How will character transfer work?

Hunterkiss · May 2014

So as everyone may have heard, the console version release date was pushed back about 6 months. But now they are offering PC/Mac users to transfer a character to the PS4 or Xbox One and 30 days of game time for $20 when it comes out (and it will be a digital version of ESO).

My question is if I transfer a character and progress on that character on the PS4, is that experience going to be shared on that same character on my Mac?

Or when I transfer the character, will I have 2 versions of that character? So I have to level them both up separately?

I have a feeling its going to be the latter, but I really hope they make it so the character is shared and I can hop on my PS4 or Mac and make the same progress regardless.

Deloria · May 2014

Just at a guess - but you will log into the same account from a different "machine". Nothing should change really?

It sounds like an "upgrade" You're not buying a second version of the game, just upgrading your single copy? Correct me if Im wrong.

Hunterkiss · May 2014

I'm not sure if PS4/Xbox will share the same account or not. I would think not since you have to have 2 separate subs

Hunterkiss · May 2014

Anyone else have any input?

Dita · May 2014

Hunterkiss wrote: »

How will character transfer work?

Pure speculation here. But I think first, they double or triple charge you for a transfer, then you won't be able to log in, after that tons of useless e-mails and phone calls to non existing CS team, frustration, acceptance, cancellation - something like that.

Hunterkiss · May 2014

Well I messaged ESO on facebook and they surprisingly repsonded within an hour. Without a solid answer that is:

"Greetings Hunter!

Thank you for taking the time to contact us. We haven’t announced any specifics about the character(s) transfers from PC/Mac to PlayStation 4/Xbox One as we are still actively discussing with both Sony and Microsoft. Make sure to watch our website and our Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Google+) channels for any updates.

ESO on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ElderScrollsOnline
ESO on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TESOnline
ESO on Google+: https://plus.google.com/+ElderScrollsOnline"

But I guess we'll find out when they actually announce the date of the console relase. Last thing I read they are expecting November 2014

Auric_ESO · May 2014

The will likely have seperately databases so you will have two characters. This is speculation because otherwise no transfer would be necessary

Fyrakin · May 2014

Logic dictates there will be separate megaservers for xbox and ps consoles I could be wrong here, just a guess. Another thing would be platform licensing, you would have to buy a game copy for a console of your choice. I assume you would be able to add the code to your existing account to be able to play on PC/MAC and console servers, or just create a new account. I would also assume you could only transfer characters between megaservers only of the same account (to prevent prebuilt out of game character sales).

ZiRM · May 2014

Why on earth would anyone want to transfer from PC to console for an MMO?! LOL!

Auric_ESO · May 2014

NiRN wrote: »

Why on earth would anyone want to transfer from PC to console for an MMO?! LOL!

Friends probably

hasselhoffman · May 2014

Less bots, lol.

ZOS_RobinsonE · May 2014

Hello @Hunterkiss,

We have confirmed the following agreement with Sony and Microsoft: Via a special offer, anyone who purchases and plays the PC/Mac version of The Elder Scrolls Online by the end of June 2014 will have the opportunity to transfer their character(s) to the Xbox One or the PlayStation4 version when it is released.

The offer will allow players to begin playing immediately on the PC/Mac, and then add the Xbox One version or the PS4 version and transfer the character(s) they have created and developed.

And, players don't have to pay full price for the game twice. For $20, eligible PC and Mac players will have the option to switch to a full, digital version of ESO on the Xbox One or PS4 with their character transfer(s), and another 30 days of included game time.

Make sure to watch our website and our Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Google+) channels for any updates. For additional information on the delay, please see this blog post:

http://elderscrollsonline.com/en/news/post/2014/05/08/eso-on-consoles--update

Fairydragon3 · May 2014

I just hope we can pick and choose and not have to send all of our characters over, I would be up for paying two subs for more character slots

also there needs to be a sign up before hand to protect our character names!

Reignskream · May 2014

It seems like a bunch of people are switching over to ps4/xbox1 to try and get away from "the buggy PC version". Realizing when they finally do switch, it's just as buggy as the PC version with bots, gold sellers & bugs lol.

I'm not well informed on how MMO's work on consoles, as I never will play one on a console. But i have a strange feeling that the forums are going to blow up all over again with people getting all crazy self entitled when stuff happens.. again. (Not that it has slowed down much necessarily.)

So people before you do switch, please keep in mind, that your basically switching back to April 4th, or march 31st or whatever day it is, to ESO restarting all over again, and trust me, it's not a different company handling the game either. They're going to run things the same way there, that they do here. Only difference is you will be playing with a controller.

I foresee strong tears in thy near future.

