| Michael Zenke | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Role(s) | Game designer, writer |
| Softworks tenure | Aug 2011—Feb 2015[1] Aug 2021—Present[1] |
| Alias(es) | ZOS_michaelzenke |
Michael Zenke is the third Loremaster for The Elder Scrolls Online. He started off as a Senior Writer/Content Designer in August 2011 before leaving in February 2015.[1] He returned to the writing team in August 2021 and succeeded Leamon Tuttle as Loremaster as of April 29, 2022.[2] He did writing for zones such as Auridon and Reaper's March, and the story quests for the Mages and Fighters Guilds.[3] Some of the oldest characters he helped with was the creation of Razum-dar and the writing of Sheogorath. More recent examples include writing for Isobel Veloise and Azandar al-Cybiades. He also helped with the Scribing questline[4]
As editor of Slashdot games in 2006, Zenke defended Bethesda amid the ESRB re-rating of Oblivion and remarked on the change's chilling effect, which punished developers for content they did not produce.[5] Zenke has stated that he is not as experienced in the lore of the series as his predecessors were, and would not be able to do a "trump the Loremaster" game like Lawrence Schick had done years prior.[6] He has however engaged with the Elder Scrolls IP a lot and has experience solving narrative issues.[7]
CreditsEdit
- The Elder Scrolls Online — Writer[8]
- The Elder Scrolls Online: High Isle — Loremaster (with Leamon Tuttle)[8]
- The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom — Loremaster[8]
- The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road — Loremaster[8]
Texts AuthoredEdit
This list is non-exhaustive and includes only texts of which Zenke is known to be a primary author.
Loremaster's Archive
- Loremaster's Archive - Bretons & High Isle
- Loremaster's Archive - Tamriel's Dungeons
- Loremaster's Archive - The Druid Circles of Galen
- Loremaster's Archive - House Telvanni
- Loremaster's Archive - The Arcanists
- Loremaster's Archive - Infinite Archive
- Loremaster's Archive - Malacath and Maelstrom
- Loremaster's Archive - Scribing
- Loremaster's Archive - The Clockwork City
Meet the Character
- Meet the Character - Isobel Veloise[9]
- Meet the Character - Azandar al-Cybiades[10]
- Meet the Character - Nahlia[11]
Out-of-game
(see also: Michael Zenke's Posts)Relevant InterviewsEdit
- Sep 2014: Reddit: Zenimax Online Writer's Reddit AUA
- Sep 2022: ScrenRant: Michael Zenke Interview: Loremaster Of The Elder Scrolls Online
- Apr 2023: The Imperial Library: Interview with Michael Zenke
- Apr 2023: UESP: Michael Zenke & Tom Murphy 2023 Necrom Interview
- May 2023: ZenimaxOnlineStudios: Necrom Zone Preview—Telvanni Peninsula & Apocrypha
- May 2023: ZenimaxOnlineStudios: Necrom Preview—Fear Apocrypha's Most-Monstrous Inhabitants
- May 2023: ElderScrollsLorecast: Necrom Reveals a Totally New Side of Hermaeus Mora
- Jun 2023: NefasQS: ESOU Podcast ft. ESO Loremaster Michael Zenke
- Jun 2024: PCGamesn: The new ESO Gold Road stuff Zenimax Online Studios wants you to see
- May 2024: Sportskeeda: "The only stuff that's canon is stuff that happens to you" Elder Scrolls Online devs on unreliable narrators, unsolved mysteries, and more
GalleryEdit
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Zenke (bottom)
-
Zenke teaching the lore to a group of enamored streamers
NotesEdit
- Michael Zenke previously suggested Pyandonea as an Adventure Zone before the system was scrapped.[12]
ReferencesEdit
- ^ a b c Michael Zenke. LinkedIn.
- ^ ESO Live: April 29 at 4PM EDT—Meet Our New Loremaster & Explore High Isle - The Elder Scrolls Online
- ^ Michael Zenke Interview: Loremaster Of The Elder Scrolls Online
- ^ @esoloremaster.bsky.social (October 18, 202) via Bluesky
- ^ The Breasts That Broke The Game - Zenke, Michael (June 12, 2007)
- ^ ESOU Podcast #37 ft. ESO Loremaster Michael Zenke - TES, Lore & Necrom - (June 1, 2023)
- ^ ESO: Interview with Michael Zenke (2023) — The Imperial Library
- ^ a b c d ElderScrollsOnline.com: ESO Credits
- ^ @slavicsek (April 28, 2022) via Twitter
- ^ @slavicsek (May 24, 2023) via Twitter
- ^ @slavicsek (May 10, 2024) via Twitter
- ^ ESO Writing Team AUA