The MMORPG year 2020 offers little. But two major expansions for The Elder Scrolls Online and World of Warcraft want to win the hearts of players. Greymoor and Shadowlands.
Although the year 2020 brings some big blockbuster games, it looks rather bleak for MMORPG fans. There are only a few new, large MMORPGs – so the two expansions for well-known MMORPGs provide a small glimmer of hope and might satisfy the hunger for new games. We are talking about World of Warcraft: Shadowlands and The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor. Both expansions will be released in 2020.
We want to show you what the two major MMORPG expansions are about and for which players it might be worth taking a look.
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
What is Shadowlands about? With Shadowlands the story takes us away from Azeroth into a previously unknown environment. The Shadowlands are essentially various realms of the dead. Here, the souls of all creatures are sent when they die on Azeroth.
Typically, souls end up in different areas, depending on who they belonged to and what kind of character the soul had. The souls of nature spirits, for example, end up in the forest of Ardenweald, while particularly dark souls end up in eternal damnation in the Maw.
However, currently there is a problem: All souls are sent directly to the Maw, from the peaceful farmer to the great hero.
Players explore why this is happening and what effects it has on the different areas of the Shadowlands, which are slowly decaying without new souls and their energy, throughout the course of Shadowlands. More about the story of WoW: Shadowlands can be found here.
What are the major changes in Shadowlands? As usual, an expansion of World of Warcraft focuses on several aspects that together form the addon. These include:
- The new areas: As usual, the new areas and associated quests are at the heart of an expansion. Since the Shadowlands have hardly appeared so far, Blizzard can “let loose” here and implement many new, crazy ideas and create interesting creatures.
- The Covenants: All players must make a pact with one of the 4 major factions of the Shadowlands. This unlocks new abilities, an individual story campaign, and many cosmetic items that must then be earned.
- The Tower of Torghast: Torghast will be a special dungeon that changes every time, thus remaining motivating for a long time. Whether alone or with up to 5 players, Torghast should always be perfectly adapted to the group size and offer high replay value.
What criticism points does Shadowlands aim to resolve? Shadowlands addresses criticism points primarily by moving away from old mechanics that have been unpopular with players. There will be no permanent grind of artifact power – this had annoyed players in Legion and Battle for Azeroth.
Additionally, Shadowlands brings back numerous abilities that were lost over the course of the 7 other expansions. Each class will receive a selection of “old” abilities back. For example, paladins will get their auras back, while warlocks will regain their curses.
Lastly, players should have more freedom in defining which goals they pursue. Each character will be able to aim for legendary items. Progress will depend less on chance and more on the individual player’s efforts.
What else does Shadowlands offer? Besides the major features, Blizzard will also implement many small improvements to character creation. There will be numerous new customization options for all races. For example, humans can now also have an Asian or Afro-American look. Undead can cover their bones or receive new hairstyles.
Besides that, the leveling experience for low-level characters will be fundamentally revised. The maximum level will be reduced to level 60, and those who want can level completely from level 1 to 50 in an expansion of their choice. Thus, one can, if one wishes, play through “Wrath of the Lich King” from start to finish again or explore Pandaria once more while leveling.
Who will find Shadowlands worthwhile? Shadowlands aims to correct many mistakes made with Battle for Azeroth. It’s worth it for all who were particularly disappointed by the last expansion. Those who also want to learn a lot of new lore about Warcraft and experience the story of Sylvanas Windrunner to the end should give Shadowlands a chance.
When will Shadowlands be released? There is no exact release date for Shadowlands yet. However, the game is definitely set to be released in 2020. The earliest possible date would probably be late summer, meaning August or September 2020. The beta should begin soon, and then a release time can certainly be determined more accurately. Those who want to pre-order must choose one of the 3 versions of Shadowlands.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor
What is Greymoor about? After the victory over the dragon Kaalgrontiid in the ESO DLC Dragonhold, you will travel to the far north of Tamriel – the province of Skyrim. There, a dark vampire lord has risen from the depths and now threatens the population with an army of bloodsuckers, witches, and werewolves. Your task is to find out what the vampire lord’s goals are.
