Skyrim Developer Wants Your Babies To Be Dragonborn

You may love Bethesda Softworks’ Elder Scrolls series, but do you love it enough to conceive a child and name it after the protagonist of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim? What if a mystery prize is involved?

Bethesda’s Pete Hines calculated that February 18 was the perfect day for conceiving a baby that would be born on November 11, 2011, the release date for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, so it may already be too late to answer the challenge he issued to the Elder Scrolls community on Friday. Hines is offering an “unknown reward” for any couple lucky enough to slap a silly name on a child born on the game’s release date.

So, think you have the stat points in you to produce the perfect eight pound dragon-slayer? Like the wizened wizard he is, Pete is throwing down with a casual quest, offering up an unknown reward to any couple adventurous enough to name their 11/11/11-born child “Dovahkiin.” While it may be difficult to play Skyrim from the hospital, just think of how many late nights you’ll have to lull your little Dragonborn with Jeremy Soule’s soothing music.

My own children are due in late June/early July, and with names pretty much picked out already I don’t see myself changing my fiancée’s mind or getting her to hold them in for another four months any time soon.

But there’s still time! February 18 would have been perfect, sure, but if you conceive today there’s always the chance you could wind up with multiples, or hell, just have labour induced. I can’t see any loving wife having a problem with that.

And no, middle names do not count. It’s Dovahkiin or go home.

I leave you with Bethesda’s disclaimer, just in case anyone is actually taking this seriously.

Disclaimer: Any reward for completing this quest will not ultimately justify the potential teasing your child could – and probably will – endure over its lifespan. Bethesda Softworks is not responsible for your parenting. You may gain experience points for completing this quest, but you will not care at 3am on a work night. Completion of this quest may also result in decreased desire to play video games and/or function as a human being. Consult with your friends before embarking on this quest; while it may not start in prison, it probably ends there.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Creation Engines [Bethesda Blog]