What do the upheavals at Zenimax mean for The Elder Scrolls Online? In an exclusive Gamescom interview with MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya, directors Rich Lambert and Nick Konkle talked about the future of the MMORPG and a new direction.
In the world of MMORPGs, hardly anything is as constant as change. However, recently the developers of The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) faced several major upheavals: the departure of studio head Matt Firor, a restructuring of the team, and the introduction of a new seasonal content model.
In the interview at Gamescom, I spoke with Rich Lambert, the Creative Director, and Nick Konkle, the Game Director, about exactly these challenges. We discussed the mood in the studio, the future of ESO, and how the team maintains the balance between the cherished legacy of the game and the changing expectations of the player base.
It was a tough phase
MeinMMO: Let’s just start with the … perhaps more complicated topics. In July, several hundred people had to leave Zenimax, the development of the new MMORPG was shelved after about seven years. Matt Firor is gone, and ESO has essentially lost the face of the last few years. It’s not an easy state. So I ask quite openly: How is the morale in the studio, in the house? How does everything feel right now?
Rich: Yes, I mean, it was definitely … definitely an emotional time. There were friends and colleagues we had worked with for a very long time. But the reality is, we have work to do. We have ESO, we are passionate about it, the community is passionate about ESO, and we are putting everything into keeping it going. So yes, it was a tough phase for a while, with a lot of emotions. But I think at this point everyone has that goal – everyone is focused on ESO and making it as good as possible. And that helps everyone get through the difficult time.
Nick: I don’t have much to add to that. I mean, we’re just humans too, just like you said. We are looking very much to the future, full of energy, and trying to ensure we continue to deliver the best possible game to our players.
The orientation of ESO has not changed
MeinMMO: Well, now that with Matt Firor, so to speak, the head of ESO is gone – has something changed in the vision of The Elder Scrolls Online? What is the vision at the moment? Is it still the same?
Rich: I mean, it’s still called “Player First”. ESO is very established in what we want it to be. People are now in different roles, such as Jo Burba, who is now studio head. Jo is focusing heavily on studio culture and so on, while Matt did that too, but he also focused heavily on game development. He had been more focused on the other project for a while, less on ESO, because I was there focusing on it. So that vision hasn’t really changed; it’s still there. Nick and I are very different people. We play games differently, but at our core we agree very much on what ESO is and what it means to move into the future with it. And that’s good.
Nick: Yes, and I mean, we love Matt, we wish him the best. But in terms of whether the direction or orientation of ESO has changed – it hasn’t. Rich and I just took over seamlessly. This goes before what has happened in the last two months. So, what has changed for us? Actually nothing, because we are still on the course we planned for the next year.
We have a tremendous legacy
MeinMMO: When you said that you both bring different things to the table: What does each of you specifically bring? Where are the differences?
Rich: Yes, so … it’s hard, we are both hardcore gamers. We love playing games and so on. I focus a lot on the “power” side. I love builds and optimizing, improving myself and getting that last little bit of damage out – I love that power gaming. And I think Nick does some of that as well, but he focuses on different areas. Matt was similar, by the way; he was more on the role-playing and story side, less on the power gaming. That’s just interesting.
Nick: Both of us care a lot about Elder Scrolls Online and the players. We can talk a lot about how great ESO is, and we really think it’s a great game, but we are nothing without the players, the community.
That’s what we are both passionate about. We are gamers, and our players matter to us – and that won’t change. I have worked closely with Rich for the last 6 years and learned a tremendous amount from him. We also talk a lot every day now, and a big part of that is: “Is this okay for you in terms of the vision for ESO?”
And in the future, it’s less about the differences between the two of us, but more about the overall direction. We have already embarked on that path – how do we stay true to the roots of ESO? Because we have a great game, we have a tremendous legacy, it has now been 11 years. And how do we stay true to that while also evolving, creating something new, and generating excitement? There is so much … I love Elder Scrolls Online, but I don’t think anyone looks at a game and says, “It’s perfect, we’re done.”
If we don’t change, we will be left behind
MeinMMO: Especially with an MMORPG – it’s an evolving game. As you said, ESO has been around for 11 years, it has a rich history, had a rough start, changed, and you are trying new things. There is so much …
Rich: The players change too, right? What they like, what their playing patterns look like. All of that changes over time. And if we don’t change, we will be left behind.
MeinMMO: Oh, that’s interesting. What changes in patterns have you observed in your player base in recent years?
Rich: Things like playtime – you can see from our numbers when a new game comes out because they go down briefly. And then they rise again. And also, how players access the game. There are so many different ways today, and there is a strong demand for things like crossplay or cross-save. That is constantly coming up. In 2014, no one thought about it. We certainly didn’t think about it in 2007 when we started building the game. So, it’s exciting to see how that changes and evolves.
Nick: I started playing around 2004, about then. It’s incredible how much everything has changed in the last two decades, whether it’s technology or gameplay. Player expectations change when new games come out and existing games push the boundaries. As you said, games are constantly evolving. This game has been running for 11 years, and player expectations change along with it. Many paradigms from the early 2000s are still relevant, but things are evolving. One must keep up, constantly creating new content and features for our players.
Our most successful events were those where players could cooperate
MeinMMO: Something I find very interesting – with the new approach of ESO Seasons: I have been reporting on MMORPGs for 8 years, and one change has been that they needed to become more solo-player friendly. ESO has always been at the top of the list for that. And now we are tearing down the “Writhing Wall”, which reminded me a bit of the roots [of MMORPGs]: a social event where the community works together towards a goal. Is this also an approach to bring back more community and social feeling?
