Bethesda announced on Friday the launch of The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Edition for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. This version packs the core game plus all four major DLC releases in a single package including Imperial City, Orsinium, Thieves Gold, and Dark Brotherhood. Customers who purchase this bundle will receive a Palomino horse mount along with 500 Crowns to spend in the in-game store if they open up a new account.
“From Skyrim to Daggerfall, this will be the easiest way for new players to explore Tamriel and take part in amazing adventures online with friends,” Bethesda said on Friday. “Whether you’re battling for control of the capital of Cyrodiil or venturing into the secret enclaves of the Dark Brotherhood on the Gold Coast, the Gold Edition is a great way to experience the hundreds of hours of sweeping adventures across Tamriel.”
In addition to Gold Edition, the company is also serving up the Guilds and Glory DLC pack for existing players. This pack provides the same four DLC releases and is only sold through the in-game store for 5,500 Crowns, which is a lot cheaper than paying for all four individually for a combined price of 9,500 Crowns. As a reference, a bag of 5,500 Crowns costs $40 here in the real world, which can be used to purchase in-game items like mounts, pets, costumes, and so on.
That said, this is partly how Bethesda makes money from The Elder Scrolls Online in addition to customers purchasing a copy of the game. The Elder Scrolls Online jumped on the free-to-play bandwagon back in March 2015, taking a similar stance made by Guild Wars 2 when it launched in 2012. However, Guild Wars 2 is only on Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X whereas The Elder Scrolls Online is on those platforms too plus the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
News of the Gold Edition release follows the announcement that The Elder Scrolls Online will be heading to the upcoming PlayStation 4 Pro console slated to arrive on November 10. The game will automatically run in 4K if customers have a 4K TV, but will also provide “increased graphical fidelity” on lower-res 1080p HDTVs as well.
The Elder Scrolls Online first landed on Microsoft Windows and OS X back in April 2014 followed by the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in June 2015. The game was originally subscription-based, and still offers a “Plus” membership on all platforms costing $15 per month. Subscribers gain access to all released DLC packs, a large number of Crowns to spend in the store each month, an expanded crafting inventory, and four bonuses for gaining gold, gaining experience, and so on.
Bethesda’s new Gold Edition package is thus mainly aimed at new players who have yet to travel the roads of Tamriel in a MMORPG setting, offering the core game and the content packs for one price. The Guilds and Glory DLC pack appears to be aimed at players who purchased the core game but never grabbed the four DLC packs given their individual cost.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Edition can now be purchased for $60. Bethesda also offers a vanilla, DLC-free “Digital Edition” too costing $30.