You will experience the beginning of this new epic adventure on February 24 in the DLC Harrowstorm. In this, you will travel to the frozen island of Icecap. The mysterious Icecap Circle wants to perform an ancient, unholy ritual there. You must uncover the secret of a storm of supernatural power and stop the Circle. Additionally, you will explore the Unholy Tomb beneath the dunes of Bangkorai. Tomb raiders are searching for forgotten secrets and forbidden power there. Harrowstorm will introduce you to the first clues about the Black Heart of Skyrim and the new threat that is building.
In May, the major addon Greymoor awaits you. This will take you to western Skyrim and into the depths of Blackreach. There, you will learn that the vampire lord wants to devour the souls of Skyrim’s inhabitants and engulf the entire land in darkness. You are tasked with restoring the light to stop the creatures.
What are the major changes in Greymoor? ESO tells a new story with Greymoor around the Black Heart of Skyrim and brings a lot with it:
- The new area Western Skyrim: A large game area where you not only travel through an icy tundra but also descend into the gigantic underworld of Blackreach.
- The Storms of Grief: A large group event that takes place in the open world.
- Kynes Aegis: This is a new trial for 12 players.
- The new Antiquities system: You collect artifacts scattered throughout the world and excavate them through a mini-game. However, it is necessary to find the locations where the items are hidden first.
- Mythic Gear: These new items provide you with many advantages, including speed buffs or Magicka regeneration. However, you can only wear one piece of this gear at a time.
- Revision of the vampire skill line: Skills are cheaper, and you regenerate Magicka and Stamina faster as a vampire. Also, you take less damage when falling below a certain health point threshold. The biggest innovation is that you now become stronger when you drink blood and no longer when you are starving.
What criticism points does Greymoor aim to resolve? Greymoor aims to provide players with not just a new story but also finally introduce a new gameplay mechanic. ESO fans have been wishing for this for a long time. And here comes the Antiquities system into play. You go on a hunt for artifacts and must unearth them through mini-games. This could be really fun and sounds like Indiana Jones.
The revision of the vampire skills is a double-edged sword. It is necessary to make vampires truly interesting, but it contradicts the lore of The Elder Scrolls. In the world of Tamriel, vampires usually become stronger and wilder the more they starve. That this is now reversed and vampires become more powerful through blood-drinking might not please everyone. However, the innovations are indeed sensible and important.
What else does Greymoor offer? Greymoor essentially offers what many ESO fans have long desired: a return to Skyrim. Exploring the homeland of the Nords was a significant part of the enjoyment in the extremely successful The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, and now being able to return to this land should be highly interesting for Skyrim fans. Moreover, we finally learn more about the vampires of the game world and get to see one of the most exciting underworld areas of Tamriel: Blackreach.
Who will find Greymoor worthwhile? First of all, the addon addresses all fans of the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online who are interested in the story and the lore. Finally, the story continues, and we also learn more about the deepest secrets of the world.
Additionally, the addon will likely appeal to fans of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. After all, we are returning to Skyrim and experiencing this province in a different time. Not everything is as we know it from TES 5, which should provide for some surprises.
When will Greymoor be released? The Greymoor addon itself will be released on May 18 for PC and June 2 for PS4 and Xbox One. However, Greymoor is only part of the story surrounding the Black Heart of Skyrim, which will span the entire year 2020. The adventure will begin on February 24 with the DLC Harrowstorm on PC. The PS4 and Xbox One version will follow on March 10. You can already pre-order Greymoor now.
In August and November 2020, two more yet unnamed DLCs will follow, which will conclude the story.
With WoW and ESO, you can get through the year 2020 well
With WoW: Shadowlands and ESO: Greymoor, MMO fans have plenty to do to get through the year. Those who are not loyal to any game can perfectly dip into ESO in May and later take a trip to the Shadowlands of WoW.
Keep in mind that both the expansion for World of Warcraft and that for The Elder Scrolls Online are not yet released. A final assessment will only be possible after the release.
Are you looking forward to the two major expansions of the year? Or do both games leave you cold?
