The Elder Scrolls is an action role-playing open world video game series developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. The Elder Scrolls games take place in the fictional world of Nirn, on the continent of Tamriel. The first game, The Elder Scrolls: Arena, was released in 1994. It was intended for players to assume the role of an arena combatant, but development shifted the game into a role-playing game (RPG), beginning a tradition that persists throughout the series' history.[1] The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall was published in 1996, and it featured one of the first true 3D worlds on a large scale, with a game world claimed to be the size of Great Britain.[2] The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, released in 2002, saw a return to the old-style expansive and non-linear gameplay, and a shift towards individually detailed landscapes, with a smaller game world than past titles.[3] The game sold over four million units by mid-2005.[4] Two expansions were released between 2002 and 2003: Tribunal and Bloodmoon.

Development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion began in 2002, and focused on artificial intelligence improvements that interact dynamically with the game world.[5] Released in 2006, the game achieved commercial success and critical acclaim; expansion packs Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles were released for the game. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim followed in November 2011 to critical acclaim. The game is not a direct sequel to its predecessor, Oblivion, but instead takes place 200 years later, in Tamriel's land of Skyrim. Three expansion sets, Dawnguard, Dragonborn and Hearthfire, have been released. The Elder Scrolls Online, a massively multiplayer role-playing video game developed by ZeniMax Online Studios, was announced on May 3, 2012.[6] The game is the first open-ended multiplayer installment of the franchise, and most of the continent of Tamriel is playable in the game. The Elder Scrolls Online had been in development for 5 years prior to its announcement and was released on April 4, 2014.[6]

Video games

Key
Blank cell indicates title was not released on any platform(s) by the specified manufacturers
Cell with games console(s) indicates title was released on platform(s) by the specified manufacturers

Main games

List of The Elder Scrolls main video games
Title Release details Platform(s)
Microsoft Sony Other
The Elder Scrolls: Arena[7] DOS
The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall[8]
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
  • Release date: August 31, 1996
 DOS
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind[9]
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publishers:
    • Bethesda Softworks
    • Ubisoft (Europe)
  • Release dates:
    • Windows: May 2, 2002
    • Xbox: June 6, 2002
 Windows
Xbox
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion[10]
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publishers:
  • Release dates:
    • Mobile: May 2, 2006
    • PlayStation 3: March 20, 2007
    • Windows: March 20, 2006
    • Xbox 360: March 20, 2006
 Windows
Xbox 360 		PlayStation 3 Mobile[a]
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim[11]
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
  • Release dates:
    • Windows: November 11, 2011
    • Xbox 360: November 11, 2011
    • PlayStation 3: November 11, 2011
    • Playstation 4: October 26, 2016
    • Xbox One: October 26, 2016
    • Nintendo Switch: November 17, 2017
    • Playstation Vr: November 17, 2017
    • Playstation 5: November 11, 2021
    • Xbox Series X and Series S: November 11, 2021
 Windows
Xbox 360
Xbox One
Xbox Series X and Series S 		PlayStation 3
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 5 		Nintendo Switch
The Elder Scrolls VI[12]
  • Genre: Unknown (Presumably action role-playing)
  • Publisher:
  • Release date: TBA

