The Elder Scrolls Online will receive a new expansion this year called Necrom. For many, the highlight is the new class, Arcanist. MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch was able to talk with Creative Director Rich Lambert about the new content.
What was discussed in the interview? We spoke with Rich Lambert about the past year 2022, but also about the innovations in 2023. The focus was mainly on the class Arcanist and the new update structure. The director also revealed that the story could be stretched over several years in the future, which is a significant innovation for ESO.
In the end, there were also some general questions about PvP, inventory space, and Rich himself.
You can find everything about the expansion Necrom here: Everything about the new expansion Necrom, the class Arcanist, and the content for 2023.
ESO received a lot of criticism from veterans for the year 2022, as confirmed by the director
MeinMMO: From the perspective of some veterans, 2022 was not a good year for ESO, our author Melli also criticized it for various reasons. How did the year go from your perspective?
Rich: Overall, it was a good year for ESO. But we received very similar feedback. Some of our long-time players say that some things seemed a bit formulaic to them and they wanted something different. They want to be surprised.
The story of High Isle was a more grounded storyline, more traditional fantasy. It was good – some say it was the best we’ve ever done. Others felt it was just okay. But please surprise us more in the future.
We took much of this feedback to heart. And I believe this year reflects a lot of that feedback.
MeinMMO: So you made adjustments to the update cycle, the story, and the DLCs only in 2022, or was that planned for longer?
Rich: It was definitely accelerated by the year 2022. There were many instances where we did not present ourselves in the best light regarding overall performance and stability. And that is why we wanted to focus on that and improve it, and we will dedicate a whole update to show people that we are committed to the game.
Here you can watch the cinematic for the upcoming expansion:
As an Arcanist, you should constantly make decisions and not follow a rotation
MeinMMO: The big highlight for many is the new class Arcanist. However, there is also criticism that it is too similar to existing classes, rather than bringing something completely new. How do you see that?
Rich: No one has played the class yet, so I’m not sure how anyone can say that it’s too similar to one class or another. We have just scratched the surface of what this class is, what it can be, and how it works.
The new class really stands out from the others; it is connected to a completely different mechanic than our old classes. We have the combo point system, or Crux as we call it, a system where some abilities build points while others consume them. Here, players have to make many decisions. And Crux is important. The use of Crux can change how an ability functions.
I have healed a lot with my Arcanist, and one of my favorite abilities is called Remedy Cascade. It’s an energy beam that you shoot in front of you and need to aim precisely. So if you look up, the beam goes up; if you look left, it goes left, and if you look right, it goes right. You aim at this beam and try to hit people with it. And that’s how you heal.
However, if I turn it into a Crux-using ability, then the ability restores not only Health but also Stamina and Magicka. The gameplay experience of the Arcanist is very different; you do not follow a fixed rotation, but look at how to best use Crux for the given situation.
The gameplay feels very smooth, very fluid, and the sounds are exceptional. I can’t wait for players to finally get their hands on the new class.
MeinMMO: Can you explain the system with the abilities and the use of Crux in more detail?
Rich: Sure, there are abilities that can build Crux. Then there are abilities that expend Crux when used. However, you do not necessarily need to have Crux to use these abilities.
Some abilities neither build Crux nor consume it. But some of them can be morphed to either build or use Crux. Here, players have to make a decision.
Overall, the class is like a big toolbox from which you can choose various options. But you also have to engage with it to master it.
MeinMMO: Now that you seem to have rediscovered the classes, can we expect new classes more regularly from now on?
Rich: All I will say is: Classes are something special. If you release one every year, it will not be special anymore. There are also a lot of technical challenges when trying to develop a class.
It not only affects balance but also the performance of the game. A new class means new memory, new assets, and so on. And that’s why we want to keep them special.
2023 seems to be the beginning of a great story that does not end immediately
MeinMMO: Until now, it has always been the case that the fourth DLC of the year brings an ending to the story. 2023 will not be like that. Does this mean that the story will be shorter and completely closed within the add-on?
Rich: Um, all I can say is: Who says it will be done this year?
Let me take a step back. The storyline over a year was really good for us because it helped the entire team organize and focus on what we wanted to achieve throughout the year. It was also very easy for players because they understood where to get in and out.
But it prevented us from telling larger stories that didn’t fit into a year. And this new format allows us to do that if we want to.
MeinMMO: This year there will be one less DLC because the dungeons are dropping in the fall. Will there therefore be fewer dungeons overall? And what are your plans for new dungeons throughout 2023?
Rich: So, if you listen closely to the global reveal, I said that the dungeon team is doing something different this year and building something that simply needs more time. And that’s where all the time is going.
