Why do an Elderscrolls MMO in the past. First this forces developers to be lore specific. It would be much better to set the game in the future. Lets say 200 ( more or less) Years after the events in Skyrim

1. more major factions can be created from the turmoil that Tamriel is in at the end of Skyrim, even the return of the Akavir,dwemner, snow elves even a new dragon race.

2. More weapons and armors can be made form new smithing techniques, to even new types of materials (ores).

3. Allow for more spells even new types of magic classes.

4. the creation of New guilds giving far more joinable situations for players, as well as the return of the old classics like the thieves guild and the Mages guild.

5. With more spells this will allow for far more enchantments

6. Return of the ability of the deadric princes to return to tamrial (Heralded by Malog Bal) . This caused by the use of the eldercroll to travel back in time by the DragonBorn to give a simplified reason why they can return. The elderscroll by using its Boundless power to travel back in time could be a reason for many of the events in the eldercrolls MMO (almost endless possibilities).

7. Morrowind was awesome (favorite game of all time) imagine what a rebuilt Morrowind (mostly Vvardenfell) would look like.

8 Just the fact thier could be endless ways of future to be and you have the choice as players to changes the eldercrolls for the future. Endless new types of enemies, or even completely unknown new races.

9. Please discuss and add to if you like.

why the past? so they dont effect the single player games, and make elder scrolls 6 reflect it

The past is always littered with wars, and TES is no exception. They chose a time period where they could reasonably establish warring factions, as well as not confine the future of the series with an MMO but rather put it down in the history books in future games.

Sure, I'll say it.

Because it's really easy to be lazy as [censored] with your own lore when you purposefully pick times and eras ridiculously far from each other. That way, any mistake they make, they can just say "well a lot changed between then and now."

I'd rather they try and make the most of the lore available and stick closely to it than make up their own lore for a later setting.

I, for one, am relieved that it is going to be set in the past. This means that it is much less likely to choke off any further development of the actual TES story. If it was set in the future, it would get in the way of the real games' progress.

Also, from what I've seen, you shouldn't be worrying too much about Zenimax being bound by existing lore. They seem to be pretty unconcerned about the whole 'canon' thing.

The future is reserved for the single player games. So people who don't want to play the MMO don't have to, since it would have a great affect on lore otherwise.

This is the most obvious answer. Bethesda still plans to making more TES games, there for they don't want to be constrained by what Zenimax comes up with. Also, Zenimax will want some creative license, and thats easier done in the past during a time when we don't know much of what happened.

The future is for the future TES games of the main series so there was room only in the past for MMO.

its very similar to what knights of the old republic, and opld republic are. A time not well known that they can have freedom

Well wouldn't you want to do something in the past, it allows for the lore to be established already so less work. And as for time wise, from what I have heard its about 1000 years before Skyrim starts.

The game will still be based on past lore it will just be its own entitity. Meaning that the single player games will be more true to life future . The MMO would be more player choice. I just feel over time basing this game in the past will limit its future potential. Those Lore limitations will become aparant especially if this game becomes a success.

OR

The events of The MMO could be the cayalysts for future Eldercrolls Games.

While that is true, but your comparing an MMO that takes place across an entire Galaxy in which allows them to have near endless amount of content even within the knights of the old republic main storyline that is needed for an MMO, To a game that has well established Lore on a small planet.