Studio Director’s Message Key Points

RomanRex · December 17

Can anyone read those tea leaves? It is positive?

Vrienda · December 17

I feel like ESO's been moving more and more to maintainance mode for a while. It's probably all hands on deck for that other game they've been working on for years now. So I can't say it's positive, no.

ZOS_Kevin · December 17

Just to follow up here. The changes here are to make us more agile and produce more engaging and varied content. So from our prospective, it is not us "going into maintenance" but rather being able to address several concerns the player base has noted over the years.

LatentBuzzard · December 17

Moving to seasons is a big red flag as if they're not selling an annual chapter upgrade, they're going to be trying to make that money up elsewhere. So how are they going to try and monitise seasons ? Via battlepasses ? If they start monitising via battlepasses then does that mean they're going free to play ? What's the alternative ? That we suddenly have to start paying for individual seasons several times a year ?

SolarRune · December 17

That's interesting @ZOS_Kevin because I got the same mood from the letter as Vrienda. Glad to here it's my mis-interpretation and not the intension.

RomanRex · December 17

LatentBuzzard wrote: »

Moving to seasons is a big red flag as if they're not selling an annual chapter upgrade, they're going to be trying to make that money up elsewhere. So how are they going to try and monitise seasons ? Via battlepasses ? If they start monitising via battlepasses then does that mean they're going free to play ?

Cosmetics. Skill styles like the Sorc’s matriarch for 2,000 crowns.

NettleCarrier · December 17

Yeah, the annual chapter has pretty much been part of my annual "budget" for the past few years. I'll be curious how that will change...

allochthons · December 17

My concern comes from some ignorance on how a lot of MMOs work.
My impression is that "Seasons" often mean that you essentially start over, and work for a goal for X months, but then lose all your progress (except the shinies) at the end.

So you end up basically re-leveling a toon every few months.

Can someone clarify? This is just what I hear (and very probably misunderstood) about Overwatch or other things, ESO is the only MMO I've ever played.
If it's more like a huge, longer Golden Pursuit, then, well, okay, but not great. I still want ESO to fill in large swaths of the map.

Although more activity in the base game zones is welcome. As is bug fixes.

ohaphazardo · December 17

Once again ZERO love for solo players...

ApoAlaia · December 17

allochthons wrote: »

My concern comes from some ignorance on how a lot of MMOs work.
My impression is that "Seasons" often mean that you essentially start over, and work for a goal for X months, but then lose all your progress (except the shinies) at the end.

So you end up basically re-leveling a toon every few months.

Can someone clarify? This is just what I hear (and very probably misunderstood) about Overwatch or other things, ESO is the only MMO I've ever played.
If it's more like a huge, longer Golden Pursuit, then, well, okay, but not great. I still want ESO to fill in large swaths of the map.

Although more activity in the base game zones is welcome. As is bug fixes.

I too am curious about what 'seasons' means in this context.

If is just pure FOMO fuel not sure how I feel about this, at least with chapters you can complete stuff at your own leisure.

Erissime · December 17

I personally trust the zos team to never dissapoint. Every time I chose to follow the forums/players doubts and issues piled up over time with what will be based on such letters or assuming over bits and rests of disclosures given to us I was amazed at what was really given and how this team has stood by its choices. Now - if some of those choices did not please everyone, if past issues stayed yet on a waiting ( oft translated as ignorance by the community) list, if ... if ... if... - that is irrelevant.

The idea to sustain an already huge game with immense changes overtime and improve where it's obviously (still) lacking, is precisely what many of us had been asking for, and we are all aware that time is needed. Allowing a more flexible schedule seems precisely the right thing to do in order to allow the necessary time to address such things, while still holding on to novelty and creation of new content.

As for how mmos are supposed to be like ... I am of opinion that anything breaking the standards is to be welcomed and supported rather than ditched on account of "traditions". Bring it on zos! Carve new paths, for you have that power!

Moonsorrow · December 17

Seems like maintenance mode to me.

This is what old mmo games do when they are downsizing their game with "more bitesized content" as in content gonna be more and more small each year after their population goes down enough and company has other new priorities (other games, Studio reorganizing aka closed/sold/skeleton crew mode). SWTOR as example. People who have played maintenance mode games that take out yearly content update models know the drill already. This is how it goes.

All the signs were already showing the last years, so no big surprise to anyone i am sure.

Bucky_13 · December 17

ZOS_Kevin wrote: »

Just to follow up here. The changes here are to make us more agile and produce more engaging and varied content. So from our prospective, it is not us "going into maintenance" but rather being able to address several concerns the player base has noted over the years.

