'Elder Scrolls Online' release date: Game to relaunch as 'Tamriel Unlimited'
When it launched in May 2014, "Elder Scrolls Online" did not raise the hype its makers expected, and subscriptions for the title were below projected numbers when compared with other massive multiplayer online games. Add to that the delays in the promised launches in the Playstation 4 and Xbox One consoles, and the title became just a mediocre one.
Developers Zenimax Online Studios and Bethesda hopes to turn it all around.
Starting today, March 17, "Elder Scrolls Online" will be rebranded as "Tamriel Unlimited." A video stream trailer from Zenimax Online Studios was released to highlight the changes and updates for the massive multiplayer online game.
First, the change in name signals a transition to free-to-play. Although gamers would still have to make a one-time purchase for the game itself, the monthly subscription fee is already waived. For those who were already playing "Elder Scrolls Online" and paid the $15 monthly subscription, they can continue paying and be upgraded to ESO Plus accounts, giving them access to lots of in-game bonuses such as cosmetic and convenience items.
The different Veteran Dungeons would also continue to be one of the highlights of the title. A new battle stadium, the Dragonstar Arena, is also introduced. This is a gladiator-type battleground where up to four players battle each other in a survival mode gameplay. Guild fixes are also introduced, and guild members can set up their own trade shops to sell and barter items exclusive to their guilds.
In addition to the fixes, the developers also promise a much improved campaign storyline that players can immerse themselves in, for a better single player experience.
Perhaps one of the biggest changes that the new game has installed is the long-awaited Justice System. Announced that the QuakeCon last year, the feature lets gamers steal or murder anyone in the game. In this feature, players' choices to embezzle and kill NPCs and other players, or save them from someone, will result in them being branded as either champions or murderers.
