As part of gamescom 2023, we conducted an interview with Matt Firor, the studio director and thus head of The Elder Scrolls Online. We talked to him about the past, the latest expansion, and also the future of ESO.
The Elder Scrolls Online released the expansion Necrom this year. This included the new class Arcanist and a self-contained story that is not supplemented by another patch. This created room for a special update in the fourth quarter.
We talked with the head about this update, but also about the general development of player numbers and the new class.
Necrom and the Epic Games Store lead to the highest player numbers since 2015
MeinMMO: How is ESO doing right now, especially compared to the last few years? For me, Elsweyr was one of the best gaming experiences, and I feel that Blackwood and High Isle have not performed as strongly.
Firor: ESO has been steadily growing since One Tamriel in 2016. Morrowind was very strong and reached a new peak until the pandemic hit and the numbers exploded. Now we no longer have those pandemic players – like all other games – but our numbers have stabilized a bit below that line.
With Necrom, they went back up strongly, and with the release on the Epic Game Store, it went crazy. To answer the question: Currently, as many people are playing ESO as have not since 2015. I mean, you saw login queues for the first time.
MeinMMO: Do you have a rough overview of how many players actually tried the Arcanist after the release of Necrom?
Firor: Most of them. At least almost everyone temporarily tried the class. Many also played on to max level and even beyond. Our data shows numerous Arcanists who have reached level 50.
It’s also a really fun class.
MeinMMO: One criticism is that with each new class you have to play through the old areas again. Have you ever considered bringing a special starting area or game content just for one class to make the gameplay a bit more interesting?
Firor: Yes, we have, but ESO is so big that even I have discovered things that I could do differently with my Arcanist while leveling than before. There are so many expansions, areas, and DLCs through which you can play. I played the DLCs Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood and leveled through the mini-games there.
If you want to, you can always find a new way to advance a character.
The upcoming patch targets experienced players
MeinMMO: Time and again, you read about players who are dissatisfied with the development of ESO. They say that major highlights are missing, even though you have released things like the card game or the new class recently. Are these players lost forever because they have unrealistic expectations, or can you still win them back?
Firor: I totally understand this point. Many of these players have been around in ESO for 9 years and have seen a lot. But we can only deliver a certain amount of content. Looking at the last 10 years, we have brought many crazy new things – not just the new class or a card game.
We have released One Tamriel or DLCs like Thieves Guild or Dark Brotherhood. I could name so much more, like the PvP Battlegrounds or the antiquities system. But we cannot deliver such things every month.
But in the fourth quarter of this year, a special patch will be released. It is primarily aimed at the players asking this question. It will not be a story DLC but will appeal to experienced players. We will soon hold a stream where we will present the content in more detail.
‘Orsinium and Murkmire are my favorite contents’
MeinMMO: Lastly, the question again. What are your favorite DLCs or expansions that can currently be played in ESO? And which was the most important for the game itself?
Firor: I have two favorites. Orsinium is my favorite chapter, even though we didn’t call it a chapter back then. Everything about it is fantastic. It has the traditional “Elder Scrolls” political elements with different factions.
My favorite story is the one from the DLC Murkmire. The main story is short, but you start like Indiana Jones and then suddenly go back in time. It’s just fun.
The most important expansion for the game was Morrowind. Additionally, One Tamriel should be highlighted, as it laid the foundation for today’s ESO.
Thanks to Matt Firor for the interview! If you want to read more about the development history of ESO, we have a suitable article here:
ESO was really bad at release and is now one of the best MMORPGs – What happened?
