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ESO+ Trial?

BloodRedHurricane
BloodRedHurricane
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Don't we have any information about this, yet?
Edited by ZOS_Hadeostry on January 1, 2026 8:23PM
  • ankeor
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    If there would be anything you would find it here
    https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news
  • Last'One
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    Humankind is amazing, isn’t it? Right now, I wouldn’t even play ESO if ZOS paid me, while others are eager to play for free. Amazing.
    Elder Scrolls Online? A delightful blend of tragedy and comedy. Hilarious! Terrifying!
    As Sheogorath, say: "If it makes you laugh and cry at the same time… PERFECT! Do it again!"
  • freespirit
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    Last'One wrote: »
    Humankind is amazing, isn’t it? Right now, I wouldn’t even play ESO if ZOS paid me, while others are eager to play for free. Amazing.

    Yet here you are on the game's dedicated forums..... yep humans are indeed weird!! :D

    As far as the ESO+ Free Trial goes, maybe January, maybe February, maybe not at all. They don't tend to announce them very far in advance and the previous year's the dates are not consistent, we had one in August so as I said maybe in the next couple of months :)
    When people say to me........
    "You're going to regret that in the morning"
    I sleep until midday cos I'm a problem solver!
  • Mesite
    Mesite
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    ESO+ was useful for the inventory. Now I don't pick things up. I used to keep some things in case I needed them in the future but I realise I probably won't be doing any crafting in the future, or changing my armour much, so I sell them. Inventory problem solved without ESO+.

    I also have all the DLC I need, although I still need the last class on PC. If the Arcanist came with the ESO+ trial then that would be good.
  • Artisian0001
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    Last'One wrote: »
    Humankind is amazing, isn’t it? Right now, I wouldn’t even play ESO if ZOS paid me, while others are eager to play for free. Amazing.

    Saying this while on the game's forum is peak irony.
  • Recent
    Recent
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    Last'One wrote: »
    Humankind is amazing, isn’t it? Right now, I wouldn’t even play ESO if ZOS paid me, while others are eager to play for free. Amazing.

    Saying this while on the game's forum is peak irony.

    Absolute irony 😂
  • valenwood_vegan
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    The only information any of us would have is a list of past free trials, see https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:ESO_Plus

    Zos usually doesn't say anything until right before they're about to start.

    They cut back on them significantly in 2025, so not sure what that means for free trials in 2026.
    Recent wrote: »
    Last'One wrote: »
    Humankind is amazing, isn’t it? Right now, I wouldn’t even play ESO if ZOS paid me, while others are eager to play for free. Amazing.

    Saying this while on the game's forum is peak irony.

    Absolute irony 😂

    And yeah lol, once I quit a playing a game I definitely don't continue to think about it regularly, or hang around its forums harassing people who are enjoying it. Humankind is amazing.
    Edited by valenwood_vegan on December 31, 2025 10:58PM
  • Last'One
    Last'One
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    freespirit wrote: »
    Last'One wrote: »
    Humankind is amazing, isn’t it? Right now, I wouldn’t even play ESO if ZOS paid me, while others are eager to play for free. Amazing.

    Yet here you are on the game's dedicated forums..... yep humans are indeed weird!! :D

    As far as the ESO+ Free Trial goes, maybe January, maybe February, maybe not at all. They don't tend to announce them very far in advance and the previous year's the dates are not consistent, we had one in August so as I said maybe in the next couple of months :)

    Maybe because the game forum is more fun than the game itself!
    At least here we don’t have beams, and everyone is different. Can you say the same about the game?
    And I keep my lore: talking about how bad this game has become. Does ESO keep its lore? Nope!
    Elder Scrolls Online? A delightful blend of tragedy and comedy. Hilarious! Terrifying!
    As Sheogorath, say: "If it makes you laugh and cry at the same time… PERFECT! Do it again!"
  • BloodRedHurricane
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    I wonder if they would let access us players to access ESO+ only furniture container thingy. Who knows, slim chance imo.
  • freespirit
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    Last'One wrote: »
    freespirit wrote: »
    Last'One wrote: »
    Humankind is amazing, isn’t it? Right now, I wouldn’t even play ESO if ZOS paid me, while others are eager to play for free. Amazing.

