Monitization

Lighthope · September 1

I bought the base game years ago. I keep dipping in and out of it. Combat never really gelled with me, but I want to get away from subscription MMOs like WoW or FF14.

If I buy the Premier Edition, am I understanding that I still don't get everything? That there are still things locked being ESO+ such as end game dungeons?

I want to be able to play end game but I am dead set against a subscription. Subs makes me feel obligated, and I'd rather play when I want and drop out when I want, like I can in Guild Wars 2.

Vaqual · September 1

You can unlock all content, except for a couple quality of life features. You will not get an infinite material storage, you will have less bank and housing storage, as well as fewer furnishing slots inside your houses. You will lose a tiny boost for some currencies and XP (10%) and some wallet space for a specific currency. Lastly, you won't get certain premium shop discounts (for cosmetics).

But again, you can access all content you bought permanently and you can perform at full capacity. If your sub expires you wont lose any items or currency on the slots from ESO+, but you will not be able to go over capacity.

tincanman · September 1

Buying the latest edition (currently: 2025 Premium Edition) will give you all previous chapter (overland zones, basically) access on both servers [edit] but and does not [/edit]include the latest 'season pass' stuff (Solstice (zone) and the latest 4 dlc-dungeons).

You can buy dlc dungeons from the crown store (some older stuff is bundled, I think) but when you buy from the crown store anything bought(dungeons, mounts, assistants etc) is specific to that server (eu or na). Imperial City is free but you need to claim that from the crown store to have access.

Lighthope · September 1

tincanman wrote: »

Buying the latest edition (currently: 2025 Premium Edition) will give you all previous chapter (overland zones, basically) access on both servers but does not include the latest 'season pass' stuff (Solstice (zone) and the latest 4 dlc-dungeons).

You can buy dlc dungeons from the crown store (some older stuff is bundled, I think) but when you buy from the crown store anything bought(dungeons, mounts, assistants etc) is specific to that server (eu or na). Imperial City is free but you need to claim that from the crown store to have access.

So even though you buy the Premium Edition that says you get everything in the past (does that include all the previous DLC stuff?), and it says you get Worm Cult and Dungeon packs, there is still more that it holds back that they want you to buy?

tincanman · September 1

Lighthope wrote: »

tincanman wrote: »

Buying the latest edition (currently: 2025 Premium Edition) will give you all previous chapter (overland zones, basically) access on both servers but does not include the latest 'season pass' stuff (Solstice (zone) and the latest 4 dlc-dungeons).

You can buy dlc dungeons from the crown store (some older stuff is bundled, I think) but when you buy from the crown store anything bought(dungeons, mounts, assistants etc) is specific to that server (eu or na). Imperial City is free but you need to claim that from the crown store to have access.

So even though you buy the Premium Edition that says you get everything in the past (does that include all the previous DLC stuff?), and it says you get Worm Cult and Dungeon packs, there is still more that it holds back that they want you to buy?

Pretty much, yes.

The dungeons are crown store or eso+. The exception are the 4 dungeons this year released with the content pass.

Sorry, I just noticed that the '2025 premium edition' DOES include the 2025 content pass (Solstice zone + 4 dungeons) I edited my post above to reflect that. Looks like the '2025 premium edition' also includes the added classes(warden, necromancer and arcanist). So, other than dlc-dungeons, it looks like it's pretty much everything else.

edit:
Recent faq by zos_kevin on content pass/premium edition .

joergino · September 1

tincanman wrote: »

Lighthope wrote: »

tincanman wrote: »

Buying the latest edition (currently: 2025 Premium Edition) will give you all previous chapter (overland zones, basically) access on both servers but does not include the latest 'season pass' stuff (Solstice (zone) and the latest 4 dlc-dungeons).

You can buy dlc dungeons from the crown store (some older stuff is bundled, I think) but when you buy from the crown store anything bought(dungeons, mounts, assistants etc) is specific to that server (eu or na). Imperial City is free but you need to claim that from the crown store to have access.

So even though you buy the Premium Edition that says you get everything in the past (does that include all the previous DLC stuff?), and it says you get Worm Cult and Dungeon packs, there is still more that it holds back that they want you to buy?

Pretty much, yes.

The dungeons are crown store or eso+. The exception are the 4 dungeons this year released with the content pass.

Sorry, I just noticed that the '2025 premium edition' DOES include the 2025 content pass (Solstice zone + 4 dungeons) I edited my post above to reflect that. Looks like the '2025 premium edition' also includes the added classes(warden, necromancer and arcanist). So, other than dlc-dungeons, it looks like it's pretty much everything else.

edit:
Recent faq by zos_kevin on content pass/premium edition .

