Official Discussion Thread for "Introducing ZOS’s New Studio Head, Jo Burba"

ZOS_Kevin · August 1

This is the official discussion thread for, "Introducing ZOS’s New Studio Head, Jo Burba"

"Read a letter to the community from ZeniMax Online Studio’s new Studio Head, Jo Burba."

spartaxoxo · August 1

I'd have liked to see something a bit more concrete but given the current circumstances, I'm glad to see Jo reach out and reassure us that he's been here a long time already. I want to be cautiously optimistic to see where the game goes from here but there's still so much we don't know. I look forward to that future correspondence. Anyway, he's got a cool looking toon. And I hope to hear more from Jo in the future.

Credible_Joe · August 1

Thanks for reaching out, Jo. Holding on to optimism for this project, and I'm glad to see the same attitude from the studio.

LukosCreyden · August 1

That is a nice letter. Also glad to hear that, in word at least, everyone us planning for ESO to exist for many years to come. I know myself and others have been worrying about that for a while. I love eso and would hate to see it go so soon.

Erickson9610 · August 1

There are a lot of promises about big changes on the horizon. If it's anything huge like Antiquities, Subclassing, or Scribing, I'm ready to see those changes!

licenturion · August 1

This is all good news. Long term commitment, full focus on ESO and huge changes on the horizon sounds great.

Wecome!

ZOS_Kevin · August 1

spartaxoxo wrote: »

I'd have liked to see something a bit more concrete but given the current circumstances, I'm glad to see Jo reach out and reassure us that he's been here a long time already. I want to be cautiously optimistic to see where the game goes from here but there's still so much we don't know. I look forward to that future correspondence. Anyway, he's got a cool looking toon. And I hope to hear more from Jo in the future.

We have a few more announcements and updates coming over the next several months, that should help with getting some more concrete info. A lot of it is in the works right now internally, but Jo wanted to make sure to introduce himself to the community first.

LunaFlora · August 1

that's a good letter, nice to hear from the new studio head.
i wish y'all good luck with everything.

the image used for the post is nice too, hopefully we'll see those characters in the background again soon. i like that it's on Stirk.

tomofhyrule · August 1

It is gratifying to see that the first thing mentioned is that ESO isn't going anywhere and that there are still features in the works. With all of the recent turmoil (and the uncertainty since Matt's letter last year), it's nice to see that the team's priority is still to keep our home here alive.

We are all eager to see the new things that the studio has planned, and hope that your tenure is a happy one.

menedhyn · August 1

The letter gives me hope and some comfort, thank you. Also, thanks to everyone at ZOS for all that you do and the fabulous world I get to experience and take so much enjoyment from.

Aylish · August 1

Nice to hear from the new Head. But you know that the letter on the website is signed by Matt, right?

Stamicka · August 1

It’ll be interesting to see where things go next.

The letter mentioned some core tenants that guide ESO’s development.

The core tenets that we have learned over the years haven't changed. These values are the stars that guide us through difficult times:

- People first, game always.
- Turn square corners—integrity is our guiding light in all we do.
- All hands on deck when the inevitable storms happen.
- Own our mistakes and make repairs quickly.
- Get a little bit better every day by being open to feedback and focused on learning.
- Everyone has a place in our studio and in our worlds.

I would love to see these tenants genuinely reflected in ESO’s development, beyond just reassuring messaging.

Qyrk · August 1

Aylish wrote: »

Nice to hear from the new Head. But you know that the letter on the website is signed by Matt, right?

Jo referred to something Matt said, is that not something he should do?

For context:
I'll leave you with a parting note from Matt:

"Thank you all (devs and community members) for everything you've collectively done for ESO, for ZOS, and for the gaming world. ESO is a titanic achievement and will endure and thrive. And I will be there as well, living in my favorite fantasy virtual world. See you in Tamriel!”

- Matt Firor

Elydros2015 · August 1

Thank you for that, Jo. Looking forward to adventuring in Tamriel for many years to come.

SkaiFaith · August 1

"O captain! My captain!"

React · August 1

"Own our mistakes and make repairs quickly. "

This has never been a strongsuit of the studio, so hopefully it's something the team actually plans to prioritize moving forward. I could list a dozen examples of things being broken and remaining that way for entire 3-4 month patch cycles (or longer), and even more examples of extremely poor balancing decisions that were made and never revisited or justified.

