Tales of Tribute Needs PvP Tournaments - Bigger Stakes, Bigger Rewards

r.433nrb18_ESO

Lately, I’ve been logging into ESO just to play Tales of Tribute. It’s my go-to way to chill instead of sweating through battlegrounds or grinding vet dungeons lol. But after playing a tonne of matches, it feels like there’s an extra layer of fun that could take it to the next level.

We actually got a small taste of it in the intro questline with the AI tournament... and it got me thinking:

What if we had real PvP tournaments in Tales of Tribute?



The Idea - PvP Tournament Mode

Core Concept:

- 8-player single-elimination bracket
- 3 consecutive matches until a winner is crowned (around 30–90 mins total depending on match length)
- Higher stakes, better rewards than regular ranked matches
- Integrated right into the Activity Finder with a new “Tales of Tribute Tournament” tab



Why It Works:

1. Keeps the Game Fresh - Brings back the hype and tension in every single match.
2. Boosts Ranked Progress - Tournament wins give a big ranking bump:
- On top of prizes, tournament wins could give a massive ranked boost: 500 points for the win, plus the usual 150 max per match. That means a couple of good tournament runs could shoot you up the leaderboard.
3. Potential Milestone Rewards - Something to chase over time:
- Imagine unlocking a flashy roister outfit after your 10th tournament win - or riding into town on a mount only tournament champions can earn after 25 x tournament wins.
4. Better Prizes - Gold, rare mats, exclusive cards, titles - rewards worth the time investment.
5. Bragging Rights - An additional monthly leaderboard of top tournament winners would fuel competition and give recognition.



How the Tournament Finder Could Work:

- Shows live player count (e.g., “5/8 Players Joined”) so people know if it’s nearly ready to start.
- Auto starts once full - no manual invites needed.
- Bracket runs automatically with matchmaking between rounds.



Match Flow:

- Round 1: 8 players → 4 winners
- Round 2 (Semi-Finals): 4 players → 2 winners
- Round 3 (Final): Champion takes the big prize and bragging rights



Why It’s a Win for ZOS:

- Uses existing systems: matchmaking, ranked scoring, reward frameworks - just layered into a bracket.
- Increases player retention: something exciting for both casual players and ranked climbers.
- Creates community moments: perfect for streaming, guild events, and ESO social media highlights.



Would love to hear what other TOT players think about this.

If you’ve ever thought Tales of Tribute could do with an additional game mode, now’s your chance to speak up.

- Would you queue for tournaments? And if so... what would you want on the line?
- What rewards would you like to see tied to tournament wins, and milestone wins?
- Any additional ideas that could make this a viable feature to implement for ZOS?

ESO_player123

While I love playing ToT and spend most of my in--game time now playing it, I would not join such tournament because it's impossible to tell how much time I would have to commit to it. Unless there is a strict limit on how much time each game can last, there is simply no way of knowing this. So, this would not work for me.

I do other activities that technically also do not have strict time limits such as joining a PUG for some normal trial. But there is usually a reasonable expectation on how much it would last. And if the group does not work, one can always leave and someone else can join and take their place. In the tournament you describe people will have to wait for others to finish their matches.

reazea

ToT is a card game. It's not PvP.

r.433nrb18_ESO

reazea wrote: »

ToT is a card game. It's not PvP.

I'm not sure if you realise, it's also a PvP card game.

r.433nrb18_ESO

ESO_player123 wrote: »

While I love playing ToT and spend most of my in--game time now playing it, I would not join such tournament because it's impossible to tell how much time I would have to commit to it. Unless there is a strict limit on how much time each game can last, there is simply no way of knowing this. So, this would not work for me.

I do other activities that technically also do not have strict time limits such as joining a PUG for some normal trial. But there is usually a reasonable expectation on how much it would last. And if the group does not work, one can always leave and someone else can join and take their place. In the tournament you describe people will have to wait for others to finish their matches.

Yeah, totally fair point. I'd imagine not every player wants to lock in for a longer session, and that’s why normal Tales of Tribute PvP would still be there for quick games and shorter play windows.

This mode would be more like committing to a 1-2 hour vet trial or PvP campaign night - higher time investment, but with much bigger rewards to match. Realistically, I can’t see a 3-round bracket going beyond 2 hours, and most would probably wrap up faster.

The only real “waiting” expectation would be between rounds while other matches finish. But like in the current queue system, you’d still be free to roam around in-game during downtime - same as queuing for a normal PvP match.

The idea is definitely aimed at players who want that extra layer of high-stakes competition and are happy to commit a bit more time for the chance at big prizes, leaderboard glory, and milestone unlocks (if possible).

katanagirl1

One of my guilds had a ToT tournament where we went to a player’s house and someone posted the winning photos in a PSN message so we could see who won. It was fun, but I learned other people are much better than I at that game.

There were only about 8 of us so you couldn’t do that with lots of people because of the time commitment.

r.433nrb18_ESO

katanagirl1 wrote: »

One of my guilds had a ToT tournament where we went to a player’s house and someone posted the winning photos in a PSN message so we could see who won. It was fun, but I learned other people are much better than I at that game.

There were only about 8 of us so you couldn’t do that with lots of people because of the time commitment.

That sounds super fun!

How long did the overall tournament take you guys to complete with 8 players? Was it a knockout style tournament with total of 3 matches?

katanagirl1

r.433nrb18_ESO wrote: »

katanagirl1 wrote: »

One of my guilds had a ToT tournament where we went to a player’s house and someone posted the winning photos in a PSN message so we could see who won. It was fun, but I learned other people are much better than I at that game.

There were only about 8 of us so you couldn’t do that with lots of people because of the time commitment.

That sounds super fun!

How long did the overall tournament take you guys to complete with 8 players? Was it a knockout style tournament with total of 3 matches?

I don’t remember. I played more than one player, but I was pretty new to the game and not savvy about patrons so I lost pretty quickly. It took probably an hour or so to determine the winner.

Personofsecrets

Tales would be a perfect Quakecon game and development just doens't do that.

Personofsecrets

I joke you not, I could hype Tales of Tribute right up.