Rich: It was a very conscious decision to do something like this. We have never done it this way before, so we wanted to try something different. Our most successful events were those where players could cooperate. One example: The first exploration event we did – players had to find all the interesting locations in a zone. And organically, players and guild leaders organized themselves and formed these “trains” that guided people around. We thought, “Okay, can we take this to a larger scale and let the whole server work together to unlock the next level?” Let’s see how it goes – I’m curious.
Nick: I’m curious too. One of the best things about this genre is that there are so many different types of players. So, we’re not just going to focus extremely heavily on social content, but it’s important to us. We want to make fresh things, we want to try more of that, but also new things for all player types to keep them motivated.
MeinMMO: How long do you think it will take for the community to master this challenge?
Rich: Hm, I don’t know …
MeinMMO: If you had to guess?
Rich: One thing I have learned: When you present a challenge to the community, they find a way – and quickly. That’s why I have this tattoo on my leg – the tattoo was something we did for Elsweyr. So I think the players will be quicker than we expect. The exciting thing will be: Which server achieves it first? PC/EU? There will be this kind of server camaraderie that we have never had before.
MeinMMO: Our lead MMORPG editor Karsten has asked another question: Did you take inspiration from other MMORPGs for the event? He is a big WoW player …
Rich: Gates of Ahn’Qiraj?
MeinMMO: Yes, that’s exactly what he thought right away.
Rich: Yes, of course – we draw inspiration from everywhere. I experienced Gates of Ahn’Qiraj as a player, and it is still one of my top memories of WoW. Other games have done similar things, and we look at what has been successful to build on it and make something special out of it.
Old chapter system felt too formulaic
MeinMMO: I also want to talk about the seasons. With the Worm Cult, you introduced the seasonal system for content updates for the first time this year. Has it had the effect that you had hoped for?
Rich: We are still watching and measuring that. The idea came from the community. Players said it all felt too formulaic. We wanted to change that, so we abandoned the chapter concept to allow for more surprises and agility.
Nick: Yes, absolutely. This is just a step; we expect more changes in the coming years. Our goal is to break predictability, distribute content, and implement feedback faster. Seasons give us that flexibility and more moments to engage with the community in dialogue.
MeinMMO: Have you received feedback on this yet?
Rich: It’s still early, but it’s been quite positive so far. Players now understand what we are trying. It’s a lot of trial and error, but that’s exactly why we’re doing it this way. Previously, we needed 18 months for a chapter; now we can deliver smaller content faster and respond better to feedback.
You can now make absurdly many builds
MeinMMO: I read some community feedback. Some were worried that the updates are smaller and deliver less content. What do you say to that?
Nick: Spread over a year, it should feel similar. We’re not taking anything away; we’re just distributing it differently. I’m curious how players will take it.
MeinMMO: You said you are a min-maxer. What are you most looking forward to in the next update?
Rich: I love the concept of subclasses. You can now make absurdly many builds, mix class lines – I love this kind of experimentation. Apart from that, there are other things I can’t talk about yet.
MeinMMO: Same question for you, Nick. You are deep into lore and story. What excites you?
Nick: I’ve put thousands of hours into ESO and also into other MMORPGs. I play everything – PvE, PvP, lore. I love progression and story. We talk a lot internally about: How do we ensure that players’ time is meaningful and exciting? That they can trust us? That drives us. I can’t reveal details, but there’s a lot that excites me.
You have to earn players’ valuable time
MeinMMO: One last question: We talked about changes – smartphones are perhaps one of the biggest competitors today. What will change the most for MMORPGs in the next few years?
Rich: Access. Everyone has a phone, a tablet. People are always online. And the community is crucial – Guild Wars 2, WoW, ESO – they live through the community. Things like cross-save and cross-progression are huge; that didn’t exist before. Today, platform boundaries are blurred. Xbox is pushing this very hard.
Nick: A very good question. The development has been rapid, especially in recent years. For an 11-year-old game like ESO, it’s simultaneously frightening and exciting. We want to stay true to our roots, but also evolve to attract new players and retain existing ones. This applies to all MMORPGs today: Players give you their most valuable resource – time. You have to earn that through trust and engagement.
MeinMMO: Thank you very much, very good answers.
An MMORPG like ESO has to constantly reinvent itself
The interview with Rich Lambert and Nick Konkle shows that the recent challenges have not discouraged the ESO team. Instead, they see it as an opportunity to rejuvenate the game and explore new paths. The message is clear: The “Player First” vision remains, even as the faces behind the scenes change.
The developers are aware that the playing habits and expectations of the community are evolving. Their new approach to move away from traditional chapters and instead focus on agility and direct feedback with the seasonal model is a bold step. At the same time, they are daring to return to the social roots of the genre with events like the “Writhing Wall”, inspired by classic MMORPG moments.
In the end, the most important insight remains that the players are the heart of ESO. Rich and Nick both emphasize that players’ time is the most valuable resource that needs to be earned. An over 11-year-old game like ESO can only survive by constantly reinventing itself without losing its identity.
This very topic is also addressed by another mind behind one of the largest MMORPGs: The head of Final Fantasy XIV explains how he would design a new MMORPG today, but his concept might not please many of you
