Studio Director’s Letter: 2025

Cooperharley

I am happy with the direction ESO is being Taken to

TaSheen wrote: »

LukosCreyden wrote: »

The fact that people are complaining about a potential increase to overland challenge is concerning.
What are you guys doing? Naked, fist only challenge runs?

Cannot answer the poll as I need to see more before I come up with a full opinion of my own.

Hardly. I'm old, my reflexes (never really very good) are really bad, and my only connection is satellite - with ping around 750ms on a GOOD day, and 999+ most of the time. I pay 4 annual subs, and deal with the issues, because it's TES. I manage a couple of mobs overland more or less okay - but any more than that is quite a problem for me.

And yes, I'm quite aware that there are people who simply think I should just go away because I'm not the kind of player they find of any value.

I’m sure it’ll be optional. I highly doubt they’re just going to blanket increase difficulty across the board.

So many players have wanted this for so long, so I’m happy it’s coming. Plus, we don’t know any details yet, but per usual people are freaking out before testing. 🤷‍♂️

TaSheen

I am disapointed with the direction ESO is being Taken to

I have not had a great deal of joy in the way ZOS handles things, sorry. Been here 7 years, and the water under the bridge with the way things have gone over that amount of time is deep enough to sink the Titanic. So I'm not at all sanguine that I'll still be playing after all this lands.

spartaxoxo

I don't know yet

AzuraFan

BasP wrote: »

This seems to be a bit of a generalization? I've done those solo, aside from the Mirrormoor Incursions because there were always other people around. I haven't stepped foot in West Weald for a while now though - but a more difficult Overland would give me a reason to revisit the zone at least for a while because I'd then do the Main Quest and side quests I haven't done yet.

Of course it's a generalization, like every similar statement on this forum.

I'm sure there are a handful of players who engage with these things outside of events. But very few. It took me months to get the final harrowstorm I needed in Blackreach for the achievement, because nobody was ever there doing the things.

The Bastion Nymic was added as a more difficult incursion that required grouping for most players. Nobody does it. The seekers in the Telvanni Peninsula were added as roaming bosses. Everyone complained that they attacked without provocation. ZOS changed that. Nobody does them. They beefed up the WBs in Necrom and Gold Road. Nobody does them outside of events. I could go on, but I've made my point.

(And yes, "nobody" is a generalization.)

Anyway, I don't think ZOS is going to turn overland into a vet experience. I expect (hope) they'll beef up some storyline bosses in an intelligent way and add new incursions or areas that are totally optional

(And yes, once everyone has the rewards for the optional activities, nobody will do them lol.)

Zama666

I am happy with the direction ESO is being Taken to

I am open to change!

TaSheen

I am disapointed with the direction ESO is being Taken to

AzuraFan wrote: »

Anyway, I don't think ZOS is going to turn overland into a vet experience. I expect (hope) they'll beef up some storyline bosses in an intelligent way and add new incursions or areas that are totally optional

(And yes, once everyone has the rewards for the optional activities, nobody will do them lol.)

I am already not able to do the last few zone story bosses....

fizzylu

Neither. I've long been disappointed with how things have been going for this game and I can't say for sure whether or not the new direction will be better. As of now though, it's hard to not see it ending up to be more of the same just in a slightly different formula. Oh, and the Cyrodiil test sounds like a terrible idea and I don't even like Cyrodiil.... but I guess it's fair that Cyrodiil gets a botched facelift since BGs did. At least Cyrodiil players will be lucky enough to get to test theirs out instead of having what they loved stripped from the game, no questions asked, though.

AzuraFan

TaSheen wrote: »

I am already not able to do the last few zone story bosses....

I'm hoping that if ZOS does touch the story bosses, they'll also provide an easier mode for those who need it, so everyone can complete the story. It would be a huge slap in the face if they beefed up the bosses for one crowd, but don't provide a way for those who can't beat the story bosses in later chapters to progress.

Having said that, I said in another thread (or maybe this one) that there wasn't much of anything in the letter for casual/solo players, so maybe ZOS has decided not to focus on that cohort and will go ahead and make the story bosses unbeatable for even more players.

LadyLethalla

I'm in the "wait and see" camp but given the game is 10 years old now I think it's probably par for the course that they're winding down content release.

As far as a more difficult overland is concerned: I've done Cadwell's Gold, so currently overland mobs are a minor annoyance. If they start getting harder to deal with I might just reduce my play time even further - if I'm just out collecting surveys and have to spend 5 min killing a couple of mobs on my way there or that aggro when I try to harvest....yeah nahhhh. As for questing, I've done all but a handful, so greater difficulty = a larger annoyance.