    Yet here you are on the game's dedicated forums..... yep humans are indeed weird!! :D

    As far as the ESO+ Free Trial goes, maybe January, maybe February, maybe not at all. They don't tend to announce them very far in advance and the previous year's the dates are not consistent, we had one in August so as I said maybe in the next couple of months :)

    Maybe because the game forum is more fun than the game itself!
    At least here we don’t have beams, and everyone is different. Can you say the same about the game?
    And I keep my lore: talking about how bad this game has become. Does ESO keep its lore? Nope!

    It is personal choice to use beams or not, I choose not to, I dislike it as a skill, I do fine without it!

    As for Lore, surely that by its nature is an ever evolving thing? Frequently in previous TES games lore has been manipulated by whatever means the developer's choose to use.

    To my mind saying ESO doesn't keep to lore is a non argument, it's timeline is previous to all other TES games and as such is really open to Lore we didn't even know existed! :)
    When people say to me........
    "You're going to regret that in the morning"
    I sleep until midday cos I'm a problem solver!
  • Last'One
    Last'One
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    freespirit wrote: »
    Last'One wrote: »
    freespirit wrote: »
    Last'One wrote: »
    Humankind is amazing, isn’t it? Right now, I wouldn’t even play ESO if ZOS paid me, while others are eager to play for free. Amazing.

    Yet here you are on the game's dedicated forums..... yep humans are indeed weird!! :D

    As far as the ESO+ Free Trial goes, maybe January, maybe February, maybe not at all. They don't tend to announce them very far in advance and the previous year's the dates are not consistent, we had one in August so as I said maybe in the next couple of months :)

    Maybe because the game forum is more fun than the game itself!
    At least here we don’t have beams, and everyone is different. Can you say the same about the game?
    And I keep my lore: talking about how bad this game has become. Does ESO keep its lore? Nope!

    It is personal choice to use beams or not, I choose not to, I dislike it as a skill, I do fine without it!

    As for Lore, surely that by its nature is an ever evolving thing? Frequently in previous TES games lore has been manipulated by whatever means the developer's choose to use.

    To my mind saying ESO doesn't keep to lore is a non argument, it's timeline is previous to all other TES games and as such is really open to Lore we didn't even know existed! :)


    Sure, beams are a personal choice, just like not using them. My point isn’t that players are forced into it, but that the game design increasingly funnels people toward the same solutions. When one option is so clearly stronger, variety becomes theoretical rather than practical. The forum, ironically, shows more diversity of thought than the gameplay itself.

    As for lore: yes, lore evolves, that’s natural. But there’s a difference between expanding lore and bending or contradicting established foundations for convenience. ESO often chooses the latter. Saying "it’s set earlier in the timeline" doesn’t automatically justify ignoring tone, consistency, or previously defined rules of the universe.

    ESO could explore unknown lore creatively, and sometimes it does, but too often it rewrites or dilutes what made TES lore coherent and meaningful in the first place. Calling that out isn’t a "non-argument"; it’s criticism of how evolution is handled.


    can you explain how a Necromancer + Templar build is supposed to fit within ESO lore?
    Necromancy is a taboo practice with clear moral and social consequences, while Templars traditionally draw power from faith, doctrine, and sanctioned orders.
    How do those two worldviews coexist in a single character without contradicting established TES lore?
    Elder Scrolls Online? A delightful blend of tragedy and comedy. Hilarious! Terrifying!
    As Sheogorath, say: "If it makes you laugh and cry at the same time… PERFECT! Do it again!"
  • freespirit
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    I do agree that traditionally a Templar and a Necromancer wouldn't be paired together.

    One of my Templar's has a very unholy gambling addiction, our character's are what we want them to be...... many people have backstories deeply entrenched in Lore, many people don't.

    I have backstories for mine that stretch over multiple accounts, most of which are probably not what most people would consider "Lore friendly" however as you said in your first post "Humankind is amazing" so it would follow in an online game that our character's would be amazing too, crazy, weird, lore breaking, whatever but always amazing! <3
    When people say to me........
    "You're going to regret that in the morning"
    I sleep until midday cos I'm a problem solver!
  • freespirit
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    @BloodRedHurricane there are currently less and less reasons to sub to ESO+ than before, I find it exceedingly unlikely that the furnishing vault will be available any other way than subbing, much the same as the craft bag!
    When people say to me........
    "You're going to regret that in the morning"
    I sleep until midday cos I'm a problem solver!
  • Radiate77
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    A Templar + Necromancer is no longer either.