In that case, could we please have the option to toggle off the hip and butt flaps of armors? Pretty please? It's gotta be close to the top of most requested features from players. It would make more players want to obtain those armor and outfit styles that makes us think "would look nice if it wasn't for the flaps". It would make a lot of players very happy.

averyfarmanb14_ESO · December 17

The CI/CD wave has reached Tamriel. I am curiously depressed by reading this missive, but there isn't enough there for which to form useful opinions about the future - it's established only a vague unease about "improvements," in much the same way that the battleground "improvements" have only exacerbated concerns about the future.

Still, I look cautiously forward to seeing what shows up in three months.

Maitsukas · December 17

Moonsorrow wrote: »

Seems like maintenance mode to me.

This is what old mmo games do when they are downsizing their game with "more bitesized content" as in content gonna be more and more small each year after their population goes down enough and company has other new priorities (other games, Studio reorganizing aka closed/sold/skeleton crew mode). SWTOR as example. People who have played maintenance mode games that take out yearly content update models know the drill already. This is how it goes.

All the signs were already showing the last years, so no big surprise to anyone i am sure.

Maintenance mode is when there are no significant changes happening and only the servers are kept active. Take a look at TES: Legends as the main example for that. There wasn't anything new for that game after it was announced (in December, 2019), that it would only be getting maintenance support. Now TES:L will be shutting down at the end of January, 2025.

the90thmeridian · December 17

It reminds me of a book I read in business school called "The Goal" which talks about a process of ongoing improvement. A way to grow capacity is by reducing batch size. Seems to me like that's the intent. By moving away from a big annual chapter release ZOS has capacity to improve the game on smaller and more numerous fronts. If my take on the letter is correct I say it's hugely positive.

Vulkunne · December 17

Reading the letter, it seems to me the whole 'seasons' shift is as much about the Team making changes as it is the game needing some TLC. I don't really see this as a bad thing, and I really think it's something the game needs.

Sometimes the way forward is to stop and figure out exactly where you're at and how you got there. If they keep pushing content full steam many of us will probably enjoy the new material, yes, however inevitably we'll be back here in the same place again with some of the same problems.

In short, I don't think taking a year to catch up on maint related tasks is going to do any more damage than continuing and not addressing some of the issues that both they have mentioned and some of us have also mentioned on the forums.

DenverRalphy · December 17

I think the two recent companions was our first taste of "Bite sized content".

Wuduwasa13 · December 17

LatentBuzzard wrote: »

Moving to seasons is a big red flag as if they're not selling an annual chapter upgrade, they're going to be trying to make that money up elsewhere. So how are they going to try and monitise seasons ? Via battlepasses ? If they start monitising via battlepasses then does that mean they're going free to play ? What's the alternative ? That we suddenly have to start paying for individual seasons several times a year ?

Yes precisely this. The moment I read it I thought of the D2 model and assume that is loosely where they are going with this change.

Personally I am not interested in playing what amounts to a 3 month event underscored with tediously repetitive and grindy tasks.

Dukar_Duck · December 17

I am hopeful that Seasons will not turn into Battle Pass or something like that

The very first thing that they mention is Cyro, and that is good. I like the idea of PvP specific skills, this would be nice to not have to balance PvE gear based on PvP, so this gives me real hope

"Increasing the difficulty of standard overworld combat" - THANK YOU! It is annoying when you get to the "big bad" at the end of a quest and kill them in less than 10 seconds. Also it would be nice to actually need to fight and not just one or two shot mobs as I go through the story

I think adding more things to existing zones is good. One thing I love about Fallout 76 is that the game is changing over time as the years progress, something like that here would be nice. Also this gives me hope that we find out more about what happened to Darien after Summerset

The biggest downer for me is that there is still no get together for this year, I was really looking forward to that. Hopefully they make a bunch of regional events and get them on the calendar

Personofsecrets · December 17

As much as I'd like to believe that ESO is doing well, the statement sort of reads like a winding down to me.

Celas_Dranacea · December 17

I made my comment on the main thread for Matt’s letter, just saying I think the direction is overall very positive

averyfarmanb14_ESO · December 17

Moonsorrow wrote: »

Seems like maintenance mode to me.

Vulkunne wrote: »

Reading the letter, it seems to me the whole 'seasons' shift is as much about the Team making changes as it is the game needing some TLC.

I get twitchy when I think that Conway's Law is about to rear its ugly head.

