Elder Scrolls Online Celebrates 10 Years and Looks Ahead
Satisfying long-term players while enticing newcomers has always been a challenge for MMORPGs. It doesn’t take long for dedicated fans to reach the endgame, so they need a steady stream of high-level content. New players don’t want to find lonely beginner zones because everyone has moved on. A few games have done a consistently good job of balancing the old and the new. One of these is Elder Scrolls Online, which launched in 2014. At a recent presentation, key members of the development team revealed some of the roadmap for the game’s immediate and long-term future.
End of the Chapter
Since the original launch, Elder Scrolls Online has released a steady stream of DLC, which the game calls “chapters.” There have been eight so far, usually dropping in early summer. Many of the chapters have been memorable, adding new zones, interesting new content, expanded narratives, and new heroes or companions.
As someone who has played and reviewed many of these chapters, I feel that they could be a little rote. They were definitely inconsistent, which is understandable given the deadlines and high-quality production values. But things are changing as the second decade begins. One of the biggest changes is the elimination of the annual chapter model. New content is certainly coming, but the goal is to basically add material at more frequent and organic intervals. Not being tied to annual chapters means developers can freely make changes and additions as the game evolves.
Back to the Beginning
Of course, that’s not to say that nothing big and new is planned. On the horizon is a large new area/zone, an island called Solstice. Solstice brings with it the new narrative content called “Seasons of the Worm Cult.” Long-time players will certainly recognize the reference to the Worm Cult, a menacing faction of necromancers. In fact, the developers are excited to bring ESO back to its story roots, which makes sense given the game’s overall refresh.
Defeating the Worm Cult on Solstice will be a server-wide goal. This includes all players working together to bring down a massive supernatural barrier called the Writhing Wall, which separates the eastern and western areas of the island. What if players don’t bring down the wall? And what about players coming to Solstice after the wall is breached? While they didn’t reveal details, the devs have both contingencies covered.
How Do I Do This Again?
In addition to the new island and a continuation of ESO’s original storyline, lots of other exciting changes and quality of life features are coming. The developers emphasized that there will be welcoming ways to get returning players back up to speed. For new players — or those veterans rolling yet another new character- the starter zones have been given a striking graphical overhaul.
Character subclasses are nothing new to roleplaying games. Coming to ESO, players can mix and match abilities and create genuine subclasses, no longer restricting themselves to the seven main starter classes. There are literally thousands of combinations. Anyone who is put off by seeing dozens of similarly configured characters in an MMORPG will be thrilled with the options.
Of course, PvP options such as the Battlegrounds or Cyradil open-world PvP will be supported and expanded upon. For me, the ability to experience ESO as a solo player with NPC companions has been a big draw. I’m looking forward to seeing how solo adventurers are supported moving forward.
Finally, the developers stressed how much attention has been paid to the game’s online performance. Players should experience smoother sailing, less lag, and overall greater technical polish.
Refreshing Refresh
With any kind of refresh or reinvention, there is a risk of rocking the boat a little too vigorously. However, it seems like the developers have a clear vision for satisfying a wide range of players. New players should feel truly welcomed, and faithful players should enjoy the new content and more frequent updates. Change is scary, but also exciting. I can’t wait to see how Elder Scrolls Online embraces its new ideas.
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