User:Rezalon/Theories

Essays on quotes on canon

Michael Kirkbride

• "Tamriel never belonged to Bethesda. It was the other way around. As for canon, it's really all interactive fiction, and that should mean something to everyone. That said, I appreciate and understand the stamp of "official", but I think it will hurt more that it will help in the long run. TES should be Open Source. It is for me." - Reddit, 2013

This entire statement is factually incorrect. Firstly, it was stated after Kirkbride left Bethesda. Anything Kirkbride states after he left Bethesda cannot be taken as official word. Secondly, the fact Bethesda, intellectually and legally, owns The Elder Scrolls franchise, means Tamriel belongs to them. Thirdly, Kirkbride's OOG works have done more harm than any official works. Not only have they split the fanbase severely, but they promote the idea of spreading false facts, misinformation. To suggest everything or nothing is canon, including any fanfic or headcanon, whether by Kirkbride or not, is to suggest a fallacy. Radical communities preaching Kirkbride's statements as if they were official word is what will hurt the franchise in the long run. Finally, The Elder Scrolls is not open source, therefore it isn't to Kirkbride or anybody els. By making it open-source, you're welcoming in contradictions from outside sources, which would tear apart already well-established continuity.

• ""Official canon". This concept doesn't exist." - Reddit, 2014

This is just laughable. As stated above, this entire statement is factually incorrect as it was stated after Kirkbride left Bethesda. Anything Kirkbride states after he left Bethesda cannot be taken as official word. and, again, Bethesda, being the intellectual and legal owner of the franchise, can state what is, or isn't, officially canon.

Pete Hines

• "Remember that only things that have been published in Elder Scrolls games should be considered official lore." - Oblivion Fan Interview III, when asked about Kirkbride's OOG works

and

• "Yes, we consider the Elder Scrolls novels canon to TES lore." - Twitter, 2011

It can't be painted any clearer. Only official works, as in the Elder Scrolls games published by Bethesda, or books sanctioned by Bethesda (the Greg Keyes books, et al.), can be considered official canon. These quotes were made before ESO, so, naturally, we can't exclude any lore pieces made by Schick or other ZeniMax officials out-of-game, or any other OOG material (Hero's Guides to ESO, CE books, etc.), from being canon.