The Elder Scrolls Online MMO uses subscription model

Speaking during an interview with Gamestar.de at Gamescom 2013, General Manager of ZeniMax Online, Matt Firor, confirmed that The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) would use a monthly subscription payment model.

Players will be asked to pay $14.99/€12.99/£8.99 per month. There will be discounts for buying game-time in bulk. There will also be a cost for the purchase of the base game, which offers 30 days access – this price was not revealed.

Firor promised “meaningful and consistent content” and “premium customer support” for the MMO, and said that a subscription model is the only way they would be able to offer the game they set out to make.

“Charging a flat monthly (or subscription) fee means that we will offer players the game we set out to make, and the one that fans want to play. Going with any other model meant that we would have to make sacrifices and changes we weren’t willing to make,” said Firor.

“The Elder Scrolls Online was designed and developed to be a premium experience: hundreds of hours of gameplay, tons of depth and features, professional customer support – and a commitment to have ongoing content at regular intervals after launch. This type of experience is best paired with a one-time fee per month, as opposed to many smaller payments that would probably add up to more than $14.99/month anyway.”

Asked about the bold move into a subscription model where many other big MMOs have failed (Star Wars: The Old Republic, Rift), Firor said that a subscription model is simply the best fit for the type of game that is ESO.

“It’s important to state that our decision to go with subscriptions is not a referendum on online game revenue models. F2P, B2P, etc. are valid, proven business models – but subscription is the one that fits ESO the best, given our commitment to freedom of gameplay, quality and long-term content delivery. Plus, players will appreciate not having to worry about being “monetized” in the middle of playing the game, which is definitely a problem that is cropping up more and more in online gaming these days.

“The fact that the word “monetized” exists points to the heart of the issue for us: We don’t want the player to worry about which parts of the game to pay for – with our system, they get it all,” said Firor.

Elder Scrolls Online

The team from ZeniMax Online Studios has released their first development diary, a documentary style clip discussing how they are bringing the rich history of The Elder Scrolls series online.

This video covers the basics of ESO, including a first look at the game’s Elder Scrolls-style combat system, massive PvP battles, Megaserver technology, exploration-based content, and more.

The Elder Scrolls Online is an MMO in development at ZeniMax Online Studios, and will be the first Elder Scrolls game to allow gamers to explore the legendary Elder Scrolls world with others. The Elder Scrolls Online is being developed for PC, Mac and next-gen consoles, under the leadership of industry veteran Matt Firor, who has spent the last two decades working in online game development.

No launch date has been scheduled, but the PC beta is currently under way and the game is expected to drop sometime in 2014.