when I miss someone because the game isn’t tab targeting, but isn’t that how a real battle feels?

The bottom line

There’s a lot to like with Elder Scrolls Online. There’s also a lot to not like, and even more that we don’t know just yet. If the upcoming MMORPG is one of many games you’re looking forward to within the coming months, you probably know what I’m going to say: buying Elder Scrolls Online may cause you to miss out on many of those games. For those that are still unsure, just keep doing what you’re doing. We both know that the word of mouth campaign will kick in after launch. If it worked for Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, it can certainly work for Elder Scrolls Online. Provided the game is any good, that is.

I sure hope it’s good.