We’ll see what the future brings, but that’s why there are fewer dungeons this year.
MeinMMO: Can you share more about the update in the last quarter?
Rich: Not yet (laughs).
MeinMMO: Then maybe some additional details about the two new companions?
Rich: Yes, of course. There’s Azandar, who’s a male Redguard and a somewhat aloof character. You know, I affectionately refer to him as a kind of Willy Wonka meets Dumbledore, just from a personality perspective. He is very inquisitive, focused on imparting knowledge, and serves as a sort of father figure. And when you meet him, well, I don’t want to spoil too much, but he has an experiment that went wrong and needs help to clean up the chaos.
And then there’s an Argonian. He is a bit mysterious. He’s a very quiet, reserved character, a mercenary who has had an extremely tough life. And you come to help him and try to crack this nut, to break through his hard shell to learn more about him and why his life was as hard as it was.
Changes to PvP will come when performance is right
MeinMMO: What some missed in the announcement for the 2023 content are innovations in PvP. Can you tell us something about that?
Rich: We are currently working on the hardware upgrade. It’s simply not a good idea to add more content to PvP if the performance isn’t great, right? It’s like adding more pain to existing pain. We have focused on improving performance and completing the hardware upgrade.
While it wasn’t part of the global announcement, we just rolled out an update for the hardware upgrade. It has been delayed a bit again, and we plan to bring all servers up to date in April, or at least all except for PC in North America.
Once that happens and performance improves, we want to add more things and refresh the PvP experience. But until then, it doesn’t make much sense to do that.
MeinMMO: A recurring discussion point in our comments is always the issue of inventory space. Many players find it insufficient. Are you planning another expansion?
Rich: We’ve done that a few times over the years, and each time we’ve increased the space, players have said it’s not enough. So I think we’ve shown overall that we’re trying to take some of that burden off. That’s also why the collectibles album was created.
The space in the inventory is something players need to think about for several reasons. Firstly, there’s a reason to return to town. But secondly, it also helps with overall server performance. We need to think about what happens if there are millions of players all with full inventories and then we increase that. How does that affect the database? How does it affect the whole server regarding character loading, and so on?
So there are a number of reasons why we have these restrictions, but we are always looking for ways to ease that burden.
Rich is an avid Elder Scrolls player himself and has worked on Oblivion
MeinMMO: What is your personal relationship with the Elder Scrolls franchise? Have you played the single-player games, and which was your favorite?
Rich: I have played Daggerfall, Morrowind, and of course everything that came after. I even worked on Oblivion, which was my first game I contributed to at Bethesda.
They all have unique moments for me. So, Daggerfall was kind of my first introduction to what a truly massive RPG can be. So, that’s definitely a very, very important point for me, even though I crashed my save game three times and had to start from scratch three times.
Morrowind was the first game I upgraded my PC for four times. I just had to upgrade my PC to play something so great. And that was actually the game that made me want to work for Bethesda and develop games like this. Oblivion was, of course, the first game I got to work on at Bethesda. And then there was Skyrim, and of course dragons.
All of these games have something special that I hold dear. If I had to pick one, well, I would probably choose Oblivion because it just has so many good memories of the development process. Seeing it go from paper to completion and then playing it afterward was surreal.
MeinMMO: How much have the old games influenced you in the development of ESO?
Rich: Most stories in ESO come from there. For example, when we made Morrowind, the entire chapter was a kind of love letter to TES 3, but with our interpretation of what Vivec City would have looked like a thousand years ago.
We definitely took cues from how we structured the world. At launch, ESO was very different from what it is today. And a lot of what it is today is a direct result of what those earlier games were and how important exploration and the freedom of exploration were for Elder Scrolls players.
You know, the launch of ESO was not exactly fantastic. We didn’t set the world on fire. A few people left because they said, “We’re not happy; the game is not good.” But those who remained saw what the game could be, and we worked really hard on it. And I think One Tamriel in 2016 was kind of the first major turnaround for us. Since then, we’ve been focused on continuing to evolve the game and continuously improve it.
It has developed into one of the best games on the market. And that’s extremely gratifying as a developer. And it’s only going to get better this year.
MeinMMO: Do you think Elder Scrolls 6 will influence ESO and could perhaps even be a major competitor?
Rich: I certainly hope so. They have a long way to go. They are currently trying to finish Starfield. And yes, I can’t wait to play it.
MeinMMO: Thank you, Rich, for taking the time for the interview!
What do you think about Necrom and the new content? Will it be a stronger year for ESO again? MeinMMO author Melli is certainly excited:
It will be a great year for ESO – To me, Necrom is an absolute hit
