The world of The Elder Scrolls is a massive place full of wonder and lore. Since 1994, the series has mostly managed to impress gamers with its wondrous environments, fantastical creatures, and slick RPG gameplay. It’s safe to say that The Elder Scrolls is one of the greatest video game franchises ever conceived, and the latest entry in the series, Skyrim, served to further cement that statement. Simply put, Skyrim was a near-perfect adventure that was daunting, impressive, and epic.
Due to my job as a games writer requiring me to constantly play different games for the purpose of letting you all know whether they suck or not, I don’t always have much time to sink into Skyrim. But whenever I get that chance (usually during weekends), I make the most of my visits to the land of Skyrim. I’ve only put about 25 hours into the game, but it didn’t take me that long to realize just how grand the adventure really is. Skyrim is a beautiful, majestic place, and it’s most certainly worth visiting and adventuring in.
In 25 hours, I’ve already seen so much, but I know I’ve just barely scratched the surface. I have yet to really leave my mark on the land of Skyrim. Considering so many games end in less than half the time I’ve spent playing this title, it’s obvious that Skyrim is a grandiose epic of immeasurable scale. While I’m perfectly fine spending the next few months spelunking around caves and dungeons, chatting with different folks, and exploring the heck out of Skyrim, I still ask myself one thing: Where does The Elder Scrolls go next?
Skyrim features such a huge land rife with things to do. Whether it’s something small or big, every quest I’ve played thus far has been incredible. And while it’s no secret that a lot of gamers have already done everything they wanted to in Skyrim, there are many others who will be busy playing for months to come. That’s great, because this is one of those rare games that actually gives you a ton of content for your $60. At the same time, it’s hard to really see what Bethesda can do with The Elder Scrolls moving forward.
One of the more ideal theories is that an MMO based on the series will launch sometime in the future. While I’m not exactly a fan of the genre, an MMO most definitely seems like it could and would happen. Past entries in The Elder Scrolls already featured a huge scope, so it goes without saying that an MMO iteration could be pulled off without a hitch.
The first thing to take into account would be the gameplay. In order to deliver a satisfying multiplayer experience, Bethesda would have to consider all of the tropes that have made MMOs such a success. Bearing that in mind, if an MMO set in The Elder Scrolls universe is to stay true to the series, the gameplay we all loved in Skyrim definitely needs to remain present. Bethesda needs to give us an experience full of larger than life lands, intimidating beasts, daunting quests, and huge dungeons. To put it plainly, an Elder Scrolls MMO needs to feel like Skyrim, but with a multiplayer element.
Bethesda creating an MMO based on its famed RPG franchise is in all likelihood the most probable situation right now. But let’s think about something else for a second, shall we? Let’s think about The Elder Scrolls VI. Personally, I don’t want that to happen for a few years, because I’ve still got so much to do in Skyrim; I really want to continue taking my time with that game as I experience all of its wonder at my own pace.
So what’s likely to happen with the next main entry in Bethesda’s western RPG series? Since the game will probably launch on the next generation of consoles, I think we can expect something akin to Skyrim but on a much bigger scale. I’m talking a bigger map, more quests, more optional objectives, more towns, just more of everything we love about Skyrim. Considering just how massive the most recent game is, it’s really awe-inspiring just to think about the possibilities of an Elder Scrolls VI, but it’s sure as hell exciting.
Skyrim is the first Elder Scrolls game I’ve ever played, and it left a great impression. I absolutely love that game, and exploring its beautiful depths is one of the greatest experiences I’ve had as a gamer, and I’ve been doing this for a long time. I don’t play MMOs, but even I’m intrigued at the prospect of an Elder Scrolls MMO. What has me really stoked, however, is the thought of what Bethesda can pull off in a few years once it’s ready to bring us The Elder Scrolls VI. Whatever it is, I think it’s safe to say that it’s going to be amazing once more.
