The Real Reason Bethesda Delayed The Elder Scrolls Online Reveal
Bethesda announced via Twitter that its reveal event for the new Elder Scrolls Online DLC, Gates of Oblivion, has been postponed until Jan. 26. Initially planned for January 21, one day after the United States Presidential Inauguration, Bethesda made the decision to push back the online event after a week of unrest in American politics.
The official Bethesda announcement simply cites Inauguration Day for the change of schedule, and fans pushed back, questioning why one country's politics should dictate the schedule. The official Elder Scrolls Online account responded via tweet, saying, "Given recent events, we are opting to play it safe. We have players all over the world, but the majority of our employees live and work near the capital [sic]." The clarification seemingly satisfied the Twitter masses, even prompting well-wishes of safety for the Bethesda crew working near the nation's capitol.
Bethesda's abundance of caution comes after a tumultuous week in America, including violent protests at the US capitol on Jan. 6 and the subsequent banning of President Donald Trump from several online platforms, including Twitter.
CNN reported, "The FBI has received information indicating 'armed protests' are being planned at all 50 state capitols and the US Capitol in Washington, DC in the days leading up to President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20." In light of this, Bethesda's decision to delay its DLC event comes from concern over the safety of its employees that work near the capitol, but it also smartly guarantees that their announcement won't be overshadowed by bigger world events.
The Gates of Oblivion DLC is a massive expansion for Elder Scrolls online. Bethesda teased fans at The Game Awards 2020 with a trailer that shows a demon crawling out of a massive Oblivion Gate. Though fans were promised more at the DLC event, they'll be waiting longer than anticipated. The Gates of Oblivion storyline comes after Elder Scrolls Online's Greymoor chapter, which took players back to the world of Skyrim, the main location of The Elder Scrolls 5. Elder Scrolls Online continues to revive the settings and characters of older Elder Scrolls games like Skyrim and Oblivion, adding new plot for the online game while providing fans with a fresh dose of nostalgia as well.
Elder Scrolls fans have a lot to look forward to, including a potential television treatment from Netflix, but they'll have to wait just a bit longer to find out more about Gates of Oblivion. That's okay, as there's still plenty more Skyrim to play.