Is ESO canon, or is it not a real part of the Elder Scrolls universe? How does it fit in the Elder Scrolls storyline? A debate over the legitimacy of Elder Scrolls Online‘s story has been raging for years, and there’s a lot of uncertainty over whether the game is canon or not.
ESO Canon: What does canon mean?
Firstly, to know whether ESO is canon, we need to understand what canon means. Typically, canon refers to the main body of information, narrative and characters found in a particular property.
For Elder Scrolls, the main single-player games like Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim are all clearly canon.
However, fans have often discussed whether ESO counts as a canon title or not. It covers more of the world and history of Elder Scrolls than any other title, but it’s something separate gameplay-wise from the traditional single-player games. As a result, some players called its place in the Elder Scrolls canon into question.
ESO Canon: Is Elder Scrolls Online canon or not?
So, is ESO actually canon? Developers have commented on the game’s place in Elder Scrolls canon, helping to shed some light on the situation.
Most developers have stated that the lore and history of Elder Scrolls is up to our own interpretation and experiences as a player. For example, there is no canon choice in the Imperial/Stormfront civil war in Skyrim, as that would diminish the player’s choices.
However, Bethesda and Zenimax have both said ESO is canon. Todd Howard claimed that the things we see happen in games, regardless of what game it is, are the “primary” things to be believed. Pete Hines stated that “only things that have been published in Elder Scrolls games should be considered official lore”.
Some developers are keen to remind us that the stories we make are just as valid as the narratives crafted for the game. Some say all Elder Scrolls games are canon, while others have left it up to our own interpretation.
We do know for sure that marketing and promotional items are considered separate things, but ESO as a whole is widely considered canon despite having some inconsistencies in the lore.
For more ESO, keep reading The Games Cabin.