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Will crossplay be the last chance to save this game for console players?

Major_Soulless
Major_Soulless
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As we know crossplay will be coming to ESO. Maybe this year maybe next year who knows, but what im wondering is if people think this is the last roll of the dice when it comes to ESO having a future on consoles?

Population number's on the server I use (PS-EU) have dropped a lot the last 18-24 months and it has had an impact on the game.

Cyro is never full (except during mayhem) the gold economy has fallen through the floor (though the trader GM's still pay absurd amounts for traders in mournhold) and trial guilds are a fraction in number of what they used to be.

So if crossplay isn't a success will ESO on console simply fade away?

(This post was made on the assumption the pc numbers are healthy)
  • Tandor
    Tandor
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    We don't know that crossplay will be coming to ESO. All we know is that ZOS are looking into the feasibility of it doing so.

    My understanding from this forum is that PS EU is the only server that is struggling population-wise, so I don't think it's a console-wide problem but as I'm on PC EU and NA others may be better informed on the console situation.
  • Jaavaa
    Jaavaa
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    Without Crossplay, ESO will die in the next 1-2 years on Console. Imo.
  • Major_Soulless
    Major_Soulless
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    Tandor wrote: »
    We don't know that crossplay will be coming to ESO. All we know is that ZOS are looking into the feasibility of it doing so.

    My understanding from this forum is that PS EU is the only server that is struggling population-wise, so I don't think it's a console-wide problem but as I'm on PC EU and NA others may be better informed on the console situation.

    Xbox apparently is very low on its population isn't it ?

    Unless I was misinformed
  • SerafinaWaterstar
    SerafinaWaterstar
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    I’ll get shot down, as I normally do, but I have been playing for nearly 10 years on PSEU, and just don’t see the fall in population.

    Things change. My ‘main’ guild is gently declining, mainly because no-one wants to run anything anymore (for example, ran trial groups for a long while & just don’t have the time now) so people drift off. But another guild is growing so much they’ve opened a sister guild. And they have trial groups etc. Very busy & active.

    I know friends who run trial trifectas nearly every day. (This may be a negative point for trial runs - demanding people run things 2/3 x week means many just won’t join as can’t commit to that.)

    Earn a decent amount of gold trading - again, perhaps you need to look at different trading guilds?

    Pvp goes through cycles. I’m taking a break at the mo, but was really busy in previous months. Had to bloody queue some evenings!

    Finally, it’s summer. People are on holiday, or outside, and just don’t play as much. Or they’re just enjoying Soltice without joining anything major.

    If going by pvp populations or availability of trial groups as a measure of population, you need to realise that there are issues with both those things that affect participation.

    Took me about 4 years playing before found a nice guild & that then nurtured me, helping me get better & grow in confidence. Feel fortunate for that. If players don’t have similar for end game stuff, they will just leave. Or not bother.

    Cross play will not necessarily solve the ‘issues’ you mention. And may cause more problems than it solves.

  • Major_Soulless
    Major_Soulless
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    Jaavaa wrote: »
    Without Crossplay, ESO will die in the next 1-2 years on Console. Imo.

    I agree with this.
  • MISTFORMBZZZ
    MISTFORMBZZZ
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    As we know crossplay will be coming to ESO. Maybe this year maybe next year who knows, but what im wondering is if people think this is the last roll of the dice when it comes to ESO having a future on consoles?

    Population number's on the server I use (PS-EU) have dropped a lot the last 18-24 months and it has had an impact on the game.

    Cyro is never full (except during mayhem) the gold economy has fallen through the floor (though the trader GM's still pay absurd amounts for traders in mournhold) and trial guilds are a fraction in number of what they used to be.

    So if crossplay isn't a success will ESO on console simply fade away?

    (This post was made on the assumption the pc numbers are healthy)

    Yes it will in my opinion. Im saying this since months and hoping for zos to become active https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/666306/population-shrinking-please-bring-crossplay-quick/p1?new=1 , have been going through a permanently forum ban, wich got lifted without an notification and a lot of bashing.
    But all zos did about crossplay till now , was in a live stream , saying they are looking into if cross play would be even possible.
    Doesnt mean for me they are working on something and also doesnt seem like we will see Crossplay soon IMO.

    ASWELL crossplay between the Plattform would be a easier solution, like PS EU + PS NA , since PC players will always have an advantage to the Console players with their mouse and board.
    Jaavaa wrote: »
    Without Crossplay, ESO will die in the next 1-2 years on Console. Imo.