Leia98 · December 17

No, seasonal content is not "maintenance phase" Come on people. I think these are good Changes and i fully support them.

Fischblut · December 17

While I am afraid that instead of paying once a year for chapter, we might be required to pay more times (per season)... The real concern for my playstyle is this part:

"Increasing the difficulty of standard overworld combat"

If this will be done, it will be the end of ESO for me personally

I like easy fights in overland, casually exploring and not being afraid of mobs who guard treasure chests and resources. I already prefer to not participate in world boss/world events in chapters and DLC zones - but when I see an active Dark Anchor in base game zones, I always go for it.

And zones which force (or strongly encourage) grouping like old Craglorn are not how I wish to play nowadays

ZOS_Kevin · December 17

ApoAlaia wrote: »

I too am curious about what 'seasons' means in this context.

If is just pure FOMO fuel not sure how I feel about this, at least with chapters you can complete stuff at your own leisure.

Just wanted to follow up on seasons a little bit. We will have more details in April, but Jess Folsom noted this in another thread. Thought it would help here too.

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

One thing we do want to clarify today are the questions about seasonal content. Our plans are not to remove content such as quests, stories, and new areas like some other games do when a season is over.

SoulAffliction · December 17

As others have stated, having the time to conduct maintenance and try to “fix” things be it QOL improvements, stories, combat, PVP issues, etc is a good thing in my opinion. They’ve been pushing new content at a fast pace that much needed basic improvements have fallen by the wayside. It would be nice to include Class adjustments in the schedule as well, especially for the two out of three paid classes that need some desperate attention.

averyfarmanb14_ESO · December 17

Fischblut wrote: »

While I am afraid that instead of paying once a year for chapter, we might be required to pay more times (per season)... The real concern for my playstyle is this part:

"Increasing the difficulty of standard overworld combat"

If this will be done, it will be the end of ESO for me personally I like easy fights in overland, casually exploring and not being afraid of mobs who guard treasure chests and resources. I already prefer to not participate in world boss/world events in chapters and DLC zones - but when I see an active Dark Anchor in base game zones, I always go for it.

And zones which force (or strongly encourage) grouping like old Craglorn are not how I wish to play nowadays

Bolded for emphasis. I'm an older player, and I'm here in part because I can engage in the story and social aspects of a fully-fleshed MMO without having to either run with an entire group, constantly, or go full-on Dark Souls on everything. If this is, indeed, the direction ESO's going, I can't follow.

azrael427 · December 17

I'm fine if they release smaller chunks of content. I'm not fine with it being limited time. With more games focusing on Battle passes not being time gated (Helldivers, Marvel Rivals) it makes me want to play those games and support them more since I can work on it at my own pace.

Personofsecrets · December 17

Maitsukas wrote: »

Moonsorrow wrote: »

Seems like maintenance mode to me.

This is what old mmo games do when they are downsizing their game with "more bitesized content" as in content gonna be more and more small each year after their population goes down enough and company has other new priorities (other games, Studio reorganizing aka closed/sold/skeleton crew mode). SWTOR as example. People who have played maintenance mode games that take out yearly content update models know the drill already. This is how it goes.

All the signs were already showing the last years, so no big surprise to anyone i am sure.

Maintenance mode is when there are no significant changes happening and only the servers are kept active. Take a look at TES: Legends as the main example for that. There wasn't anything new for that game after it was announced (in December, 2019), that it would only be getting maintenance support. Now TES:L will be shutting down at the end of January, 2025.

Unfortunately, what I learned from Legends is that development will have no problem actively selling their game even as it's winding down. After that game had a huge content drought, I remember writing that the writing was on the wall after the development team revealed a new road map with a massive amount of content.

How would I correctly predict, a year ahead of time, developments true intentions despite a promising road map? I think that everyone can relate that sometimes you just get that feeling.

BoloBoffin · December 17

ZOS_Kevin wrote: »

ApoAlaia wrote: »

I too am curious about what 'seasons' means in this context.

If is just pure FOMO fuel not sure how I feel about this, at least with chapters you can complete stuff at your own leisure.

Just wanted to follow up on seasons a little bit. We will have more details in April, but Jess Folsom noted this in another thread. Thought it would help here too.

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

One thing we do want to clarify today are the questions about seasonal content. Our plans are not to remove content such as quests, stories, and new areas like some other games do when a season is over.

OK, this is a different take on Seasons than a game like Fallout 76. That is how I was imagining Seasons here. And I would never describe that game as being in maintenance mode, so, this is a step above that MMO content model.