Elder Scrolls novel listing mentions next game, set 200 years after Oblivion

by Griffin McElroy { Oct 24th 2009 at 10:00PM }

Though Bethesda's bigwigs have gone back and forth on the existence of another installment in the Elder Scrolls franchise, an excerpt from online book retailer Waterstone's product listing for Elder Scrolls: The Infernal City seems fairly certain of the series' continuance. The listing -- which was recently edited to remove the following savory quote -- mentions that the novel takes place 45 years after Oblivion, adding that "it partly bridges the gap for the next game, which is set 200 years after the Oblivion crisis."

As promising as this sounds, we find a major flaw with this claim -- see, we've already clocked over 200 years of playtime into Oblivion (and still haven't beaten it!), meaning we're technically playing the sequel right now. We've contacted Bethesda to ask them about the book listing, and to see if 200 years of technological progress will bring about unimaginable advances in equestrian fortification.

[Via Kotaku]

Tags: bethesda, book, elder-scrolls, elder-scrolls-the-infernal-city, novel, oblivion, the-infernal-city, waterstones

Related From Joystiq

Apple bulking up in-house iPhone, iPod game development
10 days ago
Review: Dragon Age: Origins
25 days ago
Random House teases first few pages of Elder Scrolls novel
28 days ago

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

LaughingTarget @ Oct 24th 2009 10:03PM

Please let it use the id Rage engine. Bethesda gameplay plus rock solid id game engines = holy crap, Batman.

Autobot @ Oct 24th 2009 10:22PM

*Holy hole in a doughnut, batman!

DBuck_Eye @ Oct 24th 2009 11:16PM

Why wouldn't they just use Gamebryo?

iHavepants {SteamPSN: Arkanti} @ Oct 25th 2009 2:19AM

Because GameByro isn't as good and now they're a sister company with id Software?

daytripper @ Oct 26th 2009 5:24PM

Hey joystiq do you think you can make low ranked comments disappear. I was on people of walmart yesterday and was reading comments, I noticed that the low ranked comments had to be clicked on to read. If you guys do that that should help stop spam.

Rhamsey @ Oct 24th 2009 10:10PM

I am so excited every time I hear any information about the Elder Scrolls series. I think I've spent hours reading the UESP wiki.

cmonkey @ Oct 24th 2009 10:58PM

I know what you mean. I start dreaming in the Elder Scrolls universe when its been too long since I've played the last released game.

JEV4 @ Oct 24th 2009 10:12PM

Please no guns...

devilsei @ Oct 24th 2009 10:14PM

Yeah, we've seen how well adding guns into a fantasy-based game worked with Fable 2...

mrmackavelli @ Oct 24th 2009 10:19PM

@JEV4...I'm not the biggest fan of shooters, but if the gun play works out like it does in Fable 2, it might be a good thing.

Victor @ Oct 25th 2009 10:04AM

What was wrong with guns in Fable 2? :(
The only problem I guess is it makes it kind of easy?

devilsei @ Oct 25th 2009 9:37PM

Kind of easy?

Here's how to beat the game with no effort.

Time stop lvl 2
Skill to the point you can target body parts

Get a master-crafted rifle, use time stop, then headshot, everything else just becomes tedious after that.

Moobot @ Oct 24th 2009 10:17PM

There's only one thing that could ruin this game: Cliff Racers

JEV4 @ Oct 24th 2009 10:54PM

Flying so high.......

ikono @ Oct 24th 2009 10:19PM

Hell yes, there should be guns... A steampunk Elder Scrolls would be so boss! Unfortunately, there is almost zero chance of Bethdesa using RAGE. They already said they weren't going to switch from Gamrbryo. Of course, they've said a lot of things. Besides, Oblivion and Fallout 3 were dark enough as it was =P

Aurailious @ Oct 25th 2009 1:38AM

Steampunk TES. Delicious.

That would be a very most excellent and delicious meal.

relaxeder @ Oct 25th 2009 1:50AM

"Steampunk Elder Scrolls"

Pretty sure that's Fallout 3.

iHavepants {SteamPSN: Arkanti} @ Oct 25th 2009 2:20AM

Except for the bit where nothing was steam powered.

Einhanderkiller @ Oct 25th 2009 3:50AM

RAGE (Rockstar Advanced Game Engine) is Rockstar's engine.

id Tech 5 is what id's game Rage is using. Doom 4 will use id Tech 6.

tmacairjordan87 @ Oct 24th 2009 10:21PM

Hell yes, more western rpg greatness to add on to the dominance this gen. I can never get enough great 100+ hour games :P

Das Boot @ Oct 24th 2009 10:28PM

Yes. Sweet Jesus yes. Gimme' Skyrim. Pleeeeeaze.

R (Planeteers | Power of Penile Pulse) @ Oct 24th 2009 10:46PM

Moar ES plox.

And a lot less of every little grunt enemy in the game lvling up to match me, making all gear collecting/leveling essentially pointless.

sony boy (6 years til sony man child!) @ Oct 24th 2009 10:47PM

they should just finish making that psp game.

