The MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online is getting a new chapter with Blackwood (PC, PS4, Xbox One), which will be released in summer 2021 and brings areas from Oblivion. The entire year is titled “Gates of Oblivion.”
What does ESO offer in 2021? Throughout the year 2021, ESO will receive 3 new DLCs and the major expansion Blackwood, which is set to be released in June. Blackwood includes:
- You will explore areas from The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
- The story of the expansion revolves around the schemes of the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon.
- The story takes place 800 years before the events of Oblivion.
- The special feature this year is the companions: NPCs that assist you in combat and that you can equip and skill yourself.
- The developers plan new servers and a revision of the Champion Points for the year.
This trailer gives you a first glimpse into the dark story of the new expansion:
Where does the information come from? During a live event on January 26, the developers revealed the first details about this year. We at MeinMMO have already spoken with Game Director Rich Lambert about the new content.
During a preview event, we at MeinMMO had the chance to experience Blackwood hands-on in April 2021. In the meantime, we have also written a large preview report from the test server:
Blackwood has now been officially released.
Release Date of Blackwood and the DLCs 2021
The new expansion will be released on June 1 for PC and on June 8 for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.
Before Blackwood was released, the DLC pack Flames of Ambition was launched. This included two dungeons and a prologue mission that introduces the story of ‘Gates of Oblivion’.
The release was on March 8 for PC and Stadia and on March 16 for consoles.
In the third quarter of the year, another dungeon DLC is scheduled to be released. At the end of the year, the story DLC will conclude the entire story about ‘Gates of Oblivion’, which will also delve more into the Deadlands.
For 2021, the developers plan to revise the Champion Points system, as well as an updated server hardware and numerous optimizations to technically improve ESO. Relevant updates will be released alongside the DLCs and the expansion.
No, to play ESO you need at least one chapter, either Tamriel Unlimited (the base game) or the expansions Morrowind, Summerset, Elsweyr, Greymoor, or now Blackwood.
Additionally, there is the optional subscription ESO+, which allows you to unlock the smaller DLCs and some in-game bonuses.
The ultimate compendium for ESO Blackwood
148 pages of guides for new and returning players, including free extra: ESO base game, Morrowind and 25% discount on Blackwood at Gamesplanet.
Blackwood comes with companions, new trial, and lots of story
What happens in Blackwood? In Blackwood, you travel to the areas of Oblivion. The new zones are said to extend from the walls of the imperial city of Leyawiin to the murky swamps of Shadowfen, and into the area of Darkforest.
Blackwood has a lot to offer:
- A main story and side quests that together contain over 30 hours of story content
- A new connected area that is expected to be about the same size as Elsweyr
- The companions, NPCs who support you in combat
- A new trial for 12 players
- New world events: Portals to the realm of oblivion
- New antiquities introduced with Greymoor
- A revised tutorial that is supposed to teach the basics and allows you to choose which chapter you want to start with
What the story is about
The story of Blackwood revolves around the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon, who was also the antagonist in Oblivion. Accordingly, we won’t be able to kill him.
In an interview, Game Director Rich Lambert told MeinMMO that Blackwood tells more of a “murder mystery” story:
- A long house emperor made a pact with him because they wanted to rule Tamriel for him.
- But this pact went wrong and now there are many problems.
- Among these problems are 4 weapons of mass destruction that we as players are supposed to disarm.
The story will be told throughout the year and will conclude in the 4th quarter of 2021.
What to expect in the new map
The new area Darkforest marks the border between Cyrodiil in the center of the continent Tamriel and the Black Marsh in the southeast. Here, beautiful forests and meadows transition into the dark swamp landscape, making this place particularly exciting and interesting.
It is expected to be about the size of the zones from Elsweyr and Summerset on the map. Additionally, it will not be divided like it was in Greymoor, but is supposed to be a cohesive area. Highlights include the two new cities Leyawiin and Gideon.
What companions can do
Companions are NPCs that you can summon to accompany you in combat. You can equip them and assign them skills. Thus, you can make them healers, tanks, or damage dealers.
In Blackwood you can unlock 2 companions:
- Mirri, a companion who is cunning and likes to steal from others
- Bastian, a righteous companion who prefers to see your positive sides
With the help of these companions, you can complete quests more easily and even finish dungeons with just 2 players. They are also expected to bring their own story quests through which you can get to know them better. They cannot accompany you in PvP or solo arenas.
- Newcomers especially benefit from the companions as they can support them in open-world combat or in the open dungeons
- Those who prefer to travel with close friends or a small guild can use the companions to fill their group for dungeons
- Those who are really into endgame content can use the companions to complete content solo or to fill veteran groups or trials instead of heading out with a smaller number of players
- Story fans, on the other hand, experience new quests and adventures through the companions
How useful these companions are and whether you should unlock them, we at MeinMMO reveal in this article: I tested the new companions in ESO and promise: Everyone will use them.
Does Blackwood bring a new class?
New classes are a sought-after feature in ESO, but with Blackwood, there will be none. Also, a revision like with the vampires in Greymoor is not planned.
Instead, the Champion Points will be the focus this time. They are set to be adjusted in Update 29. The focus will be on a shift to horizontal progression. Instead of simply getting stronger, players will be able to choose between different tools.
With the new Champion system, you will be able to unlock passive abilities that you collect on a Champion bar, which is supposed to function similarly to the skill bar. Details about this will be shared in the coming days.
We also discussed Blackwood in a special episode of our MeinMMO podcast:
Buy and Pre-order Blackwood
You can currently pre-order Blackwood in the ESO Store, on Steam, and in the Microsoft Store. Only PlayStation users still need to wait for a corresponding offer.
The following versions can be purchased:
- The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood – 69.99 Euros
- Digital The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood Collector’s Edition – 89.99 Euros
- Digital The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood Upgrade – 39.99 Euros
- Digital The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood Collector’s Edition Upgrade – 54.99 Euros
These rewards are available for pre-order: Those who pre-order the new expansion by March 17 will receive the following bonuses:
- Dremora-Kynvogu (costume style)
- Deadlands-Wamasu (companion)
- 1× Crate of the Eisenatronach
- 3× Treasure Maps for Darkforest
- 2× Scrolls of Learning
For more news, community stories, and guides, you can find them on our ESO topic page.
