Forums » Elder Scrolls

One Feature You Want in TES VI

    • 622 posts
    March 29, 2014 2:38 AM EDT

    Daggerfall was set in High Rock. Morrowind was set in Morrowind (DUH), which were elves not men. Hammerfall has Redguard, but wasn't a main game.

    I don't think your theory works, Ben 

    • 1467 posts
    March 29, 2014 2:41 AM EDT
    I could have sworn I read something about it being an ongoing problem or at least everyone thinking it was an ongoing problem. Ah well bring on Elder Scrolls VII: Black Marsh.
    • 1467 posts
    March 29, 2014 2:47 AM EDT
    I'm guessing it's going to be set in Hammerfall but what I really want for some reason is High Rock focusing more on Orsinium.
    • 622 posts
    March 29, 2014 2:50 AM EDT

    Morrowind was pretty damn popular if I remember correctly. Hell, there's still being mod made today.

    Nords got popular when Skyrim came out, as did the Dunmer in Morrowind. I bet whatever game comes out next, that race will be popular as all hell.

    • 189 posts
    March 29, 2014 3:04 AM EDT

    TES VI will sell at least as well as Skyrim on the name alone, regardless of where it's set. I wouldn't be surprised to see them actually expand beyond a single province as defined by pre-Skyrim maps. I think Black Marsh + mainland Morrowind is a possibility, since the Argonians have taken control of that territory. I also wouldn't be too surprised to see Elsweyr and Valenwood combined for TES VI. If they do stick to a single continent, I think Summerset Isle is a likely candidate.

    If Bethesda is seriously concerned about a province where Men aren't the predominant race — and I don't think they are — they always have the fallback excuse of the Imperials vying for land.... Cyrodiil borders every other mainland province, and as of TES V, the Empire is seriously vying for ownership in lands outside of Cyrodiilic territory.

    • 77 posts
    March 29, 2014 3:14 AM EDT

    I would be surprised if the marketers at Bethesda or Zenimax aren't worried about the effect each game's main race has on sales. TES has been steadily gaining in popularity over the years, Oblivion was a double A game, almost AAA, but still a bit niche. Skyrim served to make TES fully AAA, now marketing traditionally gains greater influence.

    I wouldn't hold my breath for a game set in Black Marsh or Elsweyr as beast races aren't that relatable. Valenwood and the Summerset Isles are more likely because elves are more traditionally marketable and, to be frank, look closer to white people than do cats and lizards. I would expect a big 'lol', furry backlash if TES VI was set in Elsweyr as well.

    I do wonder if Bethesda's marketers are worried about setting a game in Hammerfell with most of the characters being black people. As sad as it is there are still plenty of racists IRL, if not consciously then subconsciously. Redguards have a lot of muslim influences in their design as well, another thing that marketers might worry about for the game's sales in the North American and European markets.

    Of course the ideal situation is that Bethesda and Zenimax's marketing teams have minimal say in these kind of decisions. That would be the ideal situation for creative freedom and the quality of the final product. Myself I am most interested in a game set in the ancient and mysterious forests of Valenwood or Hammerfell, as I would love to explore the vast Al'Akir desert and find dwemer ruins buried beneath the sands.

    I find myself most excited to see how beautiful whatever culture Bethesda chooses will be portrayed. Their architecture and the landscape around them displayed in beautiful next gen graphics. Whatever province is settled upon I'm sure it'll be great.

    • 622 posts
    March 29, 2014 3:26 AM EDT

    @Ben C

    Selling copies does not equal popularity. According to that site PC Skyrim sold worse then Oblivion. And Xbox Morrownd is just under in numbers for PS3 Oblivion. How many people do you think pirated Morrowind after playing Oblivion first? Or Oblivion and Morrowind after they played Skyrim? 

    Skyrim was aimed at a more diverse audience then the previous games too, resulting in more sales. Judging by this thread, the majority wants it to return to it's roots as a harder, more RPG-styled game and that could do  two things - Satisfy the audience that played previous games in the series while driving away newer fans, and/or by bring in more fans>

    Every race has risen in popularity when their game is released. I believe I once read somewhere that either Paul or Emer (can't remember who) saying that pre-Skyrim, Nords were unpopular as all hell on the polls, but the latest race pull put them as third! I ebelive the same happened on other fansites with the Dunmer and Imperials.

    When I was playing the beta, there was five Argonians to every three Dunmer. And those three Dunmer had maybe one Nord between them. I had a similar experince in the Aldemeri Dominion. In my opinion, that proves people are playing the beast races and elves more then the humans and a game set in those provinces would sell pretty damn well.

    • 77 posts
    March 29, 2014 3:40 AM EDT

    People who frequent fansites, like us, and vote for dunmer (or even know what dunmer means) are not the majority of buyers. Bethesda is likely to be concerned, at least partially, in what will sell well.