    It is a new class entirely, and yes… you could do this in every other game before it.
  • Gabriel_H
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    Last'One wrote: »
    can you explain how a Necromancer + Templar build is supposed to fit within ESO lore?
    Necromancy is a taboo practice with clear moral and social consequences, while Templars traditionally draw power from faith, doctrine, and sanctioned orders.
    How do those two worldviews coexist in a single character without contradicting established TES lore?

    Templars don't draw their power from faith, doctrine or sanctioned orders in TES. It's an urban myth within the lore itself. Templars draw their power directly from the Aetherius, not from a specific Aedra. Aetherius being the source of all magic, and that includes Necromancy.

    In addition to their non-Divine power, the lore also includes Templars who served Daedra, while maintaining their powers and abilities, as the former comes from a channel to the Aetherius which is specific to some individuals, negating the moral requirement of good and evil.

    So, while there may not be specific lore on (lets call them) fallen Templars; the lore allows for a Templar to utilize Necromancy, or a Necromancer to utilize their inborn connection to the Aetherius with the appropriate approach and aptitude to access Templar magics.

    Edit: Typos
    Edited by Gabriel_H on January 1, 2026 1:51AM
    PC EU
    Never get involved in a land war in Asia - it's one of the classic blunders!
  • ElvenOverlord
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    freespirit wrote: »
    Last'One wrote: »
    Humankind is amazing, isn’t it? Right now, I wouldn’t even play ESO if ZOS paid me, while others are eager to play for free. Amazing.

    Yet here you are on the game's dedicated forums..... yep humans are indeed weird!! :D

    As far as the ESO+ Free Trial goes, maybe January, maybe February, maybe not at all. They don't tend to announce them very far in advance and the previous year's the dates are not consistent, we had one in August so as I said maybe in the next couple of months :)

    I always find it funny people who claim not to play ESO and that they’re done with it are pretty active around here. I guess I could see them being around every now and then and looking for a reason to come back, but you have some that are frequently active here even though they don’t like or play the game anymore
  • Last&#039;One
    Last'One
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    Gabriel_H wrote: »
    Last'One wrote: »
    can you explain how a Necromancer + Templar build is supposed to fit within ESO lore?
    Necromancy is a taboo practice with clear moral and social consequences, while Templars traditionally draw power from faith, doctrine, and sanctioned orders.
    How do those two worldviews coexist in a single character without contradicting established TES lore?

    Templars don't draw their power from faith, doctrine or sanctioned orders in TES. It's an urban myth within the lore itself. Templars draw their power directly from the Aetherius, not from a specific Aedra. Aetherius being the source of all magic, and that includes Necromancy.

    In addition to their non-Divine power, the lore also includes Templars who served Daedra, while maintaining their powers and abilities, as the former comes from a channel to the Aetherius which is specific to some individuals, negating the moral requirement of good and evil.

    So, while there may not be specific lore on (lets call them) fallen Templars; the lore allows for a Templar to utilize Necromancy, or a Necromancer to utilize their inborn connection to the Aetherius with the appropriate approach and aptitude to access Templar magics.

    Edit: Typos


    I don’t disagree that Templar power ultimately comes from Aetherius , that part is well established. But reducing Templars to "any Aetherial channeler" strips away the cultural and narrative context that TES lore consistently attaches to magical practice.

    Yes, Aetherius is the source of all magicka, including necromancy, but how that power is accessed, taught, and sanctioned matters in TES. Necromancy isn’t taboo because of its energy source; it’s taboo because of its method, intent, and societal consequences. Those distinctions are central to TES lore across multiple games.

    While there are cases of Templars serving Daedra or acting outside orthodox structures, those are exceptions that carry narrative weight, not proof that all archetypes are freely interchangeable. The lore doesn’t present necromancy and Templar traditions as parallel disciplines with casual overlap, it presents necromancy as something that provokes condemnation, exile, or secrecy, even when practiced by otherwise sanctioned mages.

