So in Update 44, even players who only have the base game can get a companion?

Zombocalypse · October 16

Is that right? And that officially starts in Update 44?

I bought the game just now in a new PlayStation account. But being the cheapskate that I am, I only got the base game so far. lol

OsUfi · October 16

Yes, but it'll likely be cheaper and come with more perks if you buy a month of + and get them through that, instead of buying the companions for crowns.

Erickson9610 · October 16

Yes, you'll get access to Zerith-var (Reaper's March) and Tanlorin (Auridon) if you have ESO Plus or purchase them from the Crown Store. You don't need the Blackwood, High Isle, Necrom, or Gold Road Chapters to use these Companions.

Zombocalypse · October 16

OsUfi wrote: »

month of +

And by this, you meant ESO Plus?

Stafford197 · October 16

Others above have answered ”yes” but then elaborate that you have to pay money lol.

Your question is whether players who own only the base game will be able to access these Companions.
The answer is no, you will not.

You’ll either need to purchase the Companion dlc pack from the Crown Store or potentially subscribe to ESO+. Either way you’re paying at least $15. It’s not free.

Zombocalypse · October 16

Stafford197 wrote: »

Others above have answered ”yes” but then elaborate that you have to pay money lol.

Your question is whether players who own only the base game will be able to access these Companions.
The answer is no, you will not.

You’ll either need to purchase the Companion dlc pack from the Crown Store or potentially subscribe to ESO+. Either way you’re paying at least $15. It’s not free.

Oh, okay.

But then what do others mean when they say, “you don’t need this DLC to get those Update 44 Companions”? That seems to be what I’ve been hearing. So there’s free, semi-free, and not free? I’m confused.

Will my life become way simpler in this game if I just say screw it and just pay for the ESO subscription?

Erickson9610 · October 16

Stafford197 wrote: »

Others above have answered ”yes” but then elaborate that you have to pay money lol.

Your question is whether players who own only the base game will be able to access these Companions.
The answer is no, you will not.

You’ll either need to purchase the Companion dlc pack from the Crown Store or potentially subscribe to ESO+. Either way you’re paying at least $15. It’s not free.

The new Companions are located in base game zones, so they're obtainable in the base game. They're not free, so they're not available right off the bat to someone who just bought the base game and lacks ESO Plus or Crowns to spend.

Erickson9610 · October 16

Zombocalypse wrote: »

Stafford197 wrote: »

Others above have answered ”yes” but then elaborate that you have to pay money lol.

Your question is whether players who own only the base game will be able to access these Companions.
The answer is no, you will not.

You’ll either need to purchase the Companion dlc pack from the Crown Store or potentially subscribe to ESO+. Either way you’re paying at least $15. It’s not free.

Oh, okay.

But then what do others mean when they say, “you don’t need this DLC to get those Update 44 Companions”? That seems to be what I’ve been hearing. So there’s free, semi-free, and not free? I’m confused.

Will my life become way simpler in this game if I just say screw it and just pay for the ESO subscription?

I'd recommend ESO Plus for at least a month, to allow you to try out all of the previous DLCs (except the current year's Chapter) and unlock some things that you'll want to keep on your character after your membership lapses.

Zombocalypse · October 16

Erickson9610 wrote: »

Zombocalypse wrote: »

Stafford197 wrote: »

Others above have answered ”yes” but then elaborate that you have to pay money lol.

Your question is whether players who own only the base game will be able to access these Companions.
The answer is no, you will not.

You’ll either need to purchase the Companion dlc pack from the Crown Store or potentially subscribe to ESO+. Either way you’re paying at least $15. It’s not free.

Oh, okay.

But then what do others mean when they say, “you don’t need this DLC to get those Update 44 Companions”? That seems to be what I’ve been hearing. So there’s free, semi-free, and not free? I’m confused.

Will my life become way simpler in this game if I just say screw it and just pay for the ESO subscription?

I'd recommend ESO Plus for at least a month, to allow you to try out all of the previous DLCs (except the current year's Chapter) and unlock some things that you'll want to keep on your character after your membership lapses.

If I pay for ESO plus, will it give me access to the DLCs as long as I’m subscribed indefinitely? All of them except for the current one?

Stafford197 · October 16

Zombocalypse wrote: »

Stafford197 wrote: »

Others above have answered ”yes” but then elaborate that you have to pay money lol.

Your question is whether players who own only the base game will be able to access these Companions.
The answer is no, you will not.

You’ll either need to purchase the Companion dlc pack from the Crown Store or potentially subscribe to ESO+. Either way you’re paying at least $15. It’s not free.

Oh, okay.

But then what do others mean when they say, “you don’t need this DLC to get those Update 44 Companions”? That seems to be what I’ve been hearing. So there’s free, semi-free, and not free? I’m confused.

Will my life become way simpler in this game if I just say screw it and just pay for the ESO subscription?