No, all the non-chapter zone DLCs are completely missing and must be bought individually - unless you happened to be around to claim them when they were given out as login rewards last year or in the case of Murkmire pretty much immediately after release. Other quarter four DLCs were awarded as event rewards to owners of the respective chapter.

JeroenB · September 1

One could view the content as three types:

overland zones originally released as Chapters;
overland zones originally released as DLC;
dungeon DLC.

The premium edition only gets you the overland zones previously released as Chapters.

Looking at UESP's DLC table, you would receive everything marked in the right-most column as originally a "Chapter". In most year-long story arcs there were four releases: one Chapter, one overland zone DLC, and two dungeon DLC.

Lighthope · September 1

Someone somewhere else told me that this year, with the Season Pass, they started including all the dungeons in that rather than have separate DLCs. Is that true?

What I am getting at is that I object to paying for an expansion and them holding back content, making you pay even more for stuff later down the line, such as additional dungeons.

I know they used to do that in the past. My understanding is that they stopped doing that with the Season Pass.

Is that true or not?

Maitsukas · September 1

Lighthope wrote: »

Someone somewhere else told me that this year, with the Season Pass, they started including all the dungeons in that rather than have separate DLCs. Is that true?

What I am getting at is that I object to paying for an expansion and them holding back content, making you pay even more for stuff later down the line, such as additional dungeons.

I know they used to do that in the past. My understanding is that they stopped doing that with the Season Pass.

Is that true or not?

Dungeon DLCs included in the 2025 Content Pass (Fallen Banners and Feast of Shadows) are available separately with ESO Plus or through the Crown Store. Seasons of the Worm Cult will probably be moved to the Crown Store next year, just like all the Chapters were.

JeroenB · September 1

Lighthope wrote: »

Someone somewhere else told me that this year, with the Season Pass, they started including all the dungeons in that rather than have separate DLCs. Is that true?

What I am getting at is that I object to paying for an expansion and them holding back content, making you pay even more for stuff later down the line, such as additional dungeons.

I know they used to do that in the past. My understanding is that they stopped doing that with the Season Pass.

Is that true or not?

Yes, but only for this year's dungeons -- Premium doesn't get you previous years' dungeon DLC or non-Chapter overland zone DLC.

If you wanted all the overland zones, in addition to the Premium Content Pass, you would need to buy Orsinium for 3000 Crowns, and Thieves' Guild, Dark Brotherhood, Clockwork City, Murkmire, Dragonhold, Markarth, The Deadlands, and Firesong for 2000 Crowns each, for a total of 19,000 Crowns.

You'd then still be missing all the previous dungeon DLC, which comes to 14 DLC × 1500 Crowns = 21,000 Crowns.

Note there are sales on both Crowns and individual DLC a number of times througout the year, so you can spend less than that if you wait for opportunities.

(Out of interest: Quite a few people don't like the Content Pass including the dungeons, for two reasons: firstly, a seemingly sizeable part of the playerbase tends to rarely venture into dungeons (or any other group content), so they feel like they're being forced to pay for something they don't want; secondly, those who have ESO+ already have access to all the DLC, so it feels like being forced to pay twice.)

Lighthope · September 1

JeroenB wrote: »

Yes, but only for this year's dungeons -- Premium doesn't get you previous years' dungeon DLC or non-Chapter overland zone DLC.

I am okay with that because that is how it was done before.

You'd then still be missing all the previous dungeon DLC, which comes to 14 DLC × 1500 Crowns = 21,000 Crowns.

That's okay with me too. I just want to know if I pay for "Season 2025" I get everything that comes out in 2025.

If you wanted all the overland zones, in addition to the Premium Content Pass, you would need to buy Orsinium for 3000 Crowns, and Thieves' Guild, Dark Brotherhood, Clockwork City, Murkmire, Dragonhold, Markarth, The Deadlands, and Firesong for 2000 Crowns each, for a total of 19,000 Crowns.

This is where I get confused. Does this mean that there will be content that comes out this "season" that I would not be getting? That they want an additional payment for?

JeroenB · September 1

Lighthope wrote: »

JeroenB wrote: »

If you wanted all the overland zones, in addition to the Premium Content Pass, you would need to buy Orsinium for 3000 Crowns, and Thieves' Guild, Dark Brotherhood, Clockwork City, Murkmire, Dragonhold, Markarth, The Deadlands, and Firesong for 2000 Crowns each, for a total of 19,000 Crowns.

This is where I get confused. Does this mean that there will be content that comes out this "season" that I would not be getting? That they want an additional payment for?

All that stuff I listed is the DLC from previous years, not 2025.

If you do not need previous years' overland zones at all, you could just get the "Digital Upgrade -- 2025 Content Pass" instead of the "Digital Game -- 2025 Premium Edition".

