Following extensive player feedback,The Elder Scrolls Onlineis moving away from its annual content release cycle in favor of a return to complete Chapters and a focus on the game’s existing zones. These year-long stories intially began with theElsweyrChapter inThe Elder Scrolls Online, and though the format was well received at the time, many players have felt it had gone stale over the years. The strain on the development team was apparent, and splitting the storyline between a Chapter and its accompanying DLC made it feel disjointed and often predictable.
The frustration growing in the fanbase peaked with thedisastrous launch of the Firesong DLCforHigh Isle, with many players having the impression that “The Legacy of the Bretons” storyline as a whole was extremely disappointing compared to the Chapters that came before. An increasing amount of game-breaking updates that would introduce a myriad of technical issues didn’t help soothe the temper ofThe Elder Scrolls Online’s players. They had grown tired of the same song-and-dance, and the writing was on the wall that something had to change.
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In an official post on the game’s website, Studio Director Matt Firor revealed that the game would finally be transitioning away from its annual content cycle into a more freeform format that it followed in the past. The upcoming Chapter for 2023 will be a full-fledged experience, standalone and complete in its scope. Furthermore, the DLC that usually drops in the fourth quarter of the year will be a brand-new type of content, likely focused on expanding upon the game’s existing zones. WithThe Elder Scrolls OnlinefeaturingHammerfelland other exciting locations from Tamriel, there’s certainly plenty for the developers to pick from.
WithZeniMax Online Studios working on a new game, this decision makes sense from a development standpoint as well.The Elder Scrolls Onlineplayers have often expressed a desire for less frequent, but more stable content updates, and this announcement has produced a collective sigh of relief across its community. In an effort to curb any future performance issues, the developers are also working to upgrade the hardware and server infrastructure.
The Elder Scrolls Onlinehas continued to evolve since its launch in 2014, and the decision to not let the game stagnate has sparked a newfound hope for the future. Players eagerly await for the announcement of the next Chapter, with many rumors pointing towards the Telvanni peninsula as the most likely setting. While 2022 was a particularly rocky year for the title,The Elder Scrolls Onlinestill offers some of the best atmosphere and lore for those wanting to immerse themselves into the lands of Tamriel.
The Elder Scrolls Onlineis available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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