Aylish · August 1

Qyrk wrote: »

Aylish wrote: »

Nice to hear from the new Head. But you know that the letter on the website is signed by Matt, right?

Jo referred to something Matt said, is that not something he should do?

Well, then Matt is cited twice (before and after the quote) and the letter isn‘t signed at all.

Erickson9610 · August 1

Stamicka wrote: »

It’ll be interesting to see where things go next.

The letter mentioned some core tenants that guide ESO’s development.

The core tenets that we have learned over the years haven't changed. These values are the stars that guide us through difficult times:

- People first, game always.
- Turn square corners—integrity is our guiding light in all we do.
- All hands on deck when the inevitable storms happen.
- Own our mistakes and make repairs quickly.
- Get a little bit better every day by being open to feedback and focused on learning.
- Everyone has a place in our studio and in our worlds.

I would love to see these tenants genuinely reflected in ESO’s development, beyond just reassuring messaging.

React wrote: »

"Own our mistakes and make repairs quickly. "

This has never been a strongsuit of the studio, so hopefully it's something the team actually plans to prioritize moving forward. I could list a dozen examples of things being broken and remaining that way for entire 3-4 month patch cycles (or longer), and even more examples of extremely poor balancing decisions that were made and never revisited or justified.

Balancing decisions are not "mistakes", as much as we wish they were considered mistakes.

Crown Store prices being too high or low than intended or character data being copied from the PTS to Live are "mistakes", and those were swiftly repaired as ZOS owned up to those mistakes with compensation.

Some more clarification from ZOS on what exactly constitutes a "mistake" would be appreciated for future clarity. Otherwise we could say any unfavorable change was a mistake and we'd be complaining to ZOS for months to remedy something that they don't consider to be a mistake.

Stamicka · August 1

Erickson9610 wrote: »

Balancing decisions are not "mistakes", as much as we wish they were considered mistakes.

Crown Store prices being too high or low than intended or character data being copied from the PTS to Live are "mistakes", and those were swiftly repaired as ZOS owned up to those mistakes with compensation.

Some more clarification from ZOS on what exactly constitutes a "mistake" would be appreciated for future clarity. Otherwise we could say any unfavorable change was a mistake and we'd be complaining to ZOS for months to remedy something that they don't consider to be a mistake.

Any decision, even if well meaning, can be seen as a mistake given time if the decision has negative consequences. That's the thing, we see performance worsen and populations decline as a result of many of the decisions made. In retrospect those decisions can now be seen as mistakes. I just wish those mistakes were acknowledged and made right, that's all I'm asking for.

Erickson9610 · August 1

Stamicka wrote: »

Erickson9610 wrote: »

Balancing decisions are not "mistakes", as much as we wish they were considered mistakes.

Crown Store prices being too high or low than intended or character data being copied from the PTS to Live are "mistakes", and those were swiftly repaired as ZOS owned up to those mistakes with compensation.

Some more clarification from ZOS on what exactly constitutes a "mistake" would be appreciated for future clarity. Otherwise we could say any unfavorable change was a mistake and we'd be complaining to ZOS for months to remedy something that they don't consider to be a mistake.

Any decision, even if well meaning, can be seen as a mistake given time if the decision has negative consequences. That's the thing, we see performance worsen and populations decline as a result of many of the decisions made. In retrospect those decisions can now be seen as mistakes. I just wish those mistakes were acknowledged and made right, that's all I'm asking for.

Can you give a list of mistakes here for ZOS to review? Phrasing them as "many of the decisions made" is not specific enough — how would ZOS know what mistakes they've made?

tsaescishoeshiner · August 1

Really appreciate the reassurance about the future!

I'm not too worried about it, but it's always so draining when fans think they've found clues that games are dead because of not liking certain content, or changes that can have other explanations. (For example, there are players who claim to have seen signs about the end coming like 5 years ago lol, and I'm sure there were before the One Tamriel update, too.)

It won't convince all the doomsayers, but it's helpful clarification for the community that benefits the overall mood in a good way. Hopefully there's some more of that.

Stamicka · August 1

Erickson9610 wrote: »

Stamicka wrote: »

Erickson9610 wrote: »

Balancing decisions are not "mistakes", as much as we wish they were considered mistakes.

Crown Store prices being too high or low than intended or character data being copied from the PTS to Live are "mistakes", and those were swiftly repaired as ZOS owned up to those mistakes with compensation.

