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The Elder Scrolls Online – MMORPG
Genre: MMORPG | Developer: Zenimax Online | Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia | Release Date: April 4, 2014 | Model: Buy2Play
What to expect in The Elder Scrolls Online
What is ESO? The Elder Scrolls Online is an MMORPG, but not a classic one. It focuses on many single-player content and allows you to have fun anywhere in the world of Tamriel at any level.
ESO particularly impresses with its unique story and the setting of the game world. There are many iconic places that players will recognize from the “Elder Scrolls” series, as well as the familiar compass instead of a minimap.
What content does ESO offer? ESO has received multiple DLCs and updates over the years, along with a major expansion, bringing new regions full of content, features, and systems to Tamriel on a regular basis. As a result, The Elder Scrolls Online today offers you:
- a really large game world
- countless fully voiced quests and exciting stories
- varied dungeons and raids
- Server vs Server PvP
- 4vs4 and 8vs8 battlefields
- Side activities like a card game or digging up relics
What does ESO cost? If you want to jump in directly with all expansions, you can purchase the Premium Edition of ESO. This costs 79.99 Euro for newcomers and includes all previous chapters. It also contains the current content of the Seasons of the Worm Cult. Additionally, there is a simple Standard version with the base game and the Morrowind chapter for 19.99 Euro.
Additionally, the individual DLCs can be purchased separately. You can also experience most past DLCs and chapters as long as you have an active ESO+ membership. This costs around 13 euros per month and also grants you crowns every month, which can be used in the real money shop.
With the start of the first season from 2026, the payment model of ESO will be adjusted again. More details can be found here: The payment model of Elder Scrolls Online in 2026: What does the new Battle Pass bring and what happens with ESO Plus?
MyMMO Conclusion: The MMORPG for Skyrim Fans
Who speaks there? The conclusion comes from our MMORPG expert Karsten Scholz, who has been devoted to the genre since 2005 and has been regularly playing The Elder Scrolls Online since the beta.
Why is it worth playing ESO 2026? The Elder Scrolls Online is one of the best representatives of the genre on the market when it comes to the quality of stories, character development, and full voice acting. The game greatly benefits from its strong Elder Scrolls brand. Those who have always wanted to play a kind of Skyrim in co-op will find it in ESO – and that also on consoles.
In addition, Elder Scrolls Online offers more freedom with its flexible level scaling and the way new content is provided than most other MMORPGs. Here you can actually freely choose where, when, and with whom you play.
In addition to the story quests, ESO offers a diverse range of activities, including housing, an in-game card game, a kind of archaeology profession, PvP battlegrounds, dungeons, raids, and much more. And thanks to regular content updates, the offerings continue to expand every quarter.
Also cool: All upcoming, gameplay-relevant content will be free from now on. Additionally, some previously paid content will be integrated into the base game. Furthermore, the developers will undertake some exciting experiments in the coming months.
What are the problems with ESO? A major issue remains the performance of the MMORPG (especially in the PvP zone Cyrodiil), although improvements are made every year. Additionally, over the years, the routine has set in a bit. The content packs played out in the same way for a long time, without surprises.
They are trying to improve this with the new seasons starting this year, but the first season still resembled the old pattern. That is why the developers consider 2025 as a transition year.
Additionally, the payment model around the Crown Store and the ESO Plus subscription is regularly criticized. This was true in 2025 for the then-new content pass, and it is also true now for the upcoming Battle Pass.
The entry into ESO can be truly overwhelming due to its many content and freedoms – a typical problem of long-established MMORPGs. In addition, there is the difficulty level that is too easy in many areas of ESO, as well as the underwhelming action combat experience. However, these issues are to be addressed this year: The Elder Scrolls Online addresses one of its biggest weaknesses, but many players likely won’t experience the improvements until 2027
