As far as I know it was designed for PC, at some point during beta they decided it would also be a console game and started development towards that end.

It's a semi-port as the content is the same but consoles had a whole new UI and other elements made just for it.

If there are any "graphical limitations" (personally, I think the game looks great), they're likely because MMOs like to be available to the widest possible audience. Giving your game requirements like Crysis 4 would be dumb.

ESO was clearly designed with a console port being at least an option, as are most high production value games these days (Diablo 3 also was, for example). Only 6 skills that can be slotted at the same time, only 1 button for consumables, no complex interface with lots of text, etc... When you see other MMOGs that were clearly designed as PC only games you notice the difference (those games are 100% optimized for keyboard + mouse control and the user's eyes being about .6 meters away from the screen; BDO is a good example of an MMOG that was clearly designed as a PC only title).*

*Edit: What I present here is my opinion based on the facts that are available to me.

While not confirmed as early as the original announcement, the console versions were announced just under a year before the PC release. They were all set to have the same release date, but ZOS had trouble porting the console versions and had to push it back.

Original quote from an article from this website:
"We’re very excited to announce that ESO is coming to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in addition to the PC and Mac. You’ll be able to play the game on any of these platforms in Spring 2014—we can’t wait to see you in-game!"

You can also watch the E3 2013 gameplay trailer.

GaldorP wrote: »

ESO was clearly designed with a console port being at least an option, as are most high production value games these days (Diablo 3 also was, for example). Only 6 skills that can be slotted at the same time, only 1 button for consumables, no complex interface with lots of text, etc... When you see other MMOGs that were clearly designed as PC only games you notice the difference (those games are 100% optimized for keyboard + mouse control and the user's eyes being about .6 meters away from the screen; BDO is a good example of an MMOG that was clearly designed as a PC only title).

An option makes sense.

Im just trying to determine if the original game was programmed with a "PC market" in mind first, and then later work was done to port it over to console, or if it was designed from the very start to be a console game, which would limit many things on the pc version (unless additional work was done to create a higher quality PC port).

And im not too sure your statement about D3 is accurate. Blizzard was PC only for the longest time. D3 took 2 years to come out on console after the PC release. That doesnt sound like "making the game from the ground up to be a console game" That sounds like they made a pc game, and then took the time to port it to consoles. Simplistic game design and mechanics are NOT exclusive to consoles.

I guess I should have stated "Not looking for personal opinions of if you think it was or not", but rather im looking for actual quotes or info from zenimax on if they ever clarified this question. Many devs will "ease" PC gamers minds during the development of a game, by letting them know they are making the game for the PC from the ground up.

kwinter wrote: »

Game was designed for PC. Sony asked them to also release on console this was when a lot the work on PC was already That is why there was a year delay for console

ESO was actually supposed to release on console June 2014. I know because I preordered it for PS4. It was delayed a year and ZOS offered a transfer to consoles upon release if purchased on PC before original console release date. I then cancelled my PS4 preorder and got PC version.

The reasoning I believe was that ZOS didn't like how it played on consoles at that time and would need much more work.

Zewks wrote: »

crazyranger wrote: »

Your first clue should be the radial menu and the inventory UI. console.

the bioware neverwinter nights RPG game had a radial menu and was specifically a PC only game. I dont usually attribute this to consoles.

And the games UI is actually different on Console, than it is on PC. And from what ive read, it was designed to mimic the elder scrolls games UI.

would murder for NWN console version...

"We continue to work on the console versions of ESO,
and game development has been progressing steadily, but we are still
working to solve a series of unique problems specific to those
platforms. Integrating our systems with each console manufacturer’s
networks—which are both different from the PC/Mac system as well as
different from each other—has been a challenging process. It has become
clear that our planned June release of the console versions isn’t going
to be possible."
http://mmoatk.com/mmo-news/the-elder-scrolls-online-console-release-delayed/

Zewks wrote: »

... was it designed to be a console game, and for some odd reason, the PC port released first?

It was designed to be a console game. Also, it wasn't an odd reason: what do you think PC players are? They're beta testers.

Always have been. Always will be.

[snip]

[Edit for Baiting]

Kharnis wrote: »

TESO was originally designed to be PC only, but then Sony asked them (fairly late in development) to reconsider and bring the game to PS4. I suspect (but can't prove) that the reason a console version wasn't originally planned was because Microsoft wouldn't allow ZOS to bring the game there without charging the X-Box Live fees in addition to the then game sub. But once Sony managed to convince ZOS, they went to Microsoft and the rest is history.

http://ca.ign.com/articles/2013/09/07/sony-pushed-for-the-elder-scrolls-online-to-come-to-consoles

Thx

This is probably as much "factual" detail that we are gonna get that points in any direction.

Then Boyles left Sony and is now CEO of Iron Galaxy, a third-party studio that worked on the ESO console releases.
So did he really speak up because he wanted the game on PS4, or because he wanted a personal tie to a higher-profile property on his own resume?

I don't really buy into his personal savior story, either. ESO's controls are built around the limitations of a console controller. There's no accident in that design. I see it more as Boyles was responsible for trying to get ESO on consoles sooner, which makes him more personally responsible for its delay on console than its release.