I'll say what I've said in Discord channels. I think nothing will really change for past releases, because to change that model would be extremely stupid and ultimately Microsoft has to run a business. Alienating their audience by being an asshole troll and taking away people's fun is just bad business. Besides, going back and suddenly undoing all that is just freaking extra work. What company wants to invest the time or money to do that? Or take the risk?  That being said, future releases are up in the air and I think Zenimax has been grooming itself to be sold for some time now, so I'm honestly not surprised by the purchase. Zenimax has been treating their company like how I treated my family's house when we sold it (fresh coat of paint, professional furniture staging, landscaping) for a while now and possibly rushed Fallout 76's release because of it. Perhaps, I just notice those things. They were showing buyers their potentiality for steady income flow regardless of the release date of games (old games in new platforms, a move to online games, cell phone games, micro transactions, CC club, etc.) People can say until their blue in the face that they don't use these things and that they're morally wrong, a slap in the face to the mod community, yada yada yada, but for every one who says that on Reddit or Discord, there are ten consumers who purchase said things in silence. And ultimately, that's what Microsoft is looking at. It's not every game studio that can boast the enduring popularity of games that are nearly twenty years old at this point (Morrowind), 10 years (Fallout NV), or nearly 10 years (Skyrim) and the loyal fanbase who will purchase future games in those series. Who wouldn't want that stability? If I were a company investing in games, I sure as hell would. What I DO think is that Sony better up their game, because I have some doubts that any future FO or ES releases will be coming to that console. Or if they do, Sony will have to pay for the rights, or they won't have mod support, lots of potential issues. Sony already has issues with mod for Fallout and Skyrim, because of the limited assets, so that Zenimax is looking towards Microsoft and ergo Xbox, which don't have said restrictions was a pretty clear indicator for me. I also think that it wouldn't hurt to back up your mod files just in case, though I don't believe they'll go that route, because of what I said above, why piss off your consumer or take the EXTRA time to do that bullshit. Next ES game, on the other hand, yeah, they'll probably be much more controlling with game modifications. CC already has several modders working for them and they're getting paid for it. I think free mods for future games are potentially in trouble, but not paid mods and extending a game's life indefinitely through CC content. Zenimax has already proven they can do that.

Well, here you go. Fallout 76 is not going free to play I echo Motty though, still enjoying the game and my husband has made himself a slew of caps as a vendor. I would know because I am his pack mule. LOL As for ES6, whatever comes, comes. 

Legion said: Mr. Edd said: Beth's got Inon Zur too, and he's awesome, he's the dude who also created that timeless and epic score for Dragon Age Origins, probably one of my all-time favorites... but I'm a very stubborn guy. I like my stuff to remain "consistent", i.e I don't like change unless absolutely necessary, lol. I hope Jeremy returns, it's part of the Soule of The Elder Scrolls, you know? You're welcome. Didn't realize they had him. I didn't even know he's the one who's been composing Fallout's scores. Which is a bit unfortunate since I feel as though every soundtrack past Fallout 3 has gotten more and more generic.* The themesongs especially. They're beginning to blend too much with the likes of TES' soaring arrangements. FO4 and 76's main themes just sound way too bright and postive and not at all post apocalyptic. But I'm guessing that has more do with the games they're for than Zur's ability to create good music.  *Not every. Just FO4. Can't speak for 76's. But it was disappointing as shit to load up FO4 for the first time and not hear that BUM BUM BUM BUM part. At 1:00. Pretty sure he also tuned way up for FO4.  Speaking as a professional musician, the themes are very similar, Legion, just a slight retool and a key change for FO4, subbing orchestral slap that you heard in FO3, the BUM BUM BUM BUM so to speak, with actually the starkness of a piano in the opening. The BUM BUM BUM BUM is actually present, just in piano reduction. Sounds more "pioneer" which actually fits with the Commonwealth setting, especially when there is a touch of solo fiddle before the main theme kicks in. But similar to me can be very different to another set of ears.  Just like Oblivion's theme borrows from Morrowind, and Skyrim's main theme borrows from both Oblivion and Morrowind. I guess it's like not having the heartbeat rhythmic figure that proceeds every ES game. Rather ingenious actually, Heart of Lorkhan, heartbeat rhythm. And yes, it's present in Oblivion's theme too, just heavily disguised under the brass fanfare and sped up.  As for ESO, Brad Derrick and Rik Schaffer borrowed material from Jeremy Soule to keep ES thematic consistency. I do not doubt that the person who is selected to composer for ES6 will do the same. It is expected, I think.  It's certainly the possible end of an era, but I personally enjoy the ESO score and I like the scores for Fallout 4 and 76, just like I enjoy the scores for the prior games. If Inon Zur is selected, I'm actually rather curious to see what he does, as his work is interesting to me.  To be honest, considering the current state of modern classical art music, video game scoring represent a growing niche in some quality, accessible, yet thematically rich material being composed. I already feature the more prominent composers of game scores in my Music Appreciation classes. Film composers too.  Just my two cents on the matter. 

When Ash from my Evil Dead build was able to romance Piper surrounded by a pile of ghouls at the Super Duper Mart. Because that is EXACTLY how an episode of Ash vs Evil Dead would go. Second, when Roy Batty met DiMa. 

Ah damn, I'm three people. My personality is definitely somewhere between Urag gro-Shub and Inge Six Fingers because I'm both a scholar and I am definitely a crusty teacher who makes my students work very hard. At the same time, I sing too, so probably, lol, with some of Lisette the Bard thrown in for good measure, but I wouldn't live in the Bard's college. Totally college of Winterhold for me, so mostly Urag. :D