Some more clarification from ZOS on what exactly constitutes a "mistake" would be appreciated for future clarity. Otherwise we could say any unfavorable change was a mistake and we'd be complaining to ZOS for months to remedy something that they don't consider to be a mistake.

Any decision, even if well meaning, can be seen as a mistake given time if the decision has negative consequences. That's the thing, we see performance worsen and populations decline as a result of many of the decisions made. In retrospect those decisions can now be seen as mistakes. I just wish those mistakes were acknowledged and made right, that's all I'm asking for.

Can you give a list of mistakes here for ZOS to review?

I would not be able to fit that here on the forums.

I will say though, I've written detailed posts outlining what I think were poor decisions when they happened. I've been vocal about the "play as you want" model, subclassing, balance, accessibility, the state of PvP, the list goes on and on. You can probably search for my posts within the past 3 or 4 years if you care.

Of course I'm just one person, but I've seen mass sentiment around certain decisions that have been made and the concerns were never acknowledged. Anyway, I only point this out as someone who wants the game to improve since no other game like it is on the near horizon.

ZOS_Kevin · August 1

Aylish wrote: »

Nice to hear from the new Head. But you know that the letter on the website is signed by Matt, right?

We've asked for the formatting to be updated here. The last line is from Matt, but it makes it look like the letter is being signed from Matt. So we are addressing this.

Erickson9610 · August 1

Stamicka wrote: »

Erickson9610 wrote: »

Stamicka wrote: »

Erickson9610 wrote: »

Balancing decisions are not "mistakes", as much as we wish they were considered mistakes.

Crown Store prices being too high or low than intended or character data being copied from the PTS to Live are "mistakes", and those were swiftly repaired as ZOS owned up to those mistakes with compensation.

Some more clarification from ZOS on what exactly constitutes a "mistake" would be appreciated for future clarity. Otherwise we could say any unfavorable change was a mistake and we'd be complaining to ZOS for months to remedy something that they don't consider to be a mistake.

Any decision, even if well meaning, can be seen as a mistake given time if the decision has negative consequences. That's the thing, we see performance worsen and populations decline as a result of many of the decisions made. In retrospect those decisions can now be seen as mistakes. I just wish those mistakes were acknowledged and made right, that's all I'm asking for.

Can you give a list of mistakes here for ZOS to review?

I would not be able to fit that here on the forums.

I will say though, I've written detailed posts outlining what I think were poor decisions when they happened. I've been vocal about the "play as you want" model, subclassing, balance, accessibility, the state of PvP, the list goes on and on. You can probably search for my posts within the past 3 or 4 years if you care.

Of course I'm just one person, but I've seen mass sentiment around certain decisions that have been made and the concerns were never acknowledged. Anyway, I only point this out as someone who wants the game to improve since no other game like it is on the near horizon.

I agree with that last paragraph especially. Me and others have voiced concerns regarding certain decisions that never received acknowledgement from ZOS. And I agree, there really isn't another game like ESO out there — that's why I'm still here, pleading that ZOS would remedy longstanding issues and reconsider certain decisions they've made.

The important thing to note is that each player, like you or me, may have different visions for what ESO should be. What I consider to be an issue may be completely justified in your eyes, and vice versa. Maybe what we see as issues are justified in the eyes of ZOS.

Credible_Joe · August 1

Erickson9610 wrote: »

Stamicka wrote: »

Erickson9610 wrote: »

Stamicka wrote: »

Erickson9610 wrote: »

Balancing decisions are not "mistakes", as much as we wish they were considered mistakes.

Crown Store prices being too high or low than intended or character data being copied from the PTS to Live are "mistakes", and those were swiftly repaired as ZOS owned up to those mistakes with compensation.

Some more clarification from ZOS on what exactly constitutes a "mistake" would be appreciated for future clarity. Otherwise we could say any unfavorable change was a mistake and we'd be complaining to ZOS for months to remedy something that they don't consider to be a mistake.

Any decision, even if well meaning, can be seen as a mistake given time if the decision has negative consequences. That's the thing, we see performance worsen and populations decline as a result of many of the decisions made. In retrospect those decisions can now be seen as mistakes. I just wish those mistakes were acknowledged and made right, that's all I'm asking for.

Can you give a list of mistakes here for ZOS to review?

I would not be able to fit that here on the forums.

I will say though, I've written detailed posts outlining what I think were poor decisions when they happened. I've been vocal about the "play as you want" model, subclassing, balance, accessibility, the state of PvP, the list goes on and on. You can probably search for my posts within the past 3 or 4 years if you care.

