Zenimax Online’s Elder Scrolls Online has been consistently updated with new expansions since its release in 2014. However, after over a decade of the same release structure, the very popular MMO is now shifting to a seasonal release structure instead of the large annual releases fans are used to.
These changes come after last year’s brutal layoffs at the hands of Microsoft which saw the studio’s secretive MMO Project Blackbird cancelled and a large number of workers laid off. In the wake of Microsoft’s destruction, some employees started a new MMO studio dubbed Sackbird Studios.
In an interview with PC Gamer, executive producer Susan Kath explained that “obviously last year was a tough year for the studio… for reasons we don’t even necessarily need to dig into—but the team has very much rallied [behind ESO]”.
“It’s like a second wind, and we’ve definitely got our eyes on the future, because this is our home.”
ESO Game Director Nick Giacomini
“I see a lot of enthusiasm from the team as we’re going forward,” the producer continued. “Folks are excited about their work. I’m excited for them to be doing this. We’re looking forward.”
Adding onto Kath’s comments, current game director Nick Giacomini explained that the the team is only human. “To just pretend something like that had no effect on us would be disingenuous,” he said.
“We are excited by what we’re doing. We’re excited by this transformation, this change, this evolution,” he continued. “It’s like a second wind, and we’ve definitely got our eyes on the future, because this is our home. We are determined to make it continue to be so for us, for our players, for as long as we possibly can.”
The team behind Elder Scrolls Online has a goal of making the MMO last for 30 years, which should hopefully be long enough for Elder Scrolls 6 to actually release. (Not Elder Scrolls 7, though, don’t be silly.) With 12 years already under their belt, and years of content planned, maybe it will last that long. Just maybe.
ESO also isn’t the only MMO based on a Bethesda property with Fallout 76 still kicking strong. While not a traditional MMO in the same sense, Bethesda has confirmed years of additional content are coming for that project. Hopefully, some new-gen enhancements can come to the game as well.