    Agreeing but i think latest end of the year with chrono odyssey it will happen. At least on PS EU.
    PS EU
  • MISTFORMBZZZ
    MISTFORMBZZZ
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    Tandor wrote: »
    We don't know that crossplay will be coming to ESO. All we know is that ZOS are looking into the feasibility of it doing so.

    My understanding from this forum is that PS EU is the only server that is struggling population-wise, so I don't think it's a console-wide problem but as I'm on PC EU and NA others may be better informed on the console situation.

    Xbox EU is in a even worse state then PS EU.
    PS EU
  • Rungar
    Rungar
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    They really should offer a package for players to migrate to pc. Not like an actual move but an incentive package like 2 million gold 500% exp bonus and unlock whatever expansions your account had access to if you want to start over there.

    sadly its the consoles that are holding this game back quite a bit technically.
  • SerafinaWaterstar
    SerafinaWaterstar
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    Rungar wrote: »
    They really should offer a package for players to migrate to pc. Not like an actual move but an incentive package like 2 million gold 500% exp bonus and unlock whatever expansions your account had access to if you want to start over there.

    sadly its the consoles that are holding this game back quite a bit technically.

    Older consoles, maybe. But not everyone on PC is playing on a high end model, are they?

    I like this game, but I would not move to PC unless I could move ALL my account over - why would I just abandon all the time & money I have spent? Plus having to buy a bloody PC and find somewhere to set it up.

    Really need to think through that suggestion more.
  • MISTFORMBZZZ
    MISTFORMBZZZ
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    Rungar wrote: »
    They really should offer a package for players to migrate to pc. Not like an actual move but an incentive package like 2 million gold 500% exp bonus and unlock whatever expansions your account had access to if you want to start over there.

    sadly its the consoles that are holding this game back quite a bit technically.

    Aswell not everyone wants to swap to PC ?
    I even have one but i refuse to switch to PC, i have my friends and my guild on PS. Aswell, as SerafinaWaterstar said, why would anyone want to start from scratch, after playing the account for 10 years lol
    PS EU
  • Rungar
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    consider that your asking for a feature that has no return on it. If console numbers are dwindling it only makes sense to focus on pc that is still healthy. Obviously that isnt what you want to hear but the game is 10 years old and ifs its no longer popular or feasable on console they should plan an end of life scenario for that case on those systems. Less servers to run and less maintenance, less employees needed to maintain the patches etc. More focus on a single platform will keep the game alive alot longer.

    it has been said many times eso is technically limited by the older consoles and if they are no longer popular they should be phased out so these limitations can be removed from the game.

    that said i think if they do that a migration package should be offered to console players who are affected. They literally just obliterated over half the company. This is not out of bounds in any way.

    keep in mind that the second the consoles are gone, housing furnishings can be increased substantially. There is a great benifit to this on pc.

    Edited by Rungar on 8 July 2025 10:38
  • Major_Soulless
    Major_Soulless
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    I’ll get shot down, as I normally do, but I have been playing for nearly 10 years on PSEU, and just don’t see the fall in population.

    Things change. My ‘main’ guild is gently declining, mainly because no-one wants to run anything anymore (for example, ran trial groups for a long while & just don’t have the time now) so people drift off. But another guild is growing so much they’ve opened a sister guild. And they have trial groups etc. Very busy & active.

    I know friends who run trial trifectas nearly every day. (This may be a negative point for trial runs - demanding people run things 2/3 x week means many just won’t join as can’t commit to that.)

    Earn a decent amount of gold trading - again, perhaps you need to look at different trading guilds?

    Pvp goes through cycles. I’m taking a break at the mo, but was really busy in previous months. Had to bloody queue some evenings!

    Finally, it’s summer. People are on holiday, or outside, and just don’t play as much. Or they’re just enjoying Soltice without joining anything major.

    If going by pvp populations or availability of trial groups as a measure of population, you need to realise that there are issues with both those things that affect participation.

    Took me about 4 years playing before found a nice guild & that then nurtured me, helping me get better & grow in confidence. Feel fortunate for that. If players don’t have similar for end game stuff, they will just leave. Or not bother.

    Cross play will not necessarily solve the ‘issues’ you mention. And may cause more problems than it solves.

    After 8 years i thought I knew most players on EU but I don't recognise your name.