Of course I'm just one person, but I've seen mass sentiment around certain decisions that have been made and the concerns were never acknowledged. Anyway, I only point this out as someone who wants the game to improve since no other game like it is on the near horizon.

I agree with that last paragraph especially. Me and others have voiced concerns regarding certain decisions that never received acknowledgement from ZOS. And I agree, there really isn't another game like ESO out there — that's why I'm still here, pleading that ZOS would remedy longstanding issues and reconsider certain decisions they've made.

The important thing to note is that each player, like you or me, may have different visions for what ESO should be. What I consider to be an issue may be completely justified in your eyes, and vice versa. Maybe what we see as issues are justified in the eyes of ZOS.

There's another perspective to this as well, which is the overall PR incentive not to encourage or engage with vociferous criticism when the scope of the topic is too large. I recently posted a thread that got a LOT of engagement criticizing hard group checks in group content.

I might be tempted to cite Jo's signaling here and jog the studio's elbow for a response, but what can they even say? That topic is about the foundational design choices that the creatives make-- it's not a balance oversight or technical issue. The studio can respond to smaller scope stuff like that without suggesting to the OP that their voice in and of itself prompted action.

If they responded to my thread at all it would signal that they're considering a shift in design direction. That would go straight to my head; I'm already insufferably verbose, they don't need to give the mods even more volume to read through. Mostly, though, it would set an unhealthy precedent that criticism is owed a response, which would only attract users with a very flawed perspective on 'critical' versus 'I don't like this, I want it to be something else.'

On the other hand, responding and declaring right off the bat that my feedback and the discourse on the thread was taken, but is NOT being considered or forwarded, is equally bad in the other extreme. That's a LOT of discourse, and signaling to the community in concrete terms that it's been ignored is wildly disheartening. Or, even worse, if they got defensive and tried to argue against the criticism-- that's just overt conflict with the community. Very bad vibes.

It's easy to interpret radio silence as being ignored, but when any response to a topic is a lose / lose for the studio, you just have to trust that the note went into the box. Hope that enough engagement and bumps get in front of devs' and creatives' eyes.

Dino-Jr · August 1

woooooooo more Eso

spartaxoxo · August 1

It's not realistic to claim a balance decision or feature is a mistake they should own up to imo. Although I do wish there was more responses to threads that garner a lot of feedback.

Different people like different things. Tales of Tribute was always going to be niche and was a response to player requests for more stuff to do in Taverns at a time when they mentioned wanting to add some non-combat features.

Many players that don't like Tales or think there should never be anything major added that catered to niche interests complained. But it served the developer's needs out of a feature as they tackled other bigger features and performance issues behind the scenes, and also allowed them to please a smaller but no less important segment of the playerbase who had been making that request for years. Should they apologize for that? I don't think so and would feel insulted if they did.

Those apologies are reserved for things that are objectively incorrect like mistakes that cause server downtime, as they should be imo. Balance updates is how they address feedback to unpopular changes. I think that's a good thing.

Darkmage1337 · August 1

I appreciate Jo Burba's introduction and reassurance that ESO is in a stable state, with longevity in mind!
I hope that the employees at ZeniMax will prevail in this tumultuous, turbulent time in the business cycle.

Cin_Vhetin · August 2

The letter is appreciated. My experience with ZOS has been that they've"turned square corners" and have always tried to be upbeat.

I have to say that it appears that MS has not turned square corners with the ESO team.

When LOTRO was going to be sunsetted years ago, a few team members got together and formed their own company, bought the rights and are still in business. Just wishing something like this could happen here.

Two years ago my husband's position was eliminated. While it hurt at the time, it turned out to be one of the best things that could've happened. We are much happier now.

I wish everyone at ZOS/ESO team well whether gone or not, and for those who left I hope the layoffs turn out to be blessings in disguise.

the90thmeridian · August 2

thats great and all but why dont you just address the elephant in the room and get rid of the dev guy who screws the game up every three months.

Hotdog_23 · August 2

Good opening letter from the new head honcho. My only criticism is that it took a while to write and say hello. I also understand things are for sure hectic for ZOS right now, so I can see it taking time to think of us, your players, to write an opening hello letter.

Also good to see promotions coming from inside ZOS and the ESO family and not bringing in an outsider to head the game we all love. With that said, congrats, and I wish you the best success. Stay safe