Bethesda opens beta signups for 'Elder Scrolls' MMO

A scene from 'The Elder Scrolls Online.'(Photo: Bethesda Softworks)

Video game players are inching closer to their first taste of Bethesda Softworks' upcoming massively multiplayer online (MMO) game based on The Elder Scrolls.

The publisher is accepting signups starting Tuesday for a future beta test version of the game, which launches later this year. The availability of the beta will be revealed at a later date.

"We're really excited to get the game into players' hands," said Matt Firor, game director of The Elder Scrolls Online, in a statement. "We receive invaluable feedback through the beta process, and that helps us ensure that the game will be one of the best online gaming experiences ever offered."

This is the first time The Elder Scrolls has dipped into the world of MMOs. Previous entries, such as 2011's The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, have released as offline role-playing games.

The game is expected to share several gameplay elements of previous Elder Scrolls titles, most notably its treatment of combat. Firor says the MMO will also feature a stronger social component by removing servers or shards.

"We wanted to bring more of the modern social networking, Facebook-era concepts ... into ESO," he says. "The first thing you do is remove barriers between people. We wanted to go shardless ... and make everyone able to interact with potentially everyone else in the game."

Check out the video posted below for more on The Elder Scrolls Online.