VIDEO: Elder Scrolls MMO rings the changes

Having surprised us all with the announcement of The Elder Scrolls Online yesterday, ZeniMax has released the first details of the already hotly anticipated title.

The info comes from US games mag Game Informer, which has the world-first exclusive on the game.

Visually TESO will look quite different to what fans of the series have become accustomed to. It enforces a third person view and has a more cartoony feel to the visuals.

Gameplay has also undergone some changes, mainly to allow it to be better function in an online world. Real-time combat is out.

Stamina is the central concern when it comes to combat and determines blocking, sprinting and escaping.

Three factions will be available from the start – Ebonheart Pact (Nords, Dark Elves and Argonians), Aldmeri Dominion (High Elves, Wood Elves, Khajiit) and Daggerfall Covenant (Bretons, Redguards, Orcs).

Familiar setting Tamriel serves as a PVP hub, with clashes of up to 100v100 players promised. Factions will compete to be crowned as Emperors of the region.

Other MMO staples such as classes, hot bars, dramatic PVP clashes and of course the Dark Brotherhood, Fighters, Mages and Thieves Guilds. Stealth is also likely to factor, though dragons seem less certain.

The regions of Skyrim, Morrowind, Elsewyr and Summerset Isle are also confirmed. As is fully-fledged voice acting.

Perhaps most importantly the game isn’t actually being developed by Bethesda. Although the Elder Scrolls creators are acting as collaborators, development duties are being handled by the ZeniMax Online Team, which currently numbers around 250 staff. The team is headed by Dark Age of Camelot’s Matt Firor.

TESO will be powered by the Hero engine, which is also the driving force behind BioWare’s Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Here’s the first official trailer: