Here is the official answer from the development team:

When does testing start?

We held our first small friends-and-family test on February 28th.  Invitations to the general public for the first round of beta events will be sent around the end of March. We’ll post notifications on our website and social media channels whenever we send a batch of invitations. When we do, check the  e-mail address you used to register for the beta. If you’ve been selected, you’ll receive an invitation with instructions.

Source: [ElderScrollsOnline.com]

So, we only have a few more weeks to wait then we can start checking our email accounts relentlessly for beta invites. There are a few semi-disappointing other details that go along with this news, though. These are as follows:

• The first batch of invites will be to a small selection of gamers that signed up.
• The first beta events will be held during specific time frames.
• The first round of beta testing will not open up all gameplay elements of TES Online.

While these are disappointing details they are also generally expected when it comes to beta testing. While the initial tests will consist only of small focus groups and only be available for a short period of time, players that receive invites will be given ample time to prepare. So if, for example, you have work on the day the beta starts you will have time to call in sick… not that we’re trying to encourage that but this IS the Elder Scrolls Online and don’t you want to play it first?

Another important question that the team answered was this:

What happens if I’m selected?

If you’re invited to test, you’ll receive an e-mail at the address you registered with for the beta. The invitation will include a download link for the game client. You should expect a download size of around 20GB, so it’s best to start downloading as soon as you receive your invitation.

20 gigs is no laughing matter. That’s a pretty sizable download. Even on the best of connections that will take a bit of time to get on your hard drive. Then, if course, you’ll have to go through a standard installation process as well. Which, as some PC games have proven, can also be a lengthy process.

But, hey, no complaints here. We are extremely excited to get our hands on this game. Keep watching this website as well as the official social channels for the Elder Scrolls for news of the exact release date of the ESO beta!

The Ebonheart Pact consists of Nords, Dunmer and Argonians. This faction is currently led by the High King of Skyrim, Jorunn. Although he is considered the leader, the primary decisions of the group are governed by The Great Moot, which allows each race to ratify any decisions made.

Jorunn the Skald-King is known to be quite humorous and down to earth. Don’t let his lighthearted aspects fool you, he is said to have a will of iron and has proven to be a strong leader.

Each one of the three races that make up the Ebonheart Pact has had their run-ins with one another. The Nords and the Dark Elves have had quite a bitter history of disagreement and much blood has been shed between the two. The Argonians have a deep hated for the Dark Elves, as they were enslaved by them for thousands of years. The Akaviri is what united the unusual pact and now they are eager to defend the empire from common enemies.

About the Races

Nord

The Nords were known for their accomplishment of conquering the majority of Tamriel. These men and women are extremely talented warriors and know their way around many different combat weapons. The Nords have a reputation of being quick to anger and are also known to be extremely fierce warriors. They are considered to be some of the best warriors in all of the land.

Dark Elf

The Dark Elves have had their homeland of Morrowind raided and destroyed many times over by the Akaviri and Nords alike. Because of the constant warfare and troubles they’ve faced, they have developed into strong warriors. They are also extremely fond of magic and make great sorcerers.

Argonian

This intelligent race is highly advanced in martial arts and has great knowledge and wisdom. They are considered to be guerrilla warfare experts and know how to handle a blade. With their keen wits and fighting abilities they make up some of the best skirmishers and scouts in all of the land.

He was once a merchant lord from High Rock, but has long since created an alliance with Redguards as well as a treaty with the Orsimer. The Daggerfall Covenant reigns over High Rock, Hammerfell and Orsinium. The capital is known as Wayrest, which was raised between two shoes that meet the Bjousae River located in High Rock.

The three races of the Daggerfall Covenant are Bretons, Redguards and Orcs. Although these three races used to consider one another enemies, recent events that have taken place in Cyrodil have united them as one. Bretons are known for their magical ability as well as diplomacy. Orcs are very talented armorers who are able to create some impressive weaponry. The Redguards are blessed with impressive athletic abilities and make for great warriors.