    • 622 posts
    March 29, 2014 3:50 AM EDT

    I understand that. I think at it's heart, Bethesda does care about the fans and wants to try and satisfy most of our wishes. Hell, they even acknowledge some fan sites.



    I got this from Tamriel Foundary, other rather large fansite. Note that the faction which has ZERO human races is the most popular. The Ebonheart Pact, which has only the Nords, is a close second. Meanwhile the one with the most humans is trailing behind.

    In my opinion, that proves that the majority of TESO players (at least in this case) don't want to be humans and rather play races they will never get to experience in the real world.

    Like come on, why play a boring human when you can be a Khajiit thief, a Bosmer archer, a Altmer mage or an Argonian assassin?  Being a human is what we all are, explore something that you'll never get to be.

    • 77 posts
    March 29, 2014 4:02 AM EDT

    We're not talking about playable races; we're talking about the main race of each country, the face you see on most bandits and townsfolk.

    Furthermore there's a big difference between fans following a game before release and most players. The former is generally speaking more hardcore and the later more casual (see a cool game at gamestop rather than following it online for months).

    • 622 posts
    March 29, 2014 5:42 AM EDT
    Ha! :P

    You just reinforced one of my points. "Nords are probably popular because of Skyrim." I think that whatever game comes out next, they'll be popular. Races rise and Fall in popularity, depending on the game.
    • 77 posts
    March 29, 2014 5:45 AM EDT

    To be fair, nords are one of the two most marketable races. Nords and imperials are just white people with funny names. Oblivion and Skyrim were easy to sell to North Americans and Europeans in this sense.

    • 622 posts
    March 29, 2014 5:52 AM EDT
    Despite that, Morrowind is still regarded as the best game in the series according to some fans and it's filled with dark-skinned red-eyed elves in an alien world
    • 77 posts
    March 29, 2014 5:59 AM EDT

    And according to most of the people who played Skyrim, "What's Morrowind?" Grey-skinned and red eyed people are just inherently less marketable to a wide audience than are humans.

    • 622 posts
    March 29, 2014 6:05 AM EDT
    I won't deny that's true (but most people who played would know what Morrowind is but will know the province).

    Marketing has nothing to do with it. If Bethesda does a game about Argonians two things are going to happen -- Hardcore fans are going to buy it and either love it or hate it and people who bought Skyrim will buy it cause they liked Skyrim.
    • 622 posts
    March 29, 2014 6:28 AM EDT
    @Overhate: Yes. I'm confident it would.
    • 77 posts
    March 29, 2014 6:36 AM EDT

    You must have a lot of lizard people in your life. =P

    • 622 posts
    March 29, 2014 6:39 AM EDT
    There's more Argonian fans then most people suspect.
    • 622 posts
    March 29, 2014 6:46 AM EDT
    *swamp :P

    Of course there's other factors to consider. It wouldn't be about dragons, the Dovahkiin or about anything in Skyrim. There would a different story and quests too. But I think it could have had quite possibly the sane impact.

    But I understand what you mean about Skyrom. It is beautiful.
    • 1467 posts
    March 29, 2014 7:15 AM EDT
    Argonians for the win. But for real I think aa excellent way to see who Bethesda is targeting can be done by looking at the NPC's. Obviously Nords are number one with Imperials being second and I think Bretons being third and the probably Altmer, Redguard or Dunmer.
    Most of these make sense Skyrim is near Cyrodiil and High Rock and the Altmer are trying to get a foothold in Skyrim because if the War, the Dunmer are fleeing Morrowind and the Redguards are the Race most known for piracy and sailing and Skyrim has a massive coast line.

    I think Bethesda tries to incoperate characters in game based not around a target audience but around logic and intelligent decisions.
    • 77 posts
    March 29, 2014 8:02 AM EDT

    Well, that's the hope. They have chosen lands filled with white people since the early 2000's though, so I think marketing plays some role.

    • 1483 posts
    March 29, 2014 8:10 AM EDT

    From what I remember about advertising they did for Skyrim, the emphasis was not on the landscapes or people. The main focus was on dragons though I may be wrong  It will be hard to find something in the place of dragons

    • 1467 posts
    March 29, 2014 9:06 AM EDT
    I agree with you there Dragons, Shouts and Snow were the focus of each trailer I saw and most of the hype was about dragons.
  • March 29, 2014 10:10 AM EDT
    Let's gooooooo, Hammerfell!
    • 622 posts
    March 29, 2014 10:23 AM EDT
    What does white people have to do with anything? They have made three main TES game, one happens to not be a human rave, plus all those whacky spin offs which feature Stormhold, Hammerfall and more.