There are games like Destiny 2: They burst through the ceiling with a loud bang, and the comment sections on relevant articles are always well filled. And then there are games like Elder Scrolls Online: Games like a warm cocoa by the fireplace, which seem to flow gently and hum a quiet song. But is it a song that will soon come to an end? According to Game Director Matt Firor: Certainly not!
ESO is repeatedly rumored to be ending. Particularly in the comment sections on YouTube and other platforms, calls are made that declare the imminent death of the MMORPG. However, the MMO is still well attended, with a happily engaged community.
The head of ESO paints a picture of an MMORPG that has found its footing and gathered momentum, a late and quiet, but all the more significant success story.
“The community has become a very stable group of people who simply love The Elder Scrolls.”
This is confirmed by Game Director Matt Firor in a recent interview with the trade magazine MCV. Just this June, the 10 millionth player was confirmed. 2.5 million players currently play ESO regularly each month.
This is primarily because ESO is playable and enjoyable for different types of players.
Each DLC caters to a different type of player: With Morrowind, explorers and story lovers got their fill, while Horns of the Reach leaned more towards dungeons. The diversity is what makes the gaming experience.
“We have a melting pot of diverse players: players from various consoles, Elder Scrolls players, lovers of traditional MMOs – they all create a wonderful mix that shows that ESO is not just for one single type of player.”
Never change a running system!
They want to continue pursuing the strategy of pleasing as many players as possible. After all, it bears vibrant fruits.
Maintaining content that makes players happy: That is all the game developers desire. Interestingly, they also seem to implement microtransactions so skillfully that they do not disturb the players. Here, the developers seem to have found a good balance. Many players may have a subscription active, but one does not have to become a subscriber to receive game-relevant content – one can, however.
The plan is set – a “Chapter” will also return to stores in 2018
Matt Firor assures that ESO still has content for at least two more years. This means that approximately the next 8 DLCs are already planned, based on the current pace. The course has been set, the community is continuously involved, and there are many opportunities to enter and ultimately play the game.
The new strategy also includes annual expansions that will then hit the stores and enable a reboot – just like Morrowind did recently. They wish to maintain this.
Even when asked whether Firor and his team would soon be working on a new project, his answer is one that ESO fans should relish. “Maybe someday. But we still have so much planned for ESO that thinking about a new project is out of the question right now.”
