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Bethesda’s latest Elder Scrolls adventure taken down amid cries of plagiarism

Pulled "Elsweyr" RPG is extremely similar to a D&D adventure published in 2016.

arstechnica.com

A promotional Elder Scrolls-themed tabletop RPG adventure released by Bethesda Tuesday contained widespread instances of apparent plagiarism from a Dungeons & Dragons adventure published by Wizards of the Coast in 2016. That adventure was pulled down from the Internet Wednesday afternoon, and Bethesda now says it is "investigat[ing] the source."

Bethesda's pen-and-paper Elder Scrolls "Elsweyr" adventure (archived here for reference) contains text that in total seems only slightly reworded from the D&D adventure "The Black Road," written by Paige Leitman and Ben Heisler as part of Wizards of the Coast's Organized Play program. The adventures are largely identical throughout their texts, aside from sometimes sloppy replacements of certain words and phrases with synonyms and the changing of certain items and locations to fit in the Elder Scrolls setting.

The introduction to "The Black Road" reads, in part:

There's nothing like the desert to make people feel small and insignificant. In every direction, huge dunes roll across the landscape, and an even bigger sky looms above. The oasis of Vuerthyl is a motley collection of sun-bleached tents in the vast Anauroch desert.

Through various means, it has been arranged that you would meet Azam the caravaneer in the large, Calimshan-styled tent that passes for a tavern here. A pair of tieflings, who seem to be unaffected by the heat, eye approaching visitors warily. The dim interior of the tent is a relief from the bright light and wind, though it’s as hot here as anywhere else. The gentle sounds of a stringed instrument fill the air, and the people inside are hunched over food, drink, and conversation. A dragonborn with rust-colored scales greets you, and guides you to a private table. There are a few other adventurers here.

"Elsweyr's" introduction reads as follows:

Nothing beats the desert to make people feel small and unimportant. In every direction enormous dunes roll across the landscape, and an even larger empty air skies above it [sic]. The oasis on the border between Cyrodiil and Elsweyr is a colorful collection of sun-drenched tents in the vast desert of Elsweyr.

In various ways it is arranged that a group of adventurers would get acquainted with the caravan leader named Kar'reem. His big tent is filled with several Khajiit, which seem unaffected by the heat, they stare at you cautiously. The dim interior of the tent is a relief compared to the bright sunlight from outside, even though it is still as hot inside as out there. The soft sounds of stringed instrument [sic] fill the air, and the people are busy over eating, drinking, and conversation [sic]. An Argonian servant escorts you to an empty table.

The similarities often extend to gameplay and scenario details as well. Here's a description of a caravan players can encounter in "The Black Road":

• Four wagons, each pulled by two foul-tempered camels
• One wagon carries the caravan’s food
• One wagon carries the caravan’s water and a shipment of medicinal herbs
• One wagon carries a shipment of weapons
• One wagon carries the statue of Angharradh
• The caravan travels and sleeps in two shifts every day. Travel from predawn until noon, sleep from noon until late afternoon in the shade, travel from late afternoon until after dinnertime. Sleep from after dinnertime until predawn.

And here's a description of a caravan in "Elsweyr" that appears the same point in the adventure:

• Four carts, each pulled by two horses
• One cart carries all food
• One cart carries all water and medicines
• One cart carries a large load of weapons
• One cart carries the statue
• The caravan travels in two shifts every day. From early in the morning to the afternoon, then rest and sleep until late in the afternoon. And from late in the afternoon to sunset.

These are just a few examples of the significant similarities between the two adventures. A Bethesda spokesperson told Ars, "We’re digging in deeper to figure out what happened, but in the meantime, we’ve pulled the adventure based on what has been brought to light." Representatives for Wizards of the Coast have yet to respond to a request for comment from Ars.

Bethesda's Facebook post announcing the "Elsweyr" adventure (link since removed), which says it comes from "our friends over at Bethesda Netherlands," contains many comments from D&D players complaining about what they see as a rip-off. That includes Paige Leitman, listed as a designer and author on the D&D adventure. She posted a lengthy Facebook thread titled "How They Plagiarized Our Adventure, An Annotated Powerpoint Presentation," highlighting many examples of overwhelmingly similar text in the two works.

"Hey, The Elder Scrolls Online, would you please let your legal team know?" Leitman writes. "This is REALLY not cool."

In response to a request for comment from Ars, Leitman said she had "no comment until both authors have a chance to fully discuss it and understand the ramifications."

The video game version of Elder Scrolls Online's Elsweyr expansion will be available via PC early access May 20, with Xbox One and PS4 versions hitting on June 4.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Into the trash with Bethesda.

 

[Helios]

Taken from

Apparently the article was misleading.

This was never an official product, it was a DnD campaign some employees at Bethesda Netherlands were running for fun; the main ESO Twitter account heard about it and retweeted a link to the Dropbox files. Anyone that's ever run a custom DnD campaign knows that reworking bits from official materials is standard practice for DMs to save time. That's the entire reason these source books are published, for DMs to use them.

The people that originally created this had no intention of it being a published promotional product. This was a stupid mistake on the part of whoever was running the Twitter account, that's all.

 

[Spukc]

get fucked beth get fucked

 

[AlphaMale]

The benefits of living in the Internet age! I love how copycats and cheaters are exposed so quickly now.
(leads me to wonder how many frauds from the past escaped being exposed and, thus, lived a fruitful life from copying someone else's work?)

 

[Mista]

So did they plagiarise at the end or no?
I don’t doubt if they do btw

 

[SpartanN92]

What is Bethesda’s deal?

