Diminishing Content of Q1 Releases

Ertosi

Now that the Q1 patch notes for Wrathstone have been released, we can take a much better look at the new content provided this year's first quarter vs the previous few years' first quarter releases:



A steady decrease of Q1 content is clearly apparent when comparing the last few years.

Note while Homestead did not bring any new Dungeons, it was a unique release as it was considered a free quarterly update in its entirety.

While Q1 2018 was missing a new crafting system and additions to Cyrodiil gameplay, these features were made up for in later quarters that year as Q2 2018 brought Jewelcrafting, Q3 2018 brought Keep Recall Stones, and Q4 2018 brought Destructible Bridges and Milegates. Similarly, with regards to Cyrodiil gameplay, Q2 2019 is bringing Artifacts (power ups).

This still leaves 2019's first quarter short on several major feature categories: New Major Systems (on par with the Player Housing and Outfitting systems), New Furnishing Types, and New Crafting Systems. We're just getting started on 2019, but it is apparent even when just comparing each year's first quarter, 2019 is already falling far behind previous years in terms of overall content added.


Source:
Q1 2017: v2-7-0 Homestead
Q1 2018: v3-3-5 Dragon Bones
Q1 2019: v4-3-0 Wrathstone

brandonv516

Vapirko

Yeah so? Maybe they decided it was a better business decision to have lighter releases at the beginning of the year. It would make sense, not put so much stress in employees around the holidays and give things time to warm up for the new year.

Ertosi

Vapirko wrote: »

Yeah so? Maybe they decided it was a better business decision to have lighter releases at the beginning of the year. It would make sense, not put so much stress in employees around the holidays and give things time to warm up for the new year.

That same logic would need to apply equally for all years' Q1 releases. If considered a real reason for the lack of this year's Q1 content would equally be grounds for reduced pricing in the DLC. Additionally, your logic is counter to what we see with 2017's Q1 release which was the biggest in recent years, yet was a completely Free DLC. However I greatly respect their choice of deciding Homestead would be free due to not having the regular 2 new dungeons, despite having much more overall content. This year, we're most likely looking at a Q1 release with noticeably less overall content than usual, yet normal DLC pricing, which is not a respect-worthy choice of direction.

Acrolas

Not every Update is going to be overflowing with new features. And as Wrathstone opens up the annual story they're doing, it's also likely they didn't want too many new systems to overshadow the main narrative that they want to encourage all players to actively participate in.

People who still find themselves with too much free time have a cadence of events to participate in.
Or the weekly events their guilds plan.
Or really whatever the *** an individual player wants to do in a large game such as this one.

Ertosi wrote: »

This year, we're most likely looking at a Q1 release with noticeably less overall content than usual, yet normal DLC pricing, which is not a respect-worthy choice of direction.

Updates ≠ DLC game packs

Ratzkifal

The artifacts are coming to Cyrodiil in Q1 or Q2?

Red_Feather

That player housing update, and outfit update, probably kept long term players playing more than this update will.

Ertosi

Ratzkifal wrote: »

The artifacts are coming to Cyrodiil in Q1 or Q2?

As stated in the OP, Artifacts are said to be coming in Q2 2019.


For a full comparison of significant Cyrodiil and IC additions and changes of all quarters each year:
2017

• Cyrodiil and IC Vendors added (Q1)
• Quest Rewards added to Towns in Cyrodiil (Q1)

2018

• Keep Recall Stones added (Q3)
• Destructible Bridges and Milegates (Q4)

2019

• Cyrodiil Artifacts (power ups) added (Q2)
• IC moved to its own campaign (Q2)
• Any other additions which Q3 & Q4 might bring.

Please note that this list cover's the entirety of each year for Cyrodiil updates, while the OP only compares Q1 releases.

rumple9

Game is dying

dovakiin5574

I'd rather get way more content in the Chapter that I actually have to pay for as opposed to "free" DLCs. Makes me feel like my money is doing something

coj901

They are giving a ton of stuff that the playerbase has constantly been asking for. Yet here we are with complaining.

