The MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) will soon receive its final DLC for 2020. This will introduce the city of Markarth, known to many from Skyrim. We will show you how beautiful the new Markarth is and how much Skyrim is contained within it.
When is Markarth coming? The final DLC of the current ESO chapter “The Black Heart of Skyrim” is upcoming. It will be called “Markarth” and will be released on November 2nd for PC and on November 10th for the Xbox One and PS4 consoles.
Since that’s just around the corner, it’s time to take another look at the new map. To be precise, the new city of Markarth, after which the DLC is named. And it is truly impressive.
Even though MeinMMO author Larissa Then compares it to Lord of the Rings, most of you will probably think of Skyrim when it comes to Markarth. But how much Skyrim is actually in the beautiful ESO-Markarth?
Markarth and its Origins
From the very beginning of the current ESO chapter, the similarities of the new map to Skyrim were obvious. And that shouldn’t change for the finale. With the city of Markarth, a very popular region from Skyrim comes to the MMORPG ESO.
And the implementation of the city is not only true to the original but also breathtakingly beautiful. Anyone who enjoys castle romance, rocks, and waterfalls will definitely get their money’s worth here.
What is Markarth? The city of Markarth was originally built by the Dwemer. This race is known as dwarves, and you can see that in Markarth – the city resembles a dwarven fortress in the mountain.
This location was chosen because of the ore and water supplies. The dwarves were able to utilize these resources for their forges and smelters. The water was used for cooling or for supplying the inhabitants.
What about Markarth in ESO? According to the developers, Markarth in the time of ESO is occupied by the Bretons. And this is also reflected in the appearance of the city. The Bretons deemed the fortress too weak and reinforced everything with wood.
Additionally, the Markarth in ESO is significantly younger than the Skyrim version. ESO takes place in the 6th century of the 2nd era, while Skyrim is set in the 3rd century of the 4th era. Hence, there are over 800 years between the two versions of Markarth.
This time difference is also visible, even though the developers have remained very true to Markarth from Skyrim.
800 Years Leave Their Mark
How similar are the cities? Markarth has been shaped by wars and other conflicts over the 800 years. It has experienced civil wars and the re-capture by the Nords. And all these conflicts as well as the decay over time naturally change the city.
Many of these changes are visible in the comparison between Skyrim and ESO. The basic city, however, is the same in both games. The layout and the buildings are almost identical.
What are the Differences? Generally, Markarth in ESO is of course somewhat better preserved, and this does not refer to the graphics. The much younger city is characterized by wood that the Bretons have used to build barricades.
800 years later, in Skyrim, the stone is visibly eroded and partially covered in moss. Destroyed parts of the city have been replaced by wooden walkways and columns. The overgrown romantic tree columns from ESO are missing in Skyrim; there, the vegetation is much wilder.
Of course, some of this is also due to the graphics. For example, the details on the arches and other embellishments are more pronounced in ESO. Although Skyrim also has its own charming little details.
A detailed comparison of the two versions of Markarth can be seen in the following video:
All in all, it can be said that Skyrim-Markarth is a well-aged version of the city from ESO. Or rather, that ESO-Markarth is a faithful young version of Skyrim that offers a great atmosphere.
The developers have remained close to the original from Skyrim and create a realistic impression of the city. Time and wars have taken their toll on Skyrim-Markarth. However, the city is well recognizable in ESO and should evoke some nostalgia for many.
What do you think of the parallels between ESO and Skyrim? MeinMMO author Jürgen Horn found plenty of Skyrim in ESO even before the current chapter. Do you feel the same way and are you looking forward to the new areas?