About the Races

Breton

Once ruled by Elf overlords, the Bretons of High Rock possess some elven blood and have a strong natural ability for performing magic. Bretons have long decended from the people of Nede and Aldmer. They tend to be very passionate and intelligent and are extremely talented merchants. Their main religion is a combination of ancestor warship as well as belief in the traditional Yokudan pantheon. They have a strong understanding of craftsmanship and make excellent wizards.

Redguard

Redguards hail from Hammerfell and are known to be some of the best warriors. One of their most trusted weapons is the scimitar and their ability to use one is well-honed! Their ancestors made their way to Tamriel from their home continent of Yokuda. They place strong importance on honor and have a knack for magic.

Orc

Although a lot of people will claim that Orcs are primitive and unintelligent, their rich history in warfare has made them some of the fiercest warriors on the battlefield. These warriors live under a strict belief that only the strongest will prevail. They are superb craftsmen and warriors of all sorts have a high demand for their finely crafted weaponry.

Ayrenn was the daughter of King Hidellith and she’s known for her superior intelligence. At her young age, she has gathered much intelligence as she spent her earlier years roaming the lands of Tamriel gathering a plethora of knowledge. Upon her return to her hometown, she learned of her father’s death and was appointed a position on the Altmer throne.

When the High Elves learned that the Imperial City had been overtaken by Molag Bal supporters, they formed the Aldmeri Dominion. The High Elves sought the assistance of two neighboring races; the Wood Elves and the Khajiit. These three races are known for their keen wits and intellect. Together they make up some of the most powerful mages and warriors.

About the Races

High Elf

The High Elf, or Altmer have called their home Tamriel for many thousands of years. They believe that they are the rightful ruling race of Tamriel. High Elves are known to be the tallest of all humanoid races and their skin is typically pale and gold in color. They have a great understanding of magic and are known to be powerful mages as well as deadly warriors.

Wood Elf

This gifted class is known for their mischievous qualities. Superb at blocking deadly blows and known for their mastery of archery; the Wood Elves are said to be an extremely beneficial race for warfare. Their vast knowledge and abilities in archery is said to be unmatched.

Khajiit

This proud race of felines is a force to be reckoned with. The Khajit hail from Elsweyr and their numbers have dwindled direly low after a unfortunate outbreak of Knahaten flu. This race is extremely grateful for the assistance of Ayrenn, as she helped them restore order after the devastating plague. This intelligent race is known for their sharp wits as well as their leisurely outlook on life. Although they may seem to be lighthearted, they have proven to be extremely deadly in battle. This race makes for superb warriors who have strength and speed on their side.

Who says that game developers don’t make incredible trailers for their games anymore? The latest video from Bethesda Softworks and Zenimax Online Studios is quite the beautiful and action-packed spectacle. While it doesn’t offer any actual gameplay footage it does provide us with insight on how intense the battle for Cyrodiil will be. Here’s the awesome new TESO trailer released just the other day:

The CGI in this video is just phenomenal. At times it really seems like a live action movie trailer with real actors rather than computer generated characters. From the half-dead looking werewolves (or whatever they may be called) to the defending guards, everything is gorgeous in this trailer. Unfortunately, this is only a hype video designed to direct gamers to sign up for the TES Online beta which was announced just before the trailer was released.

The video features what appears to be one core member of each of the three factions. The Breton or Redguard (hard to tell exactly which but we believe it’s Breton) ranger-like character is believed to be a part of the Daggerfall Covenant. The big, burly, assumed-t0-be Nord warrior would be in the Ebonheart Pact. And the female high elf would be a part of The Aldemeri Dominion. We’ll break down each of the factions in an article in the near future.