    As for traders I am in 3 mournhold traders so that's not the issue for me. prices have dropped a lot and stuff is taking a lot longer to sell.

    And except for mayhem event I can't remember having to queue to play grey host in months.

  • MISTFORMBZZZ
    MISTFORMBZZZ
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    So instead of making the people who are left become more active again (because there would be more activitie = reasons to play) with crossplay, you think its better to just shut it down ?
    PS EU
  • Major_Soulless
    Major_Soulless
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    So instead of making the people who are left become more active again (because there would be more activitie = reasons to play) with crossplay, you think its better to just shut it down ?

    If crossplay doesnt work there's no point in playing on console with the low population
  • MISTFORMBZZZ
    MISTFORMBZZZ
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    I’ll get shot down, as I normally do, but I have been playing for nearly 10 years on PSEU, and just don’t see the fall in population.

    Things change. My ‘main’ guild is gently declining, mainly because no-one wants to run anything anymore (for example, ran trial groups for a long while & just don’t have the time now) so people drift off. But another guild is growing so much they’ve opened a sister guild. And they have trial groups etc. Very busy & active.

    I know friends who run trial trifectas nearly every day. (This may be a negative point for trial runs - demanding people run things 2/3 x week means many just won’t join as can’t commit to that.)

    Earn a decent amount of gold trading - again, perhaps you need to look at different trading guilds?

    Pvp goes through cycles. I’m taking a break at the mo, but was really busy in previous months. Had to bloody queue some evenings!

    Finally, it’s summer. People are on holiday, or outside, and just don’t play as much. Or they’re just enjoying Soltice without joining anything major.

    If going by pvp populations or availability of trial groups as a measure of population, you need to realise that there are issues with both those things that affect participation.

    Took me about 4 years playing before found a nice guild & that then nurtured me, helping me get better & grow in confidence. Feel fortunate for that. If players don’t have similar for end game stuff, they will just leave. Or not bother.

    Cross play will not necessarily solve the ‘issues’ you mention. And may cause more problems than it solves.

    After 8 years i thought I knew most players on EU but I don't recognise your name.

    As for traders I am in 3 mournhold traders so that's not the issue for me. prices have dropped a lot and stuff is taking a lot longer to sell.

    And except for mayhem event I can't remember having to queue to play grey host in months.

    Pvp is dead since like half a year. In the last Midyear Mayhem we had Greyhost full but no Blackreach, no IC activity, how it was supposed to be.

    No trials being hosted, guild rosters have like halfed. Its not to doubt the pop is shrinking.
    PS EU
  • Major_Soulless
    Major_Soulless
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    I’ll get shot down, as I normally do, but I have been playing for nearly 10 years on PSEU, and just don’t see the fall in population.

    Things change. My ‘main’ guild is gently declining, mainly because no-one wants to run anything anymore (for example, ran trial groups for a long while & just don’t have the time now) so people drift off. But another guild is growing so much they’ve opened a sister guild. And they have trial groups etc. Very busy & active.

    I know friends who run trial trifectas nearly every day. (This may be a negative point for trial runs - demanding people run things 2/3 x week means many just won’t join as can’t commit to that.)

    Earn a decent amount of gold trading - again, perhaps you need to look at different trading guilds?

    Pvp goes through cycles. I’m taking a break at the mo, but was really busy in previous months. Had to bloody queue some evenings!

    Finally, it’s summer. People are on holiday, or outside, and just don’t play as much. Or they’re just enjoying Soltice without joining anything major.

    If going by pvp populations or availability of trial groups as a measure of population, you need to realise that there are issues with both those things that affect participation.

    Took me about 4 years playing before found a nice guild & that then nurtured me, helping me get better & grow in confidence. Feel fortunate for that. If players don’t have similar for end game stuff, they will just leave. Or not bother.

    Cross play will not necessarily solve the ‘issues’ you mention. And may cause more problems than it solves.

    After 8 years i thought I knew most players on EU but I don't recognise your name.

    As for traders I am in 3 mournhold traders so that's not the issue for me. prices have dropped a lot and stuff is taking a lot longer to sell.

    And except for mayhem event I can't remember having to queue to play grey host in months.

    Pvp is dead since like half a year. In the last Midyear Mayhem we had Greyhost full but no Blackreach, no IC activity, how it was supposed to be.

    No trials being hosted, guild rosters have like halfed. Its not to doubt the pop is shrinking.