Basically they say that for every DLC in this game, because when you subscribe to ESO+ you gain access to all DLCs except the most recent chapter. So in other words, subscribing right now would let you access all DLC zones and dungeons content except for the Gold Road chapter (West Weald zone and related areas).

In the case of this Companions DLC it is a bit different in that you can “claim” the Companion DLC while subscribed. It meant to stay on your account even if your subscription ends, which is not how any others DLCs work.

Important thing to note: There are a few Free ESO+ periods of time each year where we can all can acquire a sub for a short time. Maybe we can download the Companion DLC during this time and keep it? Seems like a loophole that won’t work, but also we haven’t had a DLC like this before where the DLC is meant to be usable after a subscription ends.

Another huge benefit to the ESO+ Subscription is the craft bag, which stores infinite materials. You’ll find as a new player that inventory will begin to get very cumbersome which is intentional to push us towards a reliance on the Craft Bag.

If you want the Companions my recommendation would be to subscribe for 1 month once the DLC comes out to claim them, and then try to complete as much DLC zone content as you can before the time ends.

SeaGtGruff · October 16

Stafford197 wrote: »

Others above have answered ”yes” but then elaborate that you have to pay money lol.

Your question is whether players who own only the base game will be able to access these Companions.
The answer is no, you will not.

You’ll either need to purchase the Companion dlc pack from the Crown Store or potentially subscribe to ESO+. Either way you’re paying at least $15. It’s not free.

Unless, as many players apparently do, you trade in-game gold to another player in exchange for gifting you something from the Crown Store.

Unless Crown Store gifting will be disabled for the new Companions.

Toanis · October 16

Paying $15 for a month of ESO+ isn't just access to the ESO+ features, but also comes with $15 worth of crowns, so it's double the value compared to buying just the crowns to get the companions.

But it's a trap: Playing for a month with the limitless crafting mats bag and double bank space, may very well ruin your experience when you go back to playing without ESO+.

Tandor · October 16

The main thing to glean from this thread is that there is not, nor has there ever been, such a thing as "Free to Play". One way or another, if you want everything a game has to offer then you have to make a revenue contribution - which is not unreasonable in my view so long as no part of it is tied to "Pay to Win" - which has never been the case with ESO. Even the base game for ESO can be picked up for very little these days, and as for the rest you either sub (and get the equivalent cost back in crowns, not to mention the benefits), or contribute through the purchase of crowns. Some things you'll get cheaper or through playing the game if you wait a while after their release.

Some will say you can do it with exchanging gold for Crowns or other things, but of course you have to amass a lot of gold some other way in the first place, and ZOS have become a lot more restrictive on gifting due to apparent abuse.

Zombocalypse · October 16

Tandor wrote: »

The main thing to glean from this thread is that there is not, nor has there ever been, such a thing as "Free to Play". One way or another, if you want everything a game has to offer then you have to make a revenue contribution - which is not unreasonable in my view so long as no part of it is tied to "Pay to Win" - which has never been the case with ESO. Even the base game for ESO can be picked up for very little these days, and as for the rest you either sub (and get the equivalent cost back in crowns, not to mention the benefits), or contribute through the purchase of crowns. Some things you'll get cheaper or through playing the game if you wait a while after their release.

Some will say you can do it with exchanging gold for Crowns or other things, but of course you have to amass a lot of gold some other way in the first place, and ZOS have become a lot more restrictive on gifting due to apparent abuse.

I may be a cheapskate but I'm not unfair.

I played FFXIV for five years without complaining about the monthly subscription. lol.

Nerouyn · October 17

Zombocalypse wrote: »

If I pay for ESO plus, will it give me access to the DLCs as long as I’m subscribed indefinitely? All of them except for the current one?

If you're at all confused, it's because once upon a time, Zenimax promised that subscribers would always have free access to expansions / DLC.

When Zenimax decided to start charging subscribers for expansions, they invented the "chapter" label for the most recent expansion. And "chapters" become "DLC" the following year.

spartaxoxo · October 17

Zombocalypse wrote: »

Erickson9610 wrote: »

Zombocalypse wrote: »

Stafford197 wrote: »

Others above have answered ”yes” but then elaborate that you have to pay money lol.

Your question is whether players who own only the base game will be able to access these Companions.
The answer is no, you will not.

You’ll either need to purchase the Companion dlc pack from the Crown Store or potentially subscribe to ESO+. Either way you’re paying at least $15. It’s not free.

Oh, okay.

But then what do others mean when they say, “you don’t need this DLC to get those Update 44 Companions”? That seems to be what I’ve been hearing. So there’s free, semi-free, and not free? I’m confused.

Will my life become way simpler in this game if I just say screw it and just pay for the ESO subscription?

I'd recommend ESO Plus for at least a month, to allow you to try out all of the previous DLCs (except the current year's Chapter) and unlock some things that you'll want to keep on your character after your membership lapses.

If I pay for ESO plus, will it give me access to the DLCs as long as I’m subscribed indefinitely? All of them except for the current one?

Yes, everything except the current expansion. You'll get the current dungeon though.