The “Tamriel Chronicle”, a type of newsletter for the fantasy MMO The Elder Scrolls Online, is now being redesigned. Instead of fan sites, the focus will be on Zenimax’s own Steam show “ESO Live”.
The “Tamriel Chronicle” – that’s the name of the newsletter from TESO. Just before the release, it was one of the most important ways for fans of The Elder Scrolls Online to stay informed: articles from various fan sites were available at a glance, with YouTubers like Rappenkurier or our partner Darion prominently featured.
Back then, and even after the release, the Chronicle was published weekly. For the past few months, it has only been released every two weeks.
Included in the Chronicle so far: articles and podcasts from fan sites about TESO, as well as fan fiction, images, and paintings – in English and German.
That is changing now. In the current issue, now the 74th., only fan creations can be seen (paintings, stories, even a small music clip is included), and two player events are presented. Articles and podcasts from fan sites are missing. They promise to find a new place for those.
Instead, prominently featured: the Steam show ESO Live produced by Zenimax itself.
Mein MMO states: It is a phenomenon that the fandom for numerous MMOs is often much larger and more active before the release than after the release. Especially in the case of The Elder Scrolls Online, many planned and highly active fan projects have vanished, become quieter, only bringing standard news or have completely ceased operations.
TESO removed a goldseller from the Chronicle
Critically, it should be noted that some “fan forums” or “fan sites” are operated with a well-hidden commercial background, and the operators’ interest wanes when they realize that there’s no money to be made. Often, the operators have no real connection to the game. Complaints have been made at TESO about why a supposed fan site was published in the newsletter that was actually just the disguised PR page of a German goldseller and was advertising for them accordingly.
In some cases, players lose interest in the game simply because it does not meet their expectations. YouTubers are experiencing declining views from the exciting early months, and their motivation wanes. Streamers look for a new game to keep their community entertained. Or in another extreme: employees from fan sites who were previously very enthusiastic and actively participated now find themselves so burned out for the game that they simply can’t find the time to write about it anymore.
Many fan sites have closed, but some good ones still exist
Of course, there are still successful and dedicated German fan sites for The Elder Scrolls Online, but as we see it, they are run by dedicated players who are passionate about it. Alternatively, a guild’s website may become so good and popular that others notice it.
Perhaps that’s simply the course of things, as a TESO player recently put it in the official forum:
It’s usually like this. From the felt 50 fan sites, a few will stand out and remain, while the rest fade away. No one needs 50 fan sites with forums.
Zenimax’s decision to stop using articles, podcasts, and videos from fan sites in the newsletter, thus shifting away from content engagement and instead focusing on their own show “ESO Live”, is in line with this development. It will have an impact on the fandom and may not please everyone. It will be interesting to see what place they find for the decoupled “articles and podcasts”.
