Release Date Predictions Based On Beta Timeline...

Well, pretty much everyone thought that ESO would come out LATE in 2013, like December/November, and since the team kept cryptically saying "2013", that was pretty reasonable, but I think we can reevaluate this prediction, in light of the recent beta news.

So, beta started a week ago... and typically, it goes for about 3-4 months, but, generally, that doesn't include the friends and family beta. The beta for everyone else, will start at the end of March, so in about 3 weeks... That puts the estimated release date of the game, imo, to be this Summer, I would say, possibly June at the earliest, but most likely, July or August.

I'm not sure Beta will lead to an earlier release date - like everyone I'm hoping its sooner than later though! :)

I suspect they will launch largely based on other MMO releases, significant updates and expansions so as to maximize their potential revenue when competing for largely the same MMO core fan-base.

For example would releasing the game at the same time as a WOW significant update be wise? possibly but that will be their marketing teams decision too way-up the pros and cons.

However I am not aware of anything else significant in the MMO space this year (but that could easily just be my lack of knowledge) - if that is the case and there is not anything "significant" then yes I would expect a much earlier release, it makes sense they would want a return on investment sooner rather than later.

So based on that, I would hedge a bet of early - mid summer.

I +1'd OP just for the fact that you didnt make a poll. I think thats going to be my new thing.

As for release date, im praying for start of September. Im gone travelling June-August, so sometime in the middle would be an inconvenience. Given Beta is starting end of March, and is mainly just going to be a weekend thing, im assuming it ll last 2 months. That would give them 3 months to fix whatever was needed properly. I cant see many big expansions coming out at that time for anything. WoW just got 1. FFXI gets another expansion in a month. Plus its Elder Scrolls. Do they reallly feel like they need to release to be competitive? Skyrim was such a success that they can easily bank on the name alone to sell copies fast.

I think due to the beta acceptances being released so late (end of this month) it will push back the initial guess that TESO would be released in November to at least December or later now. This is due to the fact that only a couple of beta testing events will occur in a month, so it will surely be at least 3 or 4 months of testing. After that comes months of improvements, solving problems/bug fixing and anything else they want to add.

So based on that, I would say end of the year (as they have previously said).

Hmm if Skyrim was released 11/11/11, I wonder if ZOS will follow the trend and release ESO 11/12/13. Of course that would be a Tuesday release and I'm not sure what day of the week MMO's are typically released.

However, I am hoping for an end of summer, early fall release which would be quite nice.

(March 6th 2013, 06:17 AM)Kynareth Wrote: I think due to the beta acceptances being released so late (end of this month) it will push back the initial guess that TESO would be released in November to at least December or later now. This is due to the fact that only a couple of beta testing events will occur in a month, so it will surely be at least 3 or 4 months of testing. After that comes months of improvements, solving problems/bug fixing and anything else they want to add.

So based on that, I would say end of the year (as they have previously said).

Not necessarily true, Rift did Beta weekends, and their beta lasted about 3-4 months. It was very polished right from the early beta, and the people who played the game in pre-Alpha, at the media event, said the game was surprisingly polished, for that stage in the life cycle, so could very well be a Summer release... I guess I'm being a bit of an optimist here.

(March 6th 2013, 06:48 AM)Qallidex Wrote:

(March 6th 2013, 06:17 AM)Kynareth Wrote: I think due to the beta acceptances being released so late (end of this month) it will push back the initial guess that TESO would be released in November to at least December or later now. This is due to the fact that only a couple of beta testing events will occur in a month, so it will surely be at least 3 or 4 months of testing. After that comes months of improvements, solving problems/bug fixing and anything else they want to add.

So based on that, I would say end of the year (as they have previously said).

Not necessarily true, Rift did Beta weekends, and their beta lasted about 3-4 months. It was very polished right from the early beta, and the people who played the game in pre-Alpha, at the media event, said the game was surprisingly polished, for that stage in the life cycle, so could very well be a Summer release... I guess I'm being a bit of an optimist here.

I understand where you're coming from but that's a little too optimistic. If it's a summer release which I'm guessing you mean July, then that would only give 3 months to test everything and to fix any bugs or problems in the game. That's impossible, unless the game was pretty much perfect before the beta even started. Plus I don't think Zenimax would have mentioned having a release date at the end of the year if that wasn't what they were aiming for.

But this is just my speculation, everyone can have their own.

Rift's beta wasn't really a beta on content though, just servers. The game was pretty much complete/polished and they used "beta" to invite everyone they could to hype the hell out of the game (which worked well). I'm used to betas lasting longer. I think we will be looking at the end of the year. I don't think they will rush through beta as they are starting off so small and filtering people into test groups with weekend-only access. We know they want us to test individual things one or two at a time which likely means it will take a while. If they do finish early they will probably still want to release in November/December anyway because game publishers LOVE holiday sales.

Where did they say they planned on releasing the game around the end of the year?

(March 6th 2013, 06:44 AM)Tabbycat Wrote: Hmm if Skyrim was released 11/11/11, I wonder if ZOS will follow the trend and release ESO 11/12/13. Of course that would be a Tuesday release and I'm not sure what day of the week MMO's are typically released.

However, I am hoping for an end of summer, early fall release which would be quite nice.

Ha! I would not be suprised at all if ZOS really does release ESO on 11/12/13.

I think November is actually very realistic. I do not think that it will be released in the summer. This is because many professional review sites have said that - form what they have seen - ESO is nowhere near ready for primetime yet.

(March 6th 2013, 07:10 AM)decoy Wrote: Rift's beta wasn't really a beta on content though, just servers. The game was pretty much complete/polished and they used "beta" to invite everyone they could to hype the hell out of the game (which worked well). I'm used to betas lasting longer. I think we will be looking at the end of the year. I don't think they will rush through beta as they are starting off so small and filtering people into test groups with weekend-only access. We know they want us to test individual things one or two at a time which likely means it will take a while. If they do finish early they will probably still want to release in November/December anyway because game publishers LOVE holiday sales.

I agree with this, the amount of time to get the game ready for release is only one part of the process. Releasing in Nov/dec seems the most financially wise decision.

I would say more like October at the earliest, December at the latest. ESO will require much more testing then Rift, as it is a much more ambitous project then just about any MMO in development at the moment....

I seriously doubt it'll follow 'Skyrim' release date...But I do predict a early Xmas release date if ZOS are smart they'll avoid the big gaming release dates i.e. PS4 release might sound silly but I'm sure it would effect sales!!!

Mid November - Early December. Or pushed back to early 2014.

Really depends on what they find between now and the end of the beta.. they could discover some crippling issues that sets the whole thing back, of course they wont, it'll run smoothly, be perfect and be released early :D yaaay

I'm gonna go for the end of October. I have no particular basis for that, just optimism with a bit of realism :D