Psychotius · May 2014

I'm going to guess that it will be two versions of your account on both platforms. I just hope that my items, gold, etc will be intact with the transfer. I can't wait for the console version, but I'd hate to imagine doing all of the farming, banking, guild store, buying and selling, etc on a console that I have been doing on the PC/MAC platform.

Mostly, I have a few friends that only play console games that I can't wait to hit Cyrodill with when the release happens.

Niliu · May 2014

Good to see a nice cookie cutter reply from ZoS that did not address the OPs question in the slightest

Goibot · May 2014

Doesn't that make everything just crystal clear? Kind of like a nice tall glass of mud.

Nooblet · May 2014

What's not clear?

You can TRANSFER (Not copy) your character, and for $20 you can Buy the game for your preferred console(if you already own it) and you get 30 days game time. (so about $5)

Key words being Transfer, and Switch.

At least that is what I took from it... Maybe it wasn't that clear after all :P

Sacklunch · May 2014

ZOS_RobinsonE wrote: »

Hello @Hunterkiss,

transfer the character(s) they have created and developed.

Well there it is this may help transfer: an act of moving something or someone to another place.

Meaning all or some of your characters will be gone from your pc account and will move to your console account. I can say for certain that they will not be synced together they will be separate. Sony and Microsoft are not going to pay the DRM fees to host PC players and Zenimax said even before launch that console and PC users would not be able to play together. Whatever you moved will only be accessible from where it is moved to.

tengri · May 2014

Nice one.
Makes perfect sense that you offer an easy way for dupers/boters to move their stock to new platforms.

Rioht · May 2014

My main concern with the transfers is what items/gold cab we bring with us? Personally I hope they transfer ONLY the characters. The last thing I want is gold sellers being able to transfer over an alt with extremely large amounts of gold and then start selling on the consol where there are more new players and less gold supply. This will severely destroy any chance if the Consol's having a fresh start at an economy that hasn't been tainted by the earlier exploits of the PC version.

I would honestly rather start from lvl 1 than see everyone transfer with their items/gold.

Fairydragon3 · May 2014

Niliu wrote: »

Good to see a nice cookie cutter reply from ZoS that did not address the OPs question in the slightest

Let put things in perspective then. They pushed back the console release because of difficulties with the platforms. in the long run this deal will COST Microsoft and sony because now more people will be getting PC versions and not the versions the companies get a piece of, the console versions will now be much cheaper for a lot of people, and they are canceling preorders.

There is a HUGE chance that they haven't worked this out, for one, what if they have to postpone again (Akatosh forbid). It involves several other companies and their income. Also right now there is no offer character transfer, nor was there a plan to make it possible to switch to consoles.

Bottom line, the reason they give that response is because that is LITERALLY the only information they have

Tarwin · May 2014

So the main word to zero in on is "transfer". It isn't "copy". So I'm going with that you will need to make a decision if you are going to plant yourself on your couch with your "transferred" PC/MAC character or start fresh

My concern is, what if you decide it sucks to play on a console and your maxed out character is now stuck in Consoleville

Really hope there is a beta before I make that decision

Orizuru · May 2014

Sounds to me like this is meant to placate the people who were waiting for the console release. Instead of making them wait another 6 months to play, now they can purchase the PC version and play until the console release, then transfer their characters over to the console version and continue there.

Basically, they want to get those retail box purchases from the console crowd now instead of later.

Reykice · May 2014

Transfer = you will MOVE your character from the PC/Mac to the console version... like a server transfer. This is why they said transfer and not copy or whatever.. they pick their words carefully.

You have worked on one character so you will get to only have one... on PC or on a Console... i doubt they can duplicate it for obvious reasons...

And let`s say they decide to duplicate it... the servers are not synced and they never will be (no MMO has synced console/pc servers as far as i know) so you will have to play them both... you can most likely even use the same name.

Tarwin · May 2014

alexandru987eb17_ESO wrote: »

(no MMO has synced console/pc servers as far as i know) so you will have to play them both... you can most likely even use the same name.

FFXIX and you pay one sub after purchasing an additional console version

I believe it is the first MMO to do that

Morimizo · May 2014

So let me get this straight. If I had preordered the Imperial edition for PS4 for $80, now I can play this version on the PC until the console version comes out, at which point my character data can be transferred for a further $20. Upon the transfer, my PC version of the game is null and void, and relocated to the console.

So the market here is for people who have a substantial gaming PC and a new console as well, and are willing to pay extra to play earlier than expected on the platform they prefer.

Is this not just a way for ZOS to mitigate the lost income from console sales, and keep all the bug/glitch/troubles pouring in from one source rather than 3?

meghuskoow · May 2014

I for one cant wait to play on consoles and am curriouz as to the details, like what we transfer with us, will it be level and money and horse and items and acheivments and everything? I hope so. If i have to partialy start overs it will be a bummer but oh well. I'll live lol