I’m beginning to think they can’t handle the weight of being a large publisher/developer this generation. It really feels like they peaked sometime last gen and they have never been able to meet the expectations that fans have of them now.

Either they are tired and just phoning it in or the demands of development in this day and age are too much for them.
It just seems like they can’t get anything right lately be it a new game in a beloved series, a stupid canvas bag, or a table top game.

 

[AlteredForms]

Into the trash with Bethesda.

You'll put down cash-money for Elder Scrolls VI on launch day, and you're lying if you say otherwise.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

You'll put down cash-money for Elder Scrolls VI on launch day, and you're lying if you say otherwise.

Uh, no? Skyrim was meh, I never got into ESO, and I won't touch Fallout 4.

Sounds like projection to me.

I'll put down cash-money on stuff by iD and Arkane Studios, though. Their games are pretty darn good.

 

[Hendrick's]

Bethesda is sure on a roll.

 

[Helios]

So did they plagiarise at the end or no?

From what I've seen, no. It was supposed to be a custom D&D campaign that some employees were playing and they were sharing it on DropBox. An official account (people are saying that it was the ESO Twitter account but the article claims it was Bethesda's Facebook account) posted the DropBox link for some reason. It was a mistake from the guy managing their Social Accounts. At least from the information I've seen. I'll post if there are more updates/clarifications on this.

 

[Lanrutcon]

You'll put down cash-money for Elder Scrolls VI on launch day, and you're lying if you say otherwise.

Honestly? if the actual release version is awesome as verified independently (and not by Games Journalists(tm)), without microtransaction bullshit or cut features from previous ES games, with a free mod community then sure. I'll buy it.

But we all know they're going to sell us on paid mods, online only, microtransactions up the ass and it's STILL going to have less features than the games before it. Todd is a liar and we should remember FO 76 for the shitshow it is/was.

 

[AlteredForms]

Uh, no? Skyrim was meh, I never got into ESO, and I won't touch Fallout 4.

Sounds like projection to me.

I'll put down cash-money on stuff by iD and Arkane Studios, though. Their games are pretty darn good.

I was only fooling around, as I'm aware of many detractors who despise Bethesda products because of their lack of polish and reliance on the community to fix bugs and glitches via fan made patches.

As far I'm concerned, the last time they struck gold was with Skyrim in 2011, but that was a long time ago. And on the topic of cash money, better have that Doom Eternal paper at the ready.

Honestly? if the actual release version is awesome as verified independently (and not by Games Journalists(tm)), without microtransaction bullshit or cut features from previous ES games, with a free mod community then sure. I'll buy it.

But we all know they're going to sell us on paid mods, online only, microtransactions up the ass and it's STILL going to have less features than the games before it. Todd is a liar and we should remember FO 76 for the shitshow it is/was.

I'm not too sure what to make of the studio in its current state, as a fan I would like to think these are the same people who released Skyrim and its DLC without no further micro transactions, but after the train wreck that was Fallout 76, I'm praying they don't condemn TES to the same fate.

 

[Handy Fake]

The company doesn't know which hand is scratching whose arse at the minute.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

I was only fooling around, as I'm aware of many detractors who despise Bethesda products because of their lack of polish and reliance on the community to fix bugs and glitches via fan made patches.

As far I'm concerned, the last time they struck gold was with Skyrim in 2011, but that was a long time ago. And on the topic of cash money, better have that Doom Eternal paper at the ready.

I'm not too sure what to make of the studio in its current state, as a fan I would like to think these are the same people who released Skyrim and its DLC without no further micro transactions, but after the train wreck that was Fallout 76, I'm praying they don't condemn TES to the same fate.

I'm sorry. I sometimes have a problem telling when people are kidding around.

Will a bunch of Elder Scrolls fans buy this game in spite of all the controversies, though? Yeah, you're definitely correct. I'm just not that big of an ES fan anymore, I suppose.

 

[Mista]

From what I've seen, no. It was supposed to be a custom D&D campaign that some employees were playing and they were sharing it on DropBox. An official account (people are saying that it was the ESO Twitter account but the article claims it was Bethesda's Facebook account) posted the DropBox link for some reason. It was a mistake from the guy managing their Social Accounts. At least from the information I've seen. I'll post if there are more updates/clarifications on this.

This means they didn’t then. Okay Glitchesda are garbage but if they haven’t done anything wrong this time then no need to bash them.

 

[zeorhymer]

From what I've seen, no. It was supposed to be a custom D&D campaign that some employees were playing and they were sharing it on DropBox. An official account (people are saying that it was the ESO Twitter account but the article claims it was Bethesda's Facebook account) posted the DropBox link for some reason. It was a mistake from the guy managing their Social Accounts. At least from the information I've seen. I'll post if there are more updates/clarifications on this.

This is hard to believe. Why would some social media manager decide to link the DropBox account and how would they know what to put up without knowing what's in the files. But that's their official stance and I'll use my tinfoil hat some other day.

 

[AlteredForms]

I'm sorry. I sometimes have a problem telling when people are kidding around.

Will a bunch of Elder Scrolls fans buy this game in spite of all the controversies, though? Yeah, you're definitely correct. I'm just not that big of an ES fan anymore, I suppose.

You're absolutely correct, as Elder Scrolls fans will purchase it regardless of the critical scores and controversies. Just being able to experience it for themselves, despite being good or not is enough for most people, as the fanbase has increased tremendously with the release of Skyrim.

I understand not wanting to support a franchise or developer for decisions made in the past, but fortunately there are tonnes of games out there worth that cash-money.