https://help.elderscrollsonline.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/737 Updated 02/05/2014 11:41 AM We will not be holding a traditional open beta, but if you sign up to participate in the ESO beta prior to launch and are eligible per our Terms of Service, you will get an invite to a future beta event. We will be holding several very large beta sessions that include beta key giveaway promotions before the game launches. Please make sure to sign up for beta if you have not yet done so: https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en/beta Many are speculating that this is due to the new Mature Rating for the game, but I'm not really sure how that solves anything if the age verification is still just a drop down. Anyway, it is something to keep in mind if you are looking forward to more testing weekends. Gotta go week by week. These closed weekends are getting pretty large regardless.
An open beta is a single calender event where everyone gets in. A massive test for all. All they have said in that support answer is everyone who signs up and qualifies will get to play at some point. It might be functionally the same to anyone who wants in at least one test, but it's not technically an open beta... which they own up to in the response itself. I admit it isn't a big deal. I'm just posting because it is news to people looking to play in beta.
Once you're in you get invited to all subsequent. And you're invited by merely signing up and accepting TOS and passing Age gate. Therefore open to legally everyone? Therefore open beta? Seriously though am I missing something? I know it doesn't matter but I'm curious.
Everyone who has signed up hasn't gotten a key, and the possibility remains they may not regardless of how many beta weekends there ends up being. You're not automatically sent a key if you sign up. You still have to be lucky to be randomly drawn, which is not how an open beta usually works.
"if you sign up to participate in the ESO beta prior to launch and are eligible per our Terms of Service, you WILL get an invite to a future beta event."
...eventually. So which closed beta are you actually saying is an open beta? The last one? Whenever that is?
Basically they are not having a open beta....... Yes it may look like one but you are not promised to get a key for that Beta event but you will get one. Where as how they put it normally in open beta you sign up and bam your accepted This kinda seems they are still stress testing things and only allow x amount of flow of people at a time
I would hope if anyone has learned anything about Zenimax Media it's that what they say is what they mean... until they say something else.