If you want, get:

2025 dungeons: Upgrade or Premium Content Pass
2025 overland zone: Upgrade or Premium Content Pass
previous years' Chapters: Premium Content Pass
previous years' overland zone DLC: 19k Crowns
previous years' dungeon DLC: 21k Crowns

Lighthope · September 1

JeroenB wrote: »

If you do not need previous years' overland zones at all, you could just get the "Digital Upgrade -- 2025 Content Pass" instead of the "Digital Game -- 2025 Premium Edition".

If you want, get:
2025 dungeons: Upgrade or Premium Content Pass

2025 overland zone: Upgrade or Premium Content Pass

previous years' Chapters: Premium Content Pass

previous years' overland zone DLC: 19k Crowns

previous years' dungeon DLC: 21k Crowns

This just makes it more confusing.

I look on the store page and there is no "2025 overland zone". There is only "Standard, Content, and Premium."

All I want to know is if I get the 2025 Content Pass, will I get everything that comes out in 2025? Or will they release additional material in 2025 (zones, dungeons, I don't care which) that will require yet an additional purchase via crowns, money, blood, whatever?

JeroenB · September 1

Lighthope wrote: »

JeroenB wrote: »

If you do not need previous years' overland zones at all, you could just get the "Digital Upgrade -- 2025 Content Pass" instead of the "Digital Game -- 2025 Premium Edition".

If you want, get:
2025 dungeons: Upgrade or Premium Content Pass

2025 overland zone: Upgrade or Premium Content Pass

previous years' Chapters: Premium Content Pass

previous years' overland zone DLC: 19k Crowns

previous years' dungeon DLC: 21k Crowns

This just makes it more confusing.

I look on the store page and there is no "2025 overland zone". There is only "Standard, Content, and Premium."

All I want to know is if I get the 2025 Content Pass, will I get everything that comes out in 2025? Or will they release additional material in 2025 (zones, dungeons, I don't care which) that will require yet an additional purchase via crowns, money, blood, whatever?

If you get the €49.99 "2025 Content Pass" from the store's "Digital Upgrades" section, you will get two sets of dungeon DLC and both halves of the Solstice overland zone (and some cosmetic items). As far as we know that is all the major content that will be released for ESO this year. There should be no other new overland zones or dungeon DLC. It is technically not "everything that comes out in 2025", as old and new cosmetic items are constantly being released to the Crown Store.

You initially asked about the €79.99 "2025 Premium Edition" from the store's "Digital Games" section. That includes the above plus the previous years' Chapters, and most of the answers in this thread were about which of the previous years' content you would or would not receive with the Premium Edition. I now see how our answers would be very confusing if you were asking about 2025's content specifically.

Lighthope · September 1

JeroenB wrote: »

If you get the €49.99 "2025 Content Pass" from the store's "Digital Upgrades" section, you will get two sets of dungeon DLC and both halves of the Solstice overland zone (and some cosmetic items). As far as we know that is all the major content that will be released for ESO this year. There should be no other new overland zones or dungeon DLC. It is technically not "everything that comes out in 2025", as old and new cosmetic items are constantly being released to the Crown Store.

Perfect. That is exactly what I wanted to know.

DoofusMax · September 1

Lighthope wrote: »

I bought the base game years ago. I keep dipping in and out of it. Combat never really gelled with me, but I want to get away from subscription MMOs like WoW or FF14.

If I buy the Premier Edition, am I understanding that I still don't get everything? That there are still things locked being ESO+ such as end game dungeons?

I want to be able to play end game but I am dead set against a subscription. Subs makes me feel obligated, and I'd rather play when I want and drop out when I want, like I can in Guild Wars 2.

You can do that. All of the content available through the sub is purchasable in the Crown Store. Buy it and never have to worry about keeping a sub for access. Here's the cost of the content which is not in the Premium Edition:

Year One (Thieves Guild, Dark Brotherhood, and Orsinium): 4K crowns as a bundle, or 7K separately
Years Two through Six (Morrowind through Blackwood): 3500 crowns for each bundle (2 dungeon packs and a story zone), or 1500 crowns each for the dungeon packs and 2K crowns for the story zones
Year Seven (High Isle - no bundle): 1500 crowns each for the dungeon packs and 2K crowns for the story zone
Years Eight and Nine (Necrom and Gold Road): 1500 each for two dungeon packs

The dungeon packs for "Season of the Worm Cult" are included in both the Content Pass and Premium Edition.

28K crowns for the whole of it. 28K crowns is $205 at normal prices, or it's 17 months of sub crowns (1650 per month). This is about $250 on a monthly basis for 17 months, but ~$230 for a year plus six months, plus one month. Over the long term, buying the crowns is cheaper than the sub for content access only, but the other sub perks (craft bag, bank space, furnishing vault, etc.) are very nice to have.

