What if Skyrim was the last TES game?

[Farlace]

There will be at very least one for each race, I don't think arena or daggerfall were race ones like Morrowwind, Oblivion, and Skyrim (Dunmer, Imperials, Nord), I am guessing 15 in the series at very least, though it's so big I doubt it'll stop there.

I do believe it goes:

Spoiler:

Arena=All races
Daggerfall=Breton/Redguard
Redguard=Redguard
Battlespire=N/A
Shadowkey=Nord/Redguard/Breton
Dawnstar=Nord
Stormhold=Argonian
Morrowind=Dunmer
Oblivion=Imperial
Skyrim=Nord

Thats how I see it, though.

[DerangedPickle]

Is there really a reason to continue this thread? I think H8Ball summed it up perfectly.

Well, yes other people would probably like to post their answer to the question.

[AKB]

I was overly exaggerating my position to show my support for H8ball's argument. It's a very common debate technique.

[Mithrandir]

We could pool every UESP member's resources and buy the rights to the Elder scrolls franchise.

I would pour my life savings into this...

[LtAscott]

We could pool every UESP member's resources and buy the rights to the Elder scrolls franchise.

this then we would bring back spears and crossbows, include everything thats in skyrim (feature/combat wise) update any flaws we do find in skyrims combat, add crippling, add hardcore mode, and add the ability to throw any weapon, and have a button for a kick.

and i would add werewolves.

just in elder scrolls 6, i wonder how they will replace dragon shouts?

[Frogmander]

There will be at very least one for each race, I don't think arena or daggerfall were race ones like Morrowwind, Oblivion, and Skyrim (Dunmer, Imperials, Nord), I am guessing 15 in the series at very least, though it's so big I doubt it'll stop there.

I do believe it goes:

Spoiler:

Arena=All races
Daggerfall=Breton/Redguard
Redguard=Redguard
Battlespire=N/A
Shadowkey=Nord/Redguard/Breton
Dawnstar=Nord
Stormhold=Argonian
Morrowind=Dunmer
Oblivion=Imperial
Skyrim=Nord

Thats how I see it, though.

Slight problem, you forgot quite a few places, Valenwood and Black Marsh to name some.

[AKB]

We haven't had any games THAT WERE ONLY in Argonia or Valenwood. He was listing what games he thought were intended for each race.

[Pobatti]

Isn't it the last?

I could have sworn I heard a quote somewhere pointing towards all the references to the previous games on Alduin's Wall and basically saying Skyrim is the culmination of the series; Everything that has happened, everything the scrolls foretold, every prophesy fulfilled has all lead to this point - Skyrim.

I had even head that Oblivion was originally conceived to be the last Elder Scrolls. The death of the Emperor, the end of the Septim line, and the permanent banishment of Daedra from Nirm all seemed to fit that concept quite well. I had even accepted Martin's speech at the end of Oblivion - "when the next Elder Scroll is written, you will be it's scribe" - to simply mean that the story had reached it's conclusion but the world of the Elder Scrolls will continue as long as the fans continue to make new mods, content and fan-games based around it's lore.

At some point, Bethesda decided to give the series one more crack of the whip because of how popular the series has been - only this time the 'finale' aspect seems much more pronounced. Bethesda will never actually use the words "this is the last Elder Scrolls game ever" because there's always the possibility the series could be continued - for example a brand new 'series' could begin with The Elder Scrolls 6, or perhaps at that point the team might think it's a good idea to cleanly reboot the brand.

So I'm going into the game fully expecting that this will be the last Elder Scrolls. I've been thinking along those lines for most of the year so I'm fairly comfortable with it by now - and as I said earlier, the experience simply never ends with the modding community that exists for this game series.

[H8Ball]

Well said. Obviously, they're leaving their options open. That's always going to be the case when you're running a business whose purpose is to make a profit. They might decide to risk millions in development costs on continuing the series, in the hope that future sales will turn sufficient profit to justify that risk and fund the next in the series, and so on. Then again, they might decide the risk is too great. It depends on the sales, and it's the FANS who generate those.

