14 DAY TRIAL // The Elder Scrolls Online, the new MMO based on the well known fantasy universe, will launch with a subscription model, usual for modern releases in the genre, and it seems that the decision to ask gamers for a monthly payment was made jointly by developer ZeniMax Online and publisher Bethesda.
Pete Hines, who is a global vice president of marketing and public relations, tells GamesonNet that the two companies have explored many options and chose the one that was best suited for the long term health of the title.
He states, "It would be fair to say it was a mutual decision. It wasn’t like they decided it, and we didn’t mandate it. There was a lot of conversation around it. I worry about it, but I worry about everything. That’s my job, to worry. But I think it’s the right decision for the right reasons."
The executive believes that the subscription is not a problem for the kind of players who are interested in The Elder Scrolls Online but the two companies need to make sure that they deliver quality content that justifies the decision to pay each month for the MMO.
Hines adds, "But I would argue that other games that have or haven’t succeeded with this: it’s more about that, not the model itself. It’s about 'are you giving me my money’s worth for what you’re asking me to pay?' If yes, then they don’t have a problem with it. If no, then they have a problem with it."
The Elder Scrolls Online comes with a 30 day of game time out of the box and that gives players enough time to form a clearer opinion on the experience and decide whether they are interested in paying for more access or if they are ready to abandon the title.
Pete Hines has also suggested that Bethesda is agile when it comes to business models, which might mean that it could move the MMO to a free-to-play and microtransaction model if the number of subscribers is low and does not ensure long term survival.
The Elder Scrolls Online will be officially out on April 4 on the PC, although gamers who have pre-ordered can already explore the world created by ZeniMax Online.
Xbox One and PlayStation 4 users are also set to get access to the game at the start of summer, although cross-platform play is not planned by the development team.