Elder Scrolls Online looking to be a "good game first"

Though the fan backlash is high for Zenimax's recently-announced Elder Scrolls Online, creative director Paul Sage told GameInformer that his team is looking to make a "good game first" while staying true to the franchise's lore.

"I think our tone sets a lot of the Elder Scrolls feel to the game. We've been very careful with how much - we don't offer out-of-world references. The Elder Scrolls world itself has its own sense of belonging and purpose. So, being true to the lore is one of the ways we do that," Sage said to GameInformer.

"Are there going to be game-y elements involved in it? Only so much as it's necessary to make the player feel like they're being rewarded, they're having fun, and they're having a good time. A lot of what you're seeing now is an internal development expression that might change later."

While fans have said that Zenimax "high jacked the Elder Scrolls name" for the MMO, Sage explained that the primary focus was making sure the game was fun.

"We have to make our own game. We want to make a good game first. Not a good MMO, not a good Elder Scrolls game, we want to make a good game first, a great experience for the player. I think that's key to what we're doing."

Elder Scrolls Online has a planned 2013 release window.