For a few months I've been doing daily writs, surveys, endeavours and the bare minimum in events. And a little housing. I can see that reducing if overland difficulty is not optional.

BlueRaven

I am disapointed with the direction ESO is being Taken to

A weird thing for me is the timing. Announcing this during the ten year anniversary. It’s a real party ender.

It’s like out of the blue getting served divorce papers while everyone is having a great time during your New Year’s Eve party.

colossalvoids

I am happy with the direction ESO is being Taken to

BlueRaven wrote: »

It’s like out of the blue getting served divorce papers while everyone is having a great time during your New Year’s Eve party.

Funny enough some of us were getting "divorce papers" for the last half a decade, it's time for that one happy dancing man to join and let others breathe for a year at least.

TheImperfect

I am happy with the direction ESO is being Taken to

[I'm in the "wait and see" camp but given the game is 10 years old now I think it's probably par for the course that they're winding down content release.
]

I hope not, 10 years isn't that long. I'll happily play another 10 years and I don't see why they would want to wind it down. It's been a great cash cow, I know how much I've spent over the years and I'm not a whale. I'm guessing people may have been spending less the last couple of years but that's the global economy and would be the same whatever the game.

Danikat

I am happy with the direction ESO is being Taken to

LadyGP wrote: »

Wiseau wrote: »

ESO is getting a battle/season pass, which will 100% be locked behind some sort of paywall. Called this way back when Golden Pursuits were announced. That was them testing the waters for a battlepass. And now it's happening. They're going Destiny 2 route. The moment they drop any paid pass, I am DONE with this game. Runescape tried pulling this, and the players rioted. Maybe we need to do the same. This is so disappointing.

There is zero evidence that there will be a battlepass and it will be paywalled.

Now, with that being said... if they do this... (keeping thoughts to myself so I don't get banned).

We will definitely have to pay for the new releases, but that's nothing new. Everyone has to pay for chapters and you need to either subscribe or buy DLC.

As I understand it the main difference between the current/former system of buying chapters and DLC and a battle/season pass is that it requires you to pay in advance, often without knowing exactly what you'll be getting, whereas we don't pay until it comes out. Although I suppose people on longer subscriptions are effectively paying in advance for DLC and updates, but I think most of them see it as mainly paying for the craft bag.

I will be very surprised if they attempt some sort of season pass, but the new content will be 'paywalled' in some form because ESO has always done that and isn't going to change, because they're still a business and need to make money from the game.

Uoid

So I read the announcement, and my thought was "Oh, they're wrapping up ESO". Ive played for 7 years, over 10k hours, ive done everything in the game 10-500 times and the only thing that bought me back the past few years, was the chapter release and the Q4 little DLC. I feel like such a fool, I held out hope for the last 2 years that ESO was going to get back to being good (summerset!), and instead it got not only worse, but so little content that I was essentially staying subscribed year round, for what equated to about 25 hours total new game play. I should have stopped my sub two years ago, but I didnt, I honestly thought that if I believed hard enough, that ESO would get good again and the joy would be back. But it never happened. I finally cancelled my sub a month ago when I realised I simply cant keep up with the "event every month about something you've done hundreds of times and isnt new or fun in any way, just to get tickets, pushing your FOMO, to catch up on the pieces of items you missed ages ago, but they keep bringing out new items, so you can never actually catch u.." oh, this isnt fun any more. Reading that letter was being being broken up with via a text. Im so so so disappointed that ESO will never get back to being good, but.. i also kinda feel free? finally? like, I dont have to keep pushing my hope up, only for it to get dashed again and again. If the game isnt giving you the joyful vibe it used to, I give you permission to cancel your sub and move onto something else. You too are free, now.

Stx

I am happy with the direction ESO is being Taken to

I am excited to see what plans they have for more difficult overland content and also updated older zones.

Triipzzz

I am disapointed with the direction ESO is being Taken to

Where is the cross play though. Not even consoles? I’ve seen so many excuses from zos over the years yet they pump money in everywhere else. I’m not sure if it’s sheer ignorance or on purpose but it sure is disappointing year after year.

All this talk about returning players and new features means nothing if there are no options to get back into the game on another machine with your friends. Whether they like it or not people don’t play on the same one for life. The refusal to start again is real and they need to wake up to it if they want to see the game succeed into the future.

SilverBride

I am disapointed with the direction ESO is being Taken to

I chose disappointed because of the overland statement. I also don't have a clue what seasons means, so I can't look forward to it.

randconfig

I am happy with the direction ESO is being Taken to

TaSheen wrote: »

He lost me at "increasing overland combat difficulty".

Why though?? Overland combat difficulty is so boring... Mobs need new mechanics, variety, and you shouldn't be able to afk while standing in the red circles... Like what is the purpose of having red circle attack indicators if they do no damage??

