The Elder Scrolls Online Retail Stock Removal, F2P Coming?
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The speculation over whether The Elder Scrolls Online will go to a free-to-play business model received a lot of fuel over the last week after Massively reported that six-month subscriptions are no longer an option for players. But things escalated even further today, with this report on Kotaku Australia claiming that EB Games has received a recall directive to send all retail copies of the game and its pre-paid cards back to Bethesda/ZeniMax. We don't know what is going on behind-the-scenes, exactly, but this new news certainly lines up with the ongoing F2P speculation:
We've just learned that a directive, sent to all EB Games stores, has asked that all copies of Elder Scrolls Online including the pre-paid cards are to be sent back to the publisher.
A source at EB Games confirmed that everything related to the game would be removed by January 13.
We couldn't get in contact with Bethesda locally to confirm the reasons for the game's removal, but rumours are circling that the game is finally making the leap to a free-to-play business model.
In addition, the ability to subscribe for six months was recently removed from the game, leaving only 30 day and 90 day options, which would also suggest that free-to-play is a part of Elder Scrolls Online's future.
We'll update when we hear back from Bethesda.
Update: EB Games has stated on its Facebook page this removal is part of a normal stock recall a recall that includes numerous video games. EB Games said similar things to MCV Pacific. Our source has stated that other titles mentioned in this list are excess stock, whereas the Elder Scrolls Online removal includes all units of the game, including the pre-paid cards. I've personally seen the stock list which includes games such as Destiny and The Evil Within but these games are being kept in the store. Absolutely everything Elder Scrolls Online related will be gone by January 14.