    Definitely true about roster sizes. Guilds which use to have 400 active players are now around 200 at most
  • Rungar
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    only zos knows for sure the health of consoles and how much money is coming in versus the cost to maintain and update it but if streamlining is the future id rather they focus on pc that is healthy than try to keep it all afloat and fail miserably at it.

  • Major_Soulless
    Major_Soulless
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    Rungar wrote: »
    only zos knows for sure the health of consoles and how much money is coming in versus the cost to maintain and update it but if streamlining is the future id rather they focus on pc that is healthy than try to keep it all afloat and fail miserably at it.

    You're a PC player I understand that. I've put 7 years into the game on console so I'd be upset if It was to die on console. But I would understand it if the numbers don't justify keeping it going
  • Major_Soulless
    Major_Soulless
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    Rungar wrote: »
    only zos knows for sure the health of consoles and how much money is coming in versus the cost to maintain and update it but if streamlining is the future id rather they focus on pc that is healthy than try to keep it all afloat and fail miserably at it.

    No point me playing it on pc as I know my laptop wouldn't be able to handle it graphically. Id be fine everything else ram processor etc.
  • licenturion
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    They said they are looking into cross play. Just like they have been saying for years they are looking into overland difficulty. And that is only now in active prototyping and too early to show anything.

    So cross play will probably take a looooooong while since, unlike overland difficulty, there is also money involved if you work with different platform holders and their stores.

    That said, the game dying on console is usually people who are only interested in PvP or hardcore PvE. Last time I played on console all the 'Skyrim Online' activities where filled with people. The fact that ZOS also invested in addons to console seems to indicate the game is far from dead. The Vengeance tests also on console now also seem to be trying to get the least popular activity in the game more traction with the less hardcore minded players.

    The first thing they can do without much work is merging US and EU servers for console if population becomes a problem. That is just merging databases like they do for the PTS every month. The only downside is ping in PvP. But with how they do instancing of zones shouldn't make this a huge problem in most other areas of the game.
    Edited by licenturion on 8 July 2025 10:57
  • Orbital78
    Orbital78
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    I'm not sure how they'd do this, pc is kinda crowded already. Hopefully if they do, they increase instances.
    Edited by Orbital78 on 8 July 2025 10:54
  • Major_Soulless
    Major_Soulless
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    Orbital78 wrote: »
    I'm not sure how they'd do this, pc is kinda crowded already.

    I th
    They said they are looking into cross play. Just like they have been saying for years they are looking into overland difficulty. And that is only now in active prototyping.

    So cross play will probably take a looooooong while since, unlike overland difficulty, there is also money involved if you work with different platform holders and their stores.

    That said, the game dying on console is usually people who are only interested in PvP or hardcore PvE. Last time I played on console all the 'Skyrim Online' activities where filled with people. The fact that ZOS also invested in addons to console seems to indicate the game is far from dead. The Vengeance tests also on console now also seem to be trying to get the least active activity in the game more traction with less hardcore minded players.

    The first thing they can do without much work is merging US and EU servers for console if population becomes a problem. The only downside is ping in PvP. But with how they do instancing of zones shouldn't make this a huge problem in other areas of the game.

    Merging the NA and EU servers would logically make more sense than crossplay
  • Tandor
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    They said they are looking into cross play. Just like they have been saying for years they are looking into overland difficulty. And that is only now in active prototyping and too early to show anything.

    So cross play will probably take a looooooong while since, unlike overland difficulty, there is also money involved if you work with different platform holders and their stores.

    That said, the game dying on console is usually people who are only interested in PvP or hardcore PvE. Last time I played on console all the 'Skyrim Online' activities where filled with people. The fact that ZOS also invested in addons to console seems to indicate the game is far from dead. The Vengeance tests also on console now also seem to be trying to get the least popular activity in the game more traction with less hardcore minded players.

    The first thing they can do without much work is merging US and EU servers for console if population becomes a problem. The only downside is ping in PvP. But with how they do instancing of zones shouldn't make this a huge problem in other areas of the game.

    We know they don't currently have the coding to merge servers, it only happened when consoles launched because transfers were made to an empty database, So even if it happened, it would involve a lot of time and cost.