    So the issue isn’t whether it’s technically possible for one individual to access both sources of magic. The issue is that ESO’s subclassing treats these combinations as normative and frictionless, ignoring the social, religious, and ethical tension that TES lore insists should exist.

    In short: lore allows for rare, conflicted, or fallen individuals, it does not support turning those edge cases into standard, consequence-free builds.

    Elder Scrolls Online? A delightful blend of tragedy and comedy. Hilarious! Terrifying!
    As Sheogorath, say: "If it makes you laugh and cry at the same time… PERFECT! Do it again!"
  • Gabriel_H
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    Last'One wrote: »
    I don’t disagree that Templar power ultimately comes from Aetherius , that part is well established. But reducing Templars to "any Aetherial channeler" strips away the cultural and narrative context that TES lore consistently attaches to magical practice.

    But that is what Templars are - they are an Aetherial channeler who have gone down a specific route utilizing an inate talent. The cultural and narrative context TES lore attaches is itself largely an urban myth within the lore. Templars are seen by the populace as divine or agents of the Aedra - the lore notes this, and specifically says that is not actually the case.

    Edit: It's also worth noting that Templar magics were not devised by Templars, but by the Resolutes of Stendarr - a specific knightly order, whose work was then expanded upon, further showing that devotion to a specific deity was not needed.
    Edited by Gabriel_H on January 1, 2026 3:16PM
    PC EU
    Never get involved in a land war in Asia - it's one of the classic blunders!
  • Cooperharley
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    Last'One wrote: »
    Humankind is amazing, isn’t it? Right now, I wouldn’t even play ESO if ZOS paid me, while others are eager to play for free. Amazing.
    Last'One wrote: »
    Humankind is amazing, isn’t it? Right now, I wouldn’t even play ESO if ZOS paid me, while others are eager to play for free. Amazing.

    🤣
  • Ingenon
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    I think these forums would be much better if ZOS only let active players post. Something like several guilds I belong to will do, they kick players who have not shown up as online for the past 30 days.
  • SilverBride
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    Ingenon wrote: »
    I think these forums would be much better if ZOS only let active players post. Something like several guilds I belong to will do, they kick players who have not shown up as online for the past 30 days.

    I completely agree and wish they would do something. A surprising amount of posters don't play so they have no first hand knowledge of the current state of the game to give any informed feedback. I don't understand why someone that quit playing keeps coming to the forums and posting anyway.
    PCNA
  • Last&#039;One
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    Ingenon wrote: »
    I think these forums would be much better if ZOS only let active players post. Something like several guilds I belong to will do, they kick players who have not shown up as online for the past 30 days.

    I completely agree and wish they would do something. A surprising amount of posters don't play so they have no first hand knowledge of the current state of the game to give any informed feedback. I don't understand why someone that quit playing keeps coming to the forums and posting anyway.

    Just out of curiosity, how do you know whether people play the game?

    I was a very active player in this game almost since its release, easily 12+ hours every single day.
    Until the Arcanist release. That pushed me a bit away, but I was still very active. With subclassing, I simply refuse to stay in the game for more than 5 minutes.

    This was not an option I wanted to take; it was an option I had to make, because the game is not fun at all now. It’s a mess, it’s a shame, it’s chaos and yet I still log in....

    And you want to push players away just because they come to the forum saying this or that? xD lol


    Edited by Last'One on January 1, 2026 6:34PM
    Elder Scrolls Online? A delightful blend of tragedy and comedy. Hilarious! Terrifying!
    As Sheogorath, say: "If it makes you laugh and cry at the same time… PERFECT! Do it again!"
  • SilverBride
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    Last'One wrote: »
    Just out of curiosity, how do you know whether people play the game?

    They post that they no longer play, some for years.

    Last'One wrote: »
    And you want to push players away just because they come to the forum saying this or that?

    No. I want only active players to post, because anyone that hasn't played in a long time has no first hand knowledge of the current state of the game, so what feedback can they give?
    PCNA
  • Savina
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    Last'One wrote: »
    Just out of curiosity, how do you know whether people play the game?

    They post that they no longer play, some for years.

