No gameplay advantage for Imperial characters in The Elder Scrolls Online, assures developer

Earlier this week, Bethesda unveiled The Elder Scrolls Online Imperial Edition, a collector's edition of the highly anticipated MMORPG which offers players the ability to play as an Imperial character in any alliance, among other goodies. In it's description, Bethesda noted that this will provide you with unique bonuses, crafting, styles and even a white Imperial Horse. So this begs the question: will those who order the Imperial Edition have a big gameplay advantage those who purchase the standard version?

In the simplest of answers: "No."

"With the Imperial Edition you get the opportunity to play as a rogue Imperial who has broken from their Daedra worshipping ways, and you get a unique racial skill line of equal gameplay impact to other races’ unique racial skill lines," developer ZeniMax Online Studios assured players.

"As an Imperial you also get a mount and the automatic ability to craft items into the Impesrial style. All non-Imperial races can also learn this ability after locating the corresponding racial motif. Imperials do not begin the game in a unique starting location or via a separate quest, but they can start in any alliance as befits their status as un-aligned outcasts of their own Province.

"Being an Imperial includes a racial skill line that offers unique gameplay opportunities, but there is not an overall gameplay advantage," the studio reiterated. "It is an opportunity to set yourself visually apart in the lands of Tamriel."

ZeniMax said the Imperial Edition was designed specifically to avoid unfair advantages to those who ordered this version. It's designed to allow the franchise's biggest fans to standout amongst all the players. The only other alternative would have been to offer a collector's edition with no in-game items included which, according to the developer, "didn't seem fair to the fans who are excited about the game and want some special digital items."

In addition to the sweet Imperial in-game items, the Imperial Edition will also contain a number of physical bonuses including a 12" statue of Molag Bal, a 224-page illustrated guide, and a physical map of Tamriel.