Expansion packs in The Elder Scrolls series had an unusual origin a full decade prior to the introduction of horse armor DLC. This origin lies in a 16-quest add-on for Daggerfall, which was exclusive to a single U.S. retailer.
In September 1996, The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall hit the shelves, but for those who purchased the game from CompUSA, they received an extra treat - the CompUSA Expansion. This retailer-exclusive add-on featured 16 additional quests, designed to incentivize purchasing the game from the US retailer.
The expansion was developed by Kurt Kuhlmann, a junior designer at Bethesda who had only been with the company for a few months. Despite the tight schedule, Kuhlmann managed to create a substantial amount of content, with quests spanning across multiple guilds and factions within the game world. The expansion included six Fighters Guild quests, five Mages Guild quests, two Thieves Guild quests, two temple-related quests, and one quest for the Knightly Orders.
These quests were not just simple fetch tasks. They involved significant storytelling and branching decision-making, offering players a rich and immersive experience. Some of these quests were even connected into multi-arc storylines with player choices built in.
The motivation for this exclusive expansion appears to have been a promotional partnership with CompUSA, likely intended to boost sales through that retailer. However, Bethesda did not make this kind of exclusive deal again, probably due to the hassle involved in creating custom boxes and content. Kuhlmann himself was uncertain why this was a one-time arrangement.
Reception among players was mixed but notable for some positive views. While exclusivity caused some resentment among Daggerfall fans who purchased the game elsewhere, some players praised the idea. For example, a Usenet post from 1996 expressed enthusiasm for the special version as a smart move for both CompUSA and Bethesda. Later, the quests were released as a free patch to the wider player base, alleviating some concerns.
The contents of the CompUSA expansion are well documented, but the story behind its origin, design, and reception is less understood. Bethesda announced that they would post the "extra" quests to their website in a few months, but the genesis of the special edition remains unclear. According to the UESP wiki, it was created because CompUSA demanded a special version of the game.
In summary, the CompUSA Expansion was an early experiment in exclusive downloadable content (DLC) within the Elder Scrolls franchise. It set a precedent for future discussions about DLC, exclusivity, and player access in Bethesda’s games. Despite its rushed development period and limited initial availability, the expansion remains notable for its ambition and quality.
- Junior designer Kurt Kuhlmann at Bethesda, despite his short tenure with the company, created the CompUSA Expansion for The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall within a tight schedule.
- The CompUSA Expansion included a series of quests across various guilds and factions, offering an immersive and branching decision-making experience for players.
- Fans of Daggerfall expressed mixed emotions about the CompUSA Expansion's exclusivity, with some praising it as a strategic move for both Bethesda and CompUSA.
- Bethesda eventually released the contents of the CompUSA Expansion as a free patch for all players, addressing concerns about exclusivity.
- The development, origin, and reception of the CompUSA Expansion remain less understood, with Bethesda having announced plans to reveal more information about its creation in the future.