    Last'One wrote: »
    And you want to push players away just because they come to the forum saying this or that?

    No. I want only active players to post, because anyone that hasn't played in a long time has no first hand knowledge of the current state of the game, so what feedback can they give?


    Censoring the voices of past/current players that still have a vested interest in this game is NOT the answer. Many of them are here posting because they love this game as much as any of us, they just can't stomach some of the changes that have killed their preferred playstyle. Censorship is NEVER the answer, you don't know what you don't know if you are not willing to explore all opinions.
  • SilverBride
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    Savina wrote: »
    Last'One wrote: »
    Just out of curiosity, how do you know whether people play the game?

    They post that they no longer play, some for years.

    Last'One wrote: »
    And you want to push players away just because they come to the forum saying this or that?

    No. I want only active players to post, because anyone that hasn't played in a long time has no first hand knowledge of the current state of the game, so what feedback can they give?


    Censoring the voices of past/current players that still have a vested interest in this game is NOT the answer. Many of them are here posting because they love this game as much as any of us, they just can't stomach some of the changes that have killed their preferred playstyle. Censorship is NEVER the answer, you don't know what you don't know if you are not willing to explore all opinions.

    It's not censorship. It's keeping the feedback relevant. Someone that no longer plays has no current first hand feedback.
    PCNA
  • valenwood_vegan
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    I think it's fine for players to come on here and constructively express their feedback, even if they're not currently active.

    But that is not what occurred in this thread. Repetitive, completely off-topic complaining from players who don't play anymore, and who have already expressed their opinion dozens of times in relevant threads, just comes across as petty trolling after a while.
  • Savina
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    Savina wrote: »
    Last'One wrote: »
    Just out of curiosity, how do you know whether people play the game?

    They post that they no longer play, some for years.

    Last'One wrote: »
    And you want to push players away just because they come to the forum saying this or that?

    No. I want only active players to post, because anyone that hasn't played in a long time has no first hand knowledge of the current state of the game, so what feedback can they give?


    Censoring the voices of past/current players that still have a vested interest in this game is NOT the answer. Many of them are here posting because they love this game as much as any of us, they just can't stomach some of the changes that have killed their preferred playstyle. Censorship is NEVER the answer, you don't know what you don't know if you are not willing to explore all opinions.

    It's not censorship. It's keeping the feedback relevant. Someone that no longer plays has no current first hand feedback.


    OK. That can be your opinion and you are entitled to it. No players that are not active. Let all the active 1 month players have relevant feed back. Who knows a small percentage of those might still be here in a few months.

    My opinion is that someone that has played this game for 9 or 10 years and no longer enjoys logging in is welcome to post and let ZoS know why they don't enjoy the game anymore. Hopefully ZoS can address some of their pain points and we can get some players back to have a growing, and healthy community of players.

    What you propose is censorship. I respect that it is your opinion. Doesn't make it the only opinion.
    Edited by Savina on January 1, 2026 7:27PM
  • Gabriel_H
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    Savina wrote: »
    My opinion is that someone that has played this game for 9 or 10 years and no longer enjoys logging in is welcome to post and let ZoS know why they don't enjoy the game anymore. Hopefully ZoS can address some of their pain points and we can get some players back to have a growing, and healthy community of players.

    ZOS are never going to listen to the opinion of just one customer, no company will, especially if that customer has already stopped using the product.

    PC EU
    Never get involved in a land war in Asia - it's one of the classic blunders!
  • robwolf666
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    Speaking of ESO +, just saw the price hike... last time my rebill went through it was £35 for 6 months... in February this year the rebill will be £42 - what's the extra for?

    No thanks - just cancelled.
    Doesn't mean I'll stop playing, but stop ripping us off!
  • Mesite
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    I don't mind ex-players posting unless it is unnecessarily negative and critical, and repetitive. The forums can often be very negative which doesn't encourage new people who might start by reading the forums before they try the game.

    ESO changed massively last year.

    If the ex-players state they haven't played for a while, and then take part in unnecessary arguments that don't contribute anything? Rather than censorship, stopping them from posting could be classed as ESO preservation.

    But positive ideas and suggestions should always be welcomed.
    Edited by Mesite on January 1, 2026 7:51PM
This discussion has been closed.