2nd Lieutenant Gunther (PSN: helghast102) @ Oct 24th 2009 11:09PM

vaaaaaporwaaaaare

Conor @ Oct 25th 2009 12:28PM

I'd rather a life time supply of horse armor.

Special Agent Steve @ Oct 24th 2009 10:47PM

I was hoping for 2,000 years into the future.

On a serious note, YAY! Now I have something to look forward to after I get bored with Dragon Origins.

Quiggy @ Oct 25th 2009 1:22AM

They could do that and it wouldn't make it difference. Fantasy universes are perpetually locked in a psedo-Middle Ages time where nobody ever researches science or technology.

R (Planeteers | Power of Penile Pulse) @ Oct 25th 2009 3:35AM

So, what, they are all Christians then?

MRLN (The Comment God) @ Oct 25th 2009 8:51AM

I was hoping for 20,000,000,000 years into the future.

"We're being swallowed by the sun, sir!"
"Quick, get the cavalry! Mages in the back!"

NoTomorrow @ Oct 24th 2009 10:55PM

Oh cool, you joystiq writers read reddit, huh?

NintendoJunkie @ Oct 25th 2009 1:31AM

I'm currently playing thru Oblivion on PC now. When the GOTY version was found by me @ Microcenter about a year ago for $20 there was NO WAY I wasn't gonna snag it up.

I was aware of the game when it released originally but @ that time I didn't have a powerful enough vid card or computer to run it.

I'm currently playing thru the Painters quest where you have to kill the trolls. A not so smart move by me to start that quest only @ lvl 3. However I finally figured out my own strategy for it.

iHavepants {SteamPSN: Arkanti} @ Oct 25th 2009 2:23AM

Sadly, it's probably easier to do that at level 3 then 20.

R (Planeteers | Power of Penile Pulse) @ Oct 25th 2009 3:37AM

Everytime you level and/or get better gear, so does every enemy in the game. so yeah, leveling is pretty pointless. At lvl 37 youll still go into generic dungeon and have a tough time with the goblin grunts.

NintendoJunkie @ Oct 25th 2009 11:17AM

Alright! Go pointless downvoting Joystiq!

Dave @ Oct 25th 2009 1:14PM

@R: "Everytime you level and/or get better gear, so does every enemy in the game."

Unless you're using the OOO mod.

bak @ Oct 24th 2009 11:28PM

Hmmm. Maybe I should go ahead and beat Oblivion sometime soonish then. hundreds of hours in and still haven't seen the ending :)

daytripper @ Oct 26th 2009 5:18PM

I finally beat the game too. Took me about 210 hours, sure was fun though. Can't wait for the new one.

fred @ Oct 24th 2009 11:35PM

just hoping there are no guns

thedisagree @ Oct 25th 2009 12:11AM

best damn news I've heard this week.

nighttime @ Oct 25th 2009 2:01AM

I put in 40 hours into Oblivion and gave up after I stole all the 9999 candelabras and got caught. I put 200 hours into fallout on PS3 (minus the DLC). I have RSI from playing fallout too.

I love Bethesda's games, but at the same time I always feel so guilty for putting in so much time.

Lunastra78 (PSN: lunastra78) @ Oct 25th 2009 5:56AM

I need to finish the first one then. I quit playing because it got so freaking hard after I did alot of sidequests. Perhaps I shall try again, and put the difficulty on easy... Can that be changed during the game? (not at home now so can't check)

Punkrawk Bbob @ Oct 25th 2009 9:02AM

Ya, can go into options and change the difficulty at any time. You just feel like less of a man after doing so.

Lunastra78 (PSN: lunastra78) @ Oct 25th 2009 9:55AM

Well then I shall have to drink whiskey, chew tobacco and have some naked tramps watch me play it in order to restore my manliness.

Tristera @ Oct 25th 2009 10:16AM

Wait, isn't Elder Scrolls + Steampunk = Final Fantasy? Airships, mechanized warriors...aaaaaaaaugh

Petebot330 @ Oct 25th 2009 12:01PM

Weird. I just spent last night playing Oblivion until 5 am for the first time in forever.

Stevetrop @ Oct 25th 2009 12:26PM

It would be interesting to see what changes were made in Tamriel in those 200 years if the game does go that far into the future of the elder scrolls universe. I would think the fantasy aspect of the game will still play a major part and at the most the new technology will be more of a steampunk atmosphere.

I'll be excited to see what comes about.

Odog4ever @ Oct 25th 2009 12:36PM

So would steam punk Elder Scrolls = 3D Arcanum? (Begins drooling)

Conor @ Oct 25th 2009 12:41PM

Escapism at it's best.

AvA (ice~) @ Oct 25th 2009 1:15PM

Oh Dear! If the next Elder Scrolls has guns and people call it "Oblivion with Guns"....what in gods name will people call Fallout 3. the worlds going to implode!!!!!!!!!!!!

343 Guilty Fart @ Oct 25th 2009 2:22PM

Very excited about a new ES.

| 1 | 2 | Most Recent | Next 50 Comments

Add your comments

Your comments:

Remember me

E-Mail me when someone replies to this comment

Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.

When you enter your name and email address, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, and a password. To leave another comment, just use that password.

To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br /> tags.