The latest trip to Tamriel will be costly, as The Elder Scrolls Online will be subscription-based.

With most MMO games using the F2P (free-to-play) model, it came as a surprise to hear that The Elder Scrolls Online will require a monthly subscription fee. ZeniMax Online Studios revealed in an interview today that everyone who purchases The Elder Scrolls Online for the system of their choosing will have complete access for the first month of ownership, but to continue playing will require a monthly fee of $14.99, The decision to have a subscription-based model was made loosely to combat another growing trend in MMOs and other online multiplayer games- micro-transactions. According to Game Director Matt Firor, having a base fee of $14.99 per month for a complete game is more of a benefit to the player, than continually paying for micro-transactions that interrupt the gameplay experience:

“The Elder Scrolls games are all about allowing the player to go where they want, be who they want, and do what they want. We feel that putting pay gates between the player and content at any point in game ruins that feeling of freedom, and just having one small monthly fee for 100% access to the game fits the IP and the game much better than a system where you have to pay for features and access as you play. The Elder Scrolls Online was designed and developed to be a premium experience: hundreds of hours of gameplay, tons of depth and features, professional customer support – and a commitment to have ongoing content at regular intervals after launch. This type of experience is best paired with a one-time fee per month, as opposed to many smaller payments that would probably add up to more than $14.99/month any way.

And it’s important to state that our decision to go with subscriptions is not a referendum on online game revenue models. F2P, B2P, etc. are valid, proven business models – but subscription is the one that fits ESO the best, given our commitment to freedom of gameplay, quality and long-term content delivery. Plus, players will appreciate not having to worry about being “monetized” in the middle of playing the game, which is definitely a problem that is cropping up more and more in online gaming these days. The fact that the word “monetized” exists points to the heart of the issue for us: We don’t want the player to worry about which parts of the game to pay for – with our system, they get it all.”

The Elder Scrolls Online will be available for PC, Mac, PS4 and Xbox One. Assuming the launch price follows with current prices- $64.94- expect to pay roughly $244.94 as a first-year total.

Sources: GameStar, GameInformer
Image courtesy of Bethesda, ZeniMax