Overall, this new trailer does build up a ton of excitement. Hopefully the actual game will live up to the success of the rest of the Elder Scrolls series and become one of the best MMORPGs on the market. There still hasn’t been an official release date announced but with the beta open for registration now, it’s only a matter of time before the date is out. The more information that is released the more excited and anxious we become. The Elder Scrolls Online is sure to be one of the biggest launches of 2013.

Sign up for the beta RIGHT NOW by clicking here!

The beta signup consists of a short questionnaire that asks for standard information such as your name, email and birth date but also a few other details. ESO asks for a bit of info regarding your personal playing style, what other MMOs you have played in the past and what Elder Scrolls titles you’ve played (only listing Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim).

According to a side note located on the beta application, filling out the entire page will greatly improve your chances of being chosen to participate in the ESO beta. So if you really want a spot in the early stages of the game, it’s highly recommended that you don’t just speed through the app but rather take your time and fill out each and every section. This is what the actual app says regarding this:

Completing all the optional sections will significantly increase your chances of being selected for beta participation.

Below that it also provides you with a bar that tells you what your chances of being selected for the closed beta will be. Filling out the minimal amount of information will give you a rating of “Average”, being a bit more informative and providing a few more details such as play style and other MMOs you’ve played will give you an “Above Average” rating and, finally, completing every part of the application will grant you a rating of “Excellent”.

Not a lot is known about the game just yet but it is assumed that TES Online will be a pay to play game. This typically means gamers should expect a $14.99 per month subscription fee to play the game online. This, of course, will be required to play ESO. This fee is after the initial $59.99 purchase for the game itself. Depending on whether or not Elder Scrolls Online becomes a successful MMO it is possible that the game could switch to a free-to-play (F2P) model later in its lifetime.

This is solely speculation and not fact. The game could, in fact, release and not have a subscription fee but have options to buy in-game items similar to other MMORPGs such as Guild Wars 2. Neither Bethesda or Zenimax Online Studios have announced official details regarding the pricing and/or revenue models of this game.

Also keep in mind that there are no pre-order bonuses in existence at this time. This could change in the future and if it does we will update this page to reflect those changes. Right now, the ESO pre-order on Gamestop is solely for the game itself, nothing more.

If you’ve been a TES fan for some time you may or may not like the idea of the game moving toward the MMO genre. But the reality of it is that The Elder Scrolls games ARE MMORPGs minus the online elements, so to speak. All of the elements of an MMO are there: classes, quests, skill points & trees, combat progression, in-depth storylines, 3rd person combat, etc. The only difference is that all TES games so far have been geared only toward being single-player titles.

When it comes down to it, The Elder Scrolls stands a strong chance at becoming a great MMO. The game already has tons of background story for the developers to use, it has most of the MMO mechanics already built in and it has a huge, dedicated fan base. While there are concerns from seasoned TES players about whether or not Elder Scrolls Online will be a success or bust, there are also tons of players that are excited to see the game come to fruition. Case in point, the Ten Ton Hammer most anticipated MMO for 2013 poll has shown us that tons of gamers are stoked for the release.

Many players have begged and begged for TES to have multiplayer for years. While TES Online won’t be exactly what they asked for, it’ll still serve the purpose. This game will give players a chance to explore and dominate the world of Tamriel with friends and millions of others gamers online.

Will ESO become just another clone of World of Warcraft? Based on the information and videos that have been released so far there is no evidence that this game will be just another bite-off. It may not be revolutionary or a game-changer for the MMO industry but it will certainly have enough to set it apart from other games.

Erik Kain, a contributor for the video game industry, had this to say about the game in a Forbes article earlier this year:

It doesn’t appear that Elder Scrolls Online is doing much to distance itself from this sort of game design, let alone the kill-ten-wolves-and-return-to-town fetch quest crutch.

The concept of choosing a new Emperor is interesting, but it remains to be seen if it actually works. Likewise, the concept of a changing world based on what you and other players do is intriguing, but whether this really impacts gameplay or whether it simply results in changing NPC reactions matters a lot.

