A fandom still going strong, twenty years later
Even if you don’t know much about the Elder Scrolls series, chances are that you’ve at least heard the name Morrowind at some point or another. It was the third installment, but the first 3D game in Bethesda’s classic series, which is best known for its 2011 release Skyrim. While Morrowind didn’t quite reach the same mainstream fame of its younger sibling, it has a huge cult following and is revered as one of the best open-world games of all time. Morrowind‘s official 20th anniversary is coming up on May 1, and its community is making special preparations to celebrate — most notably, a streamer, blogger, YouTuber, and modder named Danae.
Danae is embarking on a project of rounding up memories and testimonials from hundreds of the game’s fans, including “modders, artists, authors, programmers, and content creators,” they told PC Gamer. The plan is to archive and compile all of the stories into a digital booklet that will be released in May for the community to enjoy.
As if that wasn’t already cool enough, Danae also shared that they’re going to be putting out a podcast series on their YouTube channel, where they will be interviewing prominent figures in the Morrowind modding community, as well as game developers and artists who were inspired by the game. They also have written Q&As on their website.
Personally, I think this is an incredible idea, and a wonderful way to honor a memory of a game that has meant so much to so many people.
With the state of games preservation, it’s unclear whether games like Morrowind are going to survive another 20 years, let alone longer. That’s why this project is so meaningful — it can serve as an archive of fans’ fondest memories of the game long after it fades away, although I certainly hope it never comes to that, and that Morrowind will continue to be playable into the foreseeable future. Either way, it’s a sweet sentiment.
You can keep up with updates on Danae’s projects on their website, YouTube channel, and Twitter.
[Featured Image Source: Rock Paper Shotgun]