Fans of high fantasy worlds such as Lord of the Rings (LOTR) and Elder Scrolls have long appreciated “real” maps of imaginary places like the Shire or Vvardenfell.
I’ve personally spent many an hour poring over LOTR maps, looking at the mountains of Gondor, the grasslands of Rohan, the Elven Lothlórien and the softly trickling Withywindle – imagining what it would be like to participate in a such a sweeping, tolkienesque quest.
“There’s something about having a physical object in your hands that feels like it’s part of this other world, that you are that person in the game, finding your way among the hills,” Bethesda exec Todd Howard wrote way back in the days of Morrowind yore.
Fortunately, Bethesda is continuing its time-honored tradition by offering a premium quality world map for all Skyrim pre-orders.
“The map is a high-grade material that has a feel similar to burlap, and will be available in North America and Europe,” Bethesda rep Nick Breckon explained in an official blog post.
“[Yes], there will [also] be a regular paper map included in all copies of the game, but if you want to get the premium map, we recommend pre-ordering the game.”
Hell, you don’t have to convince me.
I mean, what would Skyrim be without a physical map to consult? Seriously, Novemeber 2011 definitely can’t come soon enough for me!