RexyCat · September 1

There where a sale on 2025 Content Pass (only adds new zone and DLC from that zone) and 2025 Premium Content Pass which means all earlier zones (Chapters) will be part of that upgrade.

Here it is explained better then I can do here on forum: https://alcasthq.com/eso-2025-content-pass-explained/

As an example I purchased only upgrade for Content Pass which give access to a new Island and zone quest for 479 SEK instead of 599 SEK. Premium would cost around 999 SEK. Checked confirmation email for purchase and it was in August 2025 I bought this upgrade to Content Pass.

I don't recall how much it was reduced on sale at that time, but it where at least a couple 100 SEK cheaper. Translated into dollar or Euro it would be a 10th of that price adjusted for currency exchange changes (if ESO store make use of such thing depending on where in the world you live).

I would recommend to wait until sale on 2025 Content Pass or 2025 Premium Pass as we are not far from Winter sale (in December) and most publisher and games will be on sale during that time.

Before this change to Pass we had Chapters and with Necrom in April 2024 I bought the total package version to upgrade an already upgraded account (up to Elsweyr Chapter at that time - so it could be seen to re-purchase something I already had access from earlier chapters, but would cost more to just purchase as individual upgrades).

It can be worth to purchase Premium edition where you get all Chapters at once instead of purchasing each Chapter one by one (this have been change so you wont find that offer any more with content pass/premium pass in the future according to the information ZoS have provided).

As for playing without ESO plus you will probably spend a lot of time to find place for all mats, collection (some collection are split into fragments which you need to be collected and then assemble to get the final item which take a lot of space until you have all pieces). I don't know how many museum pieces and other stuff I have in my inventory, but it is still a struggle even with ESO + to keep enough inventory slots open to decon or do a dungeon run without getting item that can be looted due to full inventory.

With ESO plus you also get 2 free Companion (you can purchase 30 day ESO+ and those will be permanently added to account, if you don't want to have a continuous ESO sub going on.

https://arzyelbuilds.com/eso-companion/

Lighthope · September 1

RexyCat wrote: »

I would recommend to wait until sale on 2025 Content Pass or 2025 Premium Pass as we are not far from Winter sale (in December) and most publisher and games will be on sale during that time.

Definitely going to wait for a sale. $80 for Premium is way too expensive.

ESO_player123 · September 2

Lighthope wrote: »

RexyCat wrote: »

I would recommend to wait until sale on 2025 Content Pass or 2025 Premium Pass as we are not far from Winter sale (in December) and most publisher and games will be on sale during that time.

Definitely going to wait for a sale. $80 for Premium is way too expensive.

Just keep in mind that you will be missing the Solstice part of the Writhing Wall event (it's in October). You still will be able to participate in the base game part though. If events is not your cup of tea, then it does not matter of course.

LunaFlora · September 2

ESO_player123 wrote: »

Lighthope wrote: »

RexyCat wrote: »

I would recommend to wait until sale on 2025 Content Pass or 2025 Premium Pass as we are not far from Winter sale (in December) and most publisher and games will be on sale during that time.

Definitely going to wait for a sale. $80 for Premium is way too expensive.

Just keep in mind that you will be missing the Solstice part of the Writhing Wall event (it's in October). You still will be able to participate in the base game part though. If events is not your cup of tea, then it does not matter of course.

though it is likely the 2025 Content Pass will be discounted during the event

scrappy1342 · September 2

it should be 50-60% off during the event. or at least that's how they've always done it in the past. just don't panic the morning of because they wait until afternoon to turn it on (probably to get ppl to panic buy because OMG THE EVENT STARTED!!!!)

ESO_player123 · September 2

LunaFlora wrote: »

ESO_player123 wrote: »

Lighthope wrote: »

RexyCat wrote: »

I would recommend to wait until sale on 2025 Content Pass or 2025 Premium Pass as we are not far from Winter sale (in December) and most publisher and games will be on sale during that time.

Definitely going to wait for a sale. $80 for Premium is way too expensive.

Just keep in mind that you will be missing the Solstice part of the Writhing Wall event (it's in October). You still will be able to participate in the base game part though. If events is not your cup of tea, then it does not matter of course.

though it is likely the 2025 Content Pass will be discounted during the event

Quite possibly. The only reason I replied is because someone mentioned the sale in December.

JeroenB · September 2

Personally I normally wait for the Black Friday sale. High Isle deluxe collection was €23, Gold Roald deluxe upgrade was €15.

Though this year I'm seriously considering waiting for Solstice to be released as overland zone DLC next year and buying that with stockpiled ESO+ Crowns instead.