If they make a definite promise, they have to commit to it COST-wise or look EXTREMELY bad and lose future sales/profit on other games. They may even go bust, and EVERYONE loses their jobs. So they hedge their bets and promise nothing, even hinting that the current game is the last one, just in case it IS.

And remember that, out of the amount YOU pay for a game, only a small profit reaches the developers. Here in the UK, PC games typically sell NEW for £35 (assuming a conversion rate of US$1.60 to £1, about $56) and typically about £3 (roughly $5) of that is direct developer profit. The rest is retailer (store) profit and VAT (Value Added Tax) or Sales Tax, or whatever the equivalent is in your country.

Every games developer is taking a HUGE risk (gamble) with loyalty of the fans, future profits and the business itself ALL being at stake. If the business goes under, they're ALL out of a job. Can you blame them for protecting themselves?

Btw, I voted "I would do something else". It's the only logical answer. No matter HOW you feel, you'd HAVE to turn elsewhere.

[Kavatch99]

I do uphold the theory that this ISN'T the last Elder Scrolls. There such a thing as plot arc. We're at the end of one plot arc, which is the culmination of everything that's happened since Arena.

Take another videogame series for example: The Legend of Zelda. Everyone thought Wind Waker was the last game because

Spoiler:

Hyrule got flooded in the end.

Was it the end? No. Since Wind Waker, at least four more Zelda games (yes, taking place in Hyrule) came out. Two of them were direct sequels to Wind Waker. It wasn't the end of the series, just the end of a plot arc. (Well, Wind Waker and its two sequels were the end of a plot arc, at least...)

Same concept here.

Now obviously, Bethesda will likely take a break from this game to go work on other games like Fallout 4. Eventually, they'll return to make a new Elder Scrolls.

[H8Ball]

As I said, they're just leaving their options open. Sound business practice.

There will either be sequels or not. Depends on how well Skyrim is received, and how well Bethesda support it. They dropped patch support for Oblivion WAY too early imo. They've probably been kicking themselves up and down the office ever since because the modding community (bless them all) came to the rescue as best they were able, and showed them up big-time.

I'm convinced that it's primarily the sheer strength of unceasing support from dedicated Oblivion fans and modders which has led to Bethesda's decision to go ahead and develop Skyrim. I'm happy to have been part of that process, just by regularly supporting the community here.

I hope Bethesda have learned an important lesson from the "Oblivion fiasco/saga". Keeping the customers happy is all-important. Without customers to SUPPORT your business, you DON'T have a business. It's a feedback loop. Positive feedback = grow and live forever. Negative feedback = wilt and die early.

So keep watering us plants, Beth! I for one will stand proudly rooted in my flowerpot with my mouth agape. But if you can't be bothered to water me, remember I'm a MOBILE plant. If I start to wilt, I'll be FORCED to hop elsewhere, pot and all, looking for another watering can.

[AKB]

Btw, I voted "I would do something else". It's the only logical answer. No matter HOW you feel, you'd HAVE to turn elsewhere.

I disagree with that. If the developers can't release a equal, the fans should. Fan sequals can be excellent, just look at MechWarrior: Living Legends as an example.

If the series was truly dead to the dev team, I would fully support us taking over the reigns. Of course, the series isn't dead, now is it?

[Kavatch99]

So keep watering us plants, Beth! I for one will stand proudly rooted in my flowerpot with my mouth agape. But if you can't be bothered to water me, remember I'm a MOBILE plant. If I start to wilt, I'll be FORCED to hop elsewhere, pot and all, looking for another watering can.

OK, I respect and agree with everything you just said, H8ball. Just wanted to let you know that the idea of a flower hopping away pot and all to another watering can got me into chuckles.

But yes, I agree. If one game series slack off, I simply go find another to keep my interest.