    I agree with your comment about this sort of thread and others like it being seemingly more about the popularity of PvP and endgame PvE than the health of the game generally on consoles. Those activities certainly have their own problems, and as a result their level of population support is falling, but that doesn't mean the game is dying.
  • licenturion
    licenturion
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    Orbital78 wrote: »
    I'm not sure how they'd do this, pc is kinda crowded already.

    I th
    They said they are looking into cross play. Just like they have been saying for years they are looking into overland difficulty. And that is only now in active prototyping.

    So cross play will probably take a looooooong while since, unlike overland difficulty, there is also money involved if you work with different platform holders and their stores.

    That said, the game dying on console is usually people who are only interested in PvP or hardcore PvE. Last time I played on console all the 'Skyrim Online' activities where filled with people. The fact that ZOS also invested in addons to console seems to indicate the game is far from dead. The Vengeance tests also on console now also seem to be trying to get the least active activity in the game more traction with less hardcore minded players.

    The first thing they can do without much work is merging US and EU servers for console if population becomes a problem. The only downside is ping in PvP. But with how they do instancing of zones shouldn't make this a huge problem in other areas of the game.

    Merging the NA and EU servers would logically make more sense than crossplay

    Yep. And I would also be a huge supporter for cross server (NA/US) group finder activities on PC like dungeons and battlegrounds. New World also does this recently with cross realm matchmaking to reduce queue times for dungeons and arena and that works.

    The only difficulty here is that user data needs to be saved on the server the player originated from and also find a solution for cross server sharing of found shared loot within the dungeon. But it would be something that makes the game more futureproof.
    Edited by licenturion on 8 July 2025 11:03
  • beer781993
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    I am against the idea to have crossplay with PC.
    There would be unfair advantages in PvP. Theres multithreading on PC and way less input delay than on consoles. Same in PVE highend raiding, you would simply be excluded for playing on console. Best example is Ps4, everyone playing it, will be automatically not accepted.

    Although crossplay with playstation and xbox would be awesome, increase players and still be fair to everyone.
  • Major_Soulless
    Major_Soulless
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    beer781993 wrote: »
    I am against the idea to have crossplay with PC.
    There would be unfair advantages in PvP. Theres multithreading on PC and way less input delay than on consoles. Same in PVE highend raiding, you would simply be excluded for playing on console. Best example is Ps4, everyone playing it, will be automatically not accepted.

    Although crossplay with playstation and xbox would be awesome, increase players and still be fair to everyone.

    If crossplay did happen they'd have to give us access on consoles to more add ons that pc have.

    Merging the PS and Xbox servers seems more logical though
  • DenverRalphy
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    The population of PSNA is just fine. Thriving actually IMO.

    I'm of the opinion that a Console to Console merger would be okay . But crossplay with PC would only benefit PC players.

    And the whole notion that Consoles are what's holdinig ESO development back is completely backwards. With consoles developers have the advantage of knowing exactly what specs the user has and develop for it. PC on the otherhand has a smorgasbord of hardware specs, many of which are sub-optimal. I daresay that there are many PC players still running ESO on PC's older than the game itself (I've seen it). I'll even double down and say that consoles quite often run the game better than many PC's out there. Not every PC player has current gen gaming rigs.
    Edited by DenverRalphy on 8 July 2025 12:33
  • Islyn
    Islyn
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    Tandor wrote: »
    We don't know that crossplay will be coming to ESO. All we know is that ZOS are looking into the feasibility of it doing so.

    My understanding from this forum is that PS EU is the only server that is struggling population-wise, so I don't think it's a console-wide problem but as I'm on PC EU and NA others may be better informed on the console situation.

    I usually play NA; How do I log onto EU now? (Sorry for threadjack!) I want to grab my pithka! ty!
    Edited by Islyn on 8 July 2025 13:16
    Member of the Old Guard - Closed Betas 2013
  • Major_Soulless
    Major_Soulless
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    Islyn wrote: »
    Tandor wrote: »
    We don't know that crossplay will be coming to ESO. All we know is that ZOS are looking into the feasibility of it doing so.

    My understanding from this forum is that PS EU is the only server that is struggling population-wise, so I don't think it's a console-wide problem but as I'm on PC EU and NA others may be better informed on the console situation.

    I usually play NA; How do I log onto EU now? (Sorry for threadjack!) I want to grab my pithka! ty!

    When you see north America switch it to Europe in menu
  • Thumbless_Bot
    Thumbless_Bot
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    I just want to send all my unbound everything to my pc account from my ps5 account. Tripots for years...
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