I hope that the combat and action is as compelling as Sage makes it sound, but I’ve never particularly liked combat in either the Elder Scrolls games or MMOs, so while I like to hold out hope, I won’t hold my breath. (source)

Now, considering this guy sounds like he isn’t even a fan of the Elder Scrolls series, I wouldn’t take his opinion with a grain of salt. But, he does bring up a valid point that many other gamers worry about and that’s if ESO will be any different from other MMOs on the market in terms of gameplay. Basically, it comes down to whether or not this game will be just another grind fest with a TES theme.

Personally, I don’t see how an MMO can exist without grinding. Love it or hate it, it has to exist. Otherwise developers would have to continuously develop new, unique monsters and dungeons for players to make their way through 24/7. And that just isn’t possible. And players shouldn’t expect it. Millions of people are still hacking and slashing their way through the same raids and monsters on games like World of Warcraft.. why not do it on another title that has a more in-depth story and flashy new graphics?

Overall, I see the potential that Elder Scrolls Online has. And I, for one, am rooting for it. I want to see the game succeed. I’ve been a fan of the TES series for a long time and while Bethesda is notorious for pushing out games with bugs and glitches galore, I still find myself caught up in them for hours and hours on end. Let’s just hope this game doesn’t come out on this huge wave of hype and fall into a deep abyss the way games like Star Wars the Old Republic did. This series deserves more than that.

Regarding Servers

As stated in the video below the mega-server, as its been named by the development team, is NOT just a single server. It is in fact a network of many servers that are tied together in such a way that players won’t have to transfer their characters across servers just to be able to connect with friends, guilds, etc. This is a somewhat unique feature of the game that has great potential but still causes a sense of concern for some players. Hopefully Zenimax Online Studios will have it ready and bug free by launch time.

Regarding Combat

The combat system featured in ESO is not just a simple point and click design. The developers have revealed that the left mouse click will engage your basic attacks and the right mouse click will engage your block function but there is still much more to it than that. These functions were added to try to keep the fighting as close to the traditional Elder Scrolls combat system as possible. But there will be additional functions for engaging your class skills and ultimate attacks.

Regarding the Map

Most players are excited to be able to explore all of the major land masses found throughout previous Elder Scrolls titles in TES Online. Unfortunately, this won’t be possible using just one character. When you create a character on ESO you will be required to side with a faction. There are 3 factions and each hold claim to 2 or 3 provinces (lands) of the Elder Scrolls series. Whatever faction you select will limit you to that faction’s provinces. You will not be able to venture into the provinces of other factions. This can, however, be remedied by creating 3 different characters. Having one character in each of the 3 factions will allow you to explore all of the lands of the Elder Scrolls games.

Hopefully this helped to clear up some of the myths that have been floating around the Internet regarding this game. Once new information arises we will be posting news of it right away!

The poll is, however, a little shady to say the least. Votes will continue to be tallied up until January 6th and an official winner will be declared on the 7th. Voters are allowed to cast one vote per hour, though. This means the game could be receiving a lot of false positives. It could be that overly eager TES fans are voting several times a day for the game. But so far ESO is taking the gold over other popular names in the industry such as Phantasy Star Online 2 and World of Warplanes.

Some of the games listed on the poll actually have playable betas right now, such as MechWarrior Online. So it’s a little surprising to see that Elder Scrolls Online is being so highly rated when players can’t even touch it yet. But that does establish some hope that there will be a large initial player-base for the game upon release. Gamers seem to be genuinely interested in getting their hands on TES Online.

2012 wasn’t a great year for MMOs. It seems the only recently released title that has seen a decent level of success is Guild Wars 2, followed by the likes of Diablo 3 which has since seen a massive decline in players and 2011′s flop, Star Wars the Old Republic. Hopefully 2013 will be much different. Hopefully Elder Scrolls Online will succeed and live up to the expectations of both MMO gamers and Elder Scrolls fans alike.