Expansions and other games

List of The Elder Scrolls expansions and other games
Title Release details Platform(s)
Microsoft Sony Other
An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire[13]
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
  • Release date: November 30, 1997
 DOS
The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard[14]
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
  • Release date: October 31, 1998
 DOS
The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal[15]
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
  • Release date: November 8, 2002
 Windows
Xbox[b]
The Elder Scrolls Travels: Stormhold[16]
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
  • Release date: August 1, 2003
 Mobile
The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon[17]
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
  • Release date: June 4, 2003
 Windows
Xbox[b]
The Elder Scrolls Travels: Dawnstar[18]
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
  • Release date: 2004
 Mobile
The Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey[19]
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publishers:
    • Vir2L Studios
    • TKO Software
  • Release date: November 11, 2004
 Mobile[c]
The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine[20]
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publishers:
    • Bethesda Softworks
    • Ubisoft (Europe)
  • Release date: November 21, 2006
 Windows
Xbox 360[d] 		PlayStation 3
The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles[22]
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publishers:
    • Bethesda Softworks
    • 2K Games
  • Release dates:
    • PlayStation 3: December 8, 2007
    • Windows: March 26, 2007
    • Xbox 360 (digital): March 26, 2007
    • Xbox 360 (retail): October 16, 2007
 Windows
Xbox 360 		PlayStation 3
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Dawnguard[23]
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
  • Release dates:
    • PlayStation 3: February 26, 2013
    • PlayStation 4: November 21, 2016
    • Windows: August 2, 2012
    • Xbox 360: June 26, 2012
 Windows
Xbox 360 		PlayStation 3
Playstation 4 		Nintendo Switch
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Hearthfire
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
  • Release dates:
    • PlayStation 3: February 19, 2013
    • PlayStation 4: November 21, 2016
    • Windows: October 5, 2012
    • Xbox 360: September 4, 2012
 Windows
Xbox 360 		PlayStation 3
PlayStation 4 		Nintendo Switch
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Dragonborn[24]
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
  • Release dates:
    • PlayStation 3: February 12, 2013
    • PlayStation 4: November 21, 2016
    • Windows: February 5, 2013
    • Xbox 360: December 4, 2012
 Windows
Xbox 360 		PlayStation 3
PlayStation 4 		Nintendo Switch
The Elder Scrolls Online[6]
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
  • Release date:
    • Windows, OS X: April 4, 2014
    • PlayStation 4, Xbox One: June 9, 2015
 Windows[e]
Xbox One 		PlayStation 4 Mac OS[e]
The Elder Scrolls: Legends
  • Genre: Collectible card
  • Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
  • Release date:
    • Windows: March 9, 2017
    • macOS: May 31, 2017
    • iOS, Android: July 27, 2017
 Windows macOS
iOS
Android
The Elder Scrolls: Blades
  • Genre: Action role-playing
  • Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
  • Release date:
    • Android, iOS: May 12, 2020
    • Nintendo Switch: May 14, 2020
 Android
iOS
Nintendo Switch
The Elder Scrolls: Castles[25] Android

Notes

  1. ^ The mobile version of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was developed by Superscape.[10]
  2. ^ a b Tribunal and Bloodmoon are both included in the Xbox version of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind – Game of the Year Edition.
  3. ^ The Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey was developed by Vir2L Studios and TKO Software.[19]
  4. ^ The Xbox 360 version of The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine is only available through Xbox Live Marketplace, or through the Xbox version of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – Game of the Year Edition.[21]
  5. ^ a b The Elder Scrolls Online is developed by ZeniMax Online Studios.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Arena – Behind the Scenes". Bethesda Softworks (ZeniMax Media). 2004. Archived from the original on May 9, 2007. Retrieved June 8, 2007.
  2. ^ "Daggerfall – Behind the Scenes". Bethesda Softworks (ZeniMax Media). Archived from the original on May 18, 2008. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  3. ^ "Morrowind, Behind the Scenes". Bethesda Softworks (ZeniMax Media). 2004. Archived from the original on November 14, 2006. Retrieved November 22, 2006.
  4. ^ "Lynda Carter Joins the Voice Cast of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" (Press release). ZeniMax Media. August 17, 2005. Archived from the original on October 25, 2010.
  5. ^ Houghton, Mat. "Developers Corner: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion". Game Chronicles. Archived from the original on August 21, 2007. Retrieved August 11, 2007.
  6. ^ a b c d The Elder Scrolls Online:
  7. ^ The Elder Scrolls: Arena
  8. ^ The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
  9. ^ The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
  10. ^ a b The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
  11. ^ The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim:
  12. ^ The Elder Scrolls VI
  13. ^ An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire:
  14. ^ The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard:
  15. ^ The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal:
  16. ^ The Elder Scrolls Travels: Stormhold:
  17. ^ The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon:
  18. ^ The Elder Scrolls Travels: Dawnstar:
  19. ^ a b The Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey
  20. ^ The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine:
  21. ^ Purchese, Rob (November 27, 2006). "Review - The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Knights of the Nine". Eurogamer. Retrieved August 31, 2007.
  22. ^ The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles:
  23. ^ The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dawnguard:
  24. ^ The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dragonborn:
  25. ^ Zwiezen, Zack (29 September 2023). "Surprise, Bethesda Just Released A New Elder Scrolls Game". Kotaku. G/O Media. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
Categories