Korah_Eaglecry

I think it be a better way of measuring content additions over the year rather than a standalone quarter. Looking at Q1 alone could easily miss a shift or change in a companies tactics to improve sales or profits farther into the year. This is also the first time that we have seen the company commit to a storyline that spans the whole year rather than a single DLC or plugged into every other DLC.

If at the end of 2019 we dont see a equal or larger amount of added content then it be easier to argue that we are receiving less.

AlexanderDeLarge

dovakiin5574 wrote: »

I'd rather get way more content in the Chapter that I actually have to pay for as opposed to "free" DLCs. Makes me feel like my money is doing something

Jesus.

ManwithBeard9

When they announced the new content release schedule, Q1 was either base game update with QOL features or something else. The something else could be dungeons, story zone, or something relating to PVP.

Ertosi

ManwithBeard9 wrote: »

When they announced the new content release schedule, Q1 was either base game update with QOL features or something else. The something else could be dungeons, story zone, or something relating to PVP.

ZOS's usual content release schedule is:
Q1: DLC Dungeon pair
Q2: Chapter Zone
Q3: DLC Dungeon pair
Q4: DLC Zone

• Each quarterly update contains dungeons (Q1 and Q3) or story zone (Q2 and Q4) and each also included major base game updates with QOL features and PvP updates included.
• Q1 2017 was a major exception as it didn't bring new dungeons but it was also completely considered a Free update. Despite those differences, it still brought more overall new content then a normal Q1 or Q3 update.

The OP seeks to show an itemized list of new content brought to ESO with each Q1's release. Links to said patch notes are included in the OP under Sources for those wishing to double check. As the year progresses, I'll add similar data for each quarter.

Faulgor

ManwithBeard9 wrote: »

When they announced the new content release schedule, Q1 was either base game update with QOL features or something else. The something else could be dungeons, story zone, or something relating to PVP.

Why do people keep saying this when they just have to look at the website?

A new content Cadence
Because we will be regularly introducing Chapters to ESO, we are going to make a small revision to our content delivery cadence, starting this year. We will continue to ship quarterly updates to the game – each with a base patch that has all the balance, quality of life, and bug fixes that you have come to expect. Additionally, we'll have a DLC in the first quarter of each year, a Chapter in the second quarter, a dungeon-based DLC in the third quarter, and a DLC in the 4th quarter.
https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/25913

It was always "a DLC in the first quarter". Every update has base game and QoL patches.

Ertosi

Korah_Eaglecry wrote: »

I think it be a better way of measuring content additions over the year rather than a standalone quarter. Looking at Q1 alone could easily miss a shift or change in a companies tactics to improve sales or profits farther into the year.

@Korah_Eaglecry I agree that looking at the full year is the best way to compare all releases throughout a year, but it could be considered unfair to list all past year's features for all quarters when only the first quarter's patch notes have been released for this year. And while they have already stated all of Elsweyr's major features have been announced, there are many who still believe they will be adding more to it. Against that belief, I'll state that the upcoming E3 teasers that have been announced will only be for their as of yet unannounced 3rd and 4th quarters as E3 takes place after (Jun 11-13th) Elsweyr's release (May 20th PC/Mac, June 4th consoles).

Being concerned about this trend of diminishing quarterly content, I've already tallied all of 2017 and 2018's new content for all quarters and compared it to Wrathstone's patch notes and Elsweyr's announced features. ZOS is going to have to really bring it for this year's last two quarters as Elsweyr's release is only widening the content gap. This is the bare minimum new features this year's last two quarters will need to bring in order to catch up content-wise (in order of overall impact of features):

• A new major system (on par with the Player Housing or Outfitting systems of 2017 and 2018)
• A new Crafting System (or 3 new ones to compete with 2017!)
• A new PvP Mode or Arena
• More New UI systems and UI updates
• More Battleground Maps

Seraphayel

Vapirko wrote: »

Yeah so? Maybe they decided it was a better business decision to have lighter releases at the beginning of the year. It would make sense, not put so much stress in employees around the holidays and give things time to warm up for the new year.

Why are the Q2, Q3 and Q4 releases then so light of content, too? Or did you somehow miss last years updates that were quite shallow overall?