I'm looking forward to it.

SilverBride

I am disapointed with the direction ESO is being Taken to

randconfig wrote: »

TaSheen wrote: »

He lost me at "increasing overland combat difficulty".

Why though?? Overland combat difficulty is so boring... Mobs need new mechanics, variety, and you shouldn't be able to afk while standing in the red circles... Like what is the purpose of having red circle attack indicators if they do no damage??

I'm looking forward to it.

Boring to some but relaxing to others.

StaticWave

I am disapointed with the direction ESO is being Taken to

They did make some right decisions, but they were LATE decisions. I can't imagine a company having dedicated players test new patches and provide feed back for them, only to ignore said feedback for a full patch cycle and implement the feedback in the next patch cycle when the player base has already given up. This isn't just a one-time thing. It's a repeated behavior from ZOS. That statement in the letter just threw me off completely and I don't really care what else they're doing with the game afterwards.

Juomuuri

I am happy with the direction ESO is being Taken to

I voted yes bc I'm hopeful we'll get something similar to how GW2's Living World was implemented - at least the wording in the letter made it sound like that. And I enjoyed that system while I was still playing (I don't touch GW2 anymore bc they ruined the daily login reward system).

Duskbinder

I am happy with the direction ESO is being Taken to

I’m genuinely perplexed by the number of comments seemingly insistent that Matt’s letter is an indication of the game moving towards ‘maintenance mode’.

Becoming more ‘agile’ is something we’re seeing industry-wide. Take both World of Warcraft and Guild Wars 2 as examples; both games have changed their strategies towards more gradual drip feeds of content over shorter time periods, as opposed to one large dollop of content every six to twelve months.

Yes, chapters are retiring, but I do not see that as cause for concern. Game development takes time, and different studios have different budgets. The aforementioned two are sat at vastly different ends of that spectrum and it’s possible to see that in their approach to delivering content. I believe ESO sits somewhere in the middle, but in order to manoeuvre themselves into a more ‘agile’ position, something has to give.

With Chapter gone, this opens the door to ZeniMax addressing many long standing issues that frequently appear as strong desires within their community. Things noted explicitly in the letter itself. Every interview I’ve read recently, queries whether there are plans to increase the challenge of overland content, for example. Journalists don’t just pick these questions from The Immortal Plane, they’re asking because it’s a frequently requested feature — though it may differ from the personal wishes of both you or I. Chapters departing essentially frees up development teams to focus on other aspects. It means the people within these teams, specialists, might have the opportunity to address issues specific to their skillset, things that perhaps the team members working on the previous Q3-4 content simply couldn’t address as it laid outwith their remit, or scope.

As far as the discussion regarding ‘seasons’; we’ve already experienced this in the past: ‘Season of the Dragon’. I took it to mean much the same… We might see a ‘Season of the Dark Brotherhood’ or ‘Season of the Mages Guild’. It might not span the course of a year, but I am confident it will be much the same, albeit in more ‘bite-size’ proportions, and that whatever appears — much like ‘Season of the Dragon’— it will remain for as long as the game persists.

Finally, as noted elsewhere on the forums, there is a push to invest in older content. They intend to spruce up the starter zones, and continually tweak the tutorial… These efforts wouldn’t be a priority for a game on its last legs. It’s a push to bring in new life, and another facet of this ‘agile’ approach to development.

Anyway, these are my thoughts on the matter. The sky doesn’t appear to be falling just yet.

- Dusk.

Edited to fix typo, and add clarity to my thoughts on Seasons.

AnduinTryggva

Ruthless wrote: »

How do you feel about the letter ?
Lets keep it simple

Can you pls link the letter?

found it. And pretty disappointed, too.

So we will not get new zones do explore. Only a vague waver that we MIGHT get new zones in the future.

Just recycling of old stuff.

[snip]
[edited for bashing]

Koshka

I reserve my judgement for now. It does feel like ESO is nearing the end of its lifespan, but I still enjoy the game and hope it still has a few good years.

Elvenheart

I am happy with the direction ESO is being Taken to

Wouldn’t it be funny if what they are doing to Overland is make the mobs not attack anyone unless they are attacked first, but make them harder if you engage them? That would be a very simple way to make Overland harder for people who want it to be harder yet leave it the same for people who want it to stay the same! 😂

PS. Not counting mudcrabs of course! 🦀

PPS. “Bastian, why did you attack that wolf??!? Now we’re in a fight for our lives!”

PPPS. Also not counting any quest mobs, like if you are on a quest to kill 10 skeevers the skeevers automatically stay at normal even when you attack them. 🐀