ESO on Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Play Anywhere

ZOS_JessicaFolsom · February 18

We wanted to give everyone an FYI - later this year, ESO for Xbox will be available with Xbox Game Pass as an Xbox Play Anywhere game, which will include PC. Over the next few months, you may run into it in various unplayable states in the Xbox store as we complete internal testing. But we wanted you to know in case you stumbled across it - yes, it is real. No, you can't play it from there yet. And yes, we will absolutely tell you more as we get closer to launching it. Also, if you download the ESO file from the Xbox app on Windows while it's in the unplayable state, it's just the screenshot, not the game.

wolfie1.0. · February 23

Question: once this goes live will we be able to select if we login to the Xbox servers or PC servers? Or will we be directed to the Xbox servers automatically?

BenevolentBowd · February 23

wolfie1.0. wrote: »

Question: once this goes live will we be able to select if we login to the Xbox servers or PC servers? Or will we be directed to the Xbox servers automatically?

Hmm, interesting.

Does this mean that ESO PC will abandon it's own launcher and move to the Xbox app?

Other play anywhere games I've played shared the same save files, so I'm curious which megaserver will be available.

SnakeDodger · February 23

This is actually amazing, if it works as it seems it's going to.
It's probably still just the xbox server, but you can continue your xbox save on a pc environment.

SkaiFaith · February 23

SnakeDodger wrote: »

This is actually amazing, if it works as it seems it's going to.
It's probably still just the xbox server, but you can continue your xbox save on a pc environment.

Amazing and absolutely necessary - who knows how long Xbox consoles will exist. Some Xbox players are starting to feel the urge to move to PC. Then the question will be how long Microsoft will keep gaming alive, but let's not go ahead of ourselves and enjoy the good news instead for now

virtus753 · February 24

SkaiFaith wrote: »

SnakeDodger wrote: »

This is actually amazing, if it works as it seems it's going to.
It's probably still just the xbox server, but you can continue your xbox save on a pc environment.

Amazing and absolutely necessary - who knows how long Xbox consoles will exist. Some Xbox players are starting to feel the urge to move to PC. Then the question will be how long Microsoft will keep gaming alive, but let's not go ahead of ourselves and enjoy the good news instead for now

Legitimate questions in light of the change of personnel at the top of Xbox.

Reverb · February 24

BenevolentBowd wrote: »

wolfie1.0. wrote: »

Question: once this goes live will we be able to select if we login to the Xbox servers or PC servers? Or will we be directed to the Xbox servers automatically?

Hmm, interesting.

Does this mean that ESO PC will abandon it's own launcher and move to the Xbox app?

Other play anywhere games I've played shared the same save files, so I'm curious which megaserver will be available.

I’m wondering that too. I support the game being available through multiple ways but I don’t want to be forced to the Xbox launcher. I wonder if we’ll have to eventually and this is part of prepping for crossplay and crossprog.

ZOS_JessicaFolsom · February 24

SnakeDodger wrote: »

This is actually amazing, if it works as it seems it's going to.
It's probably still just the xbox server, but you can continue your xbox save on a pc environment.

Thanks, @SnakeDodger! This is accurate. Players on Xbox Play Anywhere will be using the Xbox ESO realms, and require logging into an Xbox ESO account.

BenevolentBowd · February 24

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

SnakeDodger wrote: »

This is actually amazing, if it works as it seems it's going to.
It's probably still just the xbox server, but you can continue your xbox save on a pc environment.

Thanks, @SnakeDodger! This is accurate. Players on Xbox Play Anywhere will be using the Xbox ESO realms, and require logging into an Xbox ESO account.

Ok, it sounds exactly like how ESO works on Xbox Cloud gaming.

SnakeDodger · February 25

BenevolentBowd wrote: »

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

SnakeDodger wrote: »

This is actually amazing, if it works as it seems it's going to.
It's probably still just the xbox server, but you can continue your xbox save on a pc environment.

Thanks, @SnakeDodger! This is accurate. Players on Xbox Play Anywhere will be using the Xbox ESO realms, and require logging into an Xbox ESO account.

Ok, it sounds exactly like how ESO works on Xbox Cloud gaming.

Except it's a native pc build, and not depedent on a game pass subscription, or other streaming shenanigans like not good enough internet

Colindestiny2 · February 28

Question because I am curious since this game is an MMO will an game pass sub be needed to play this via Xbox play anywhere when you guys do release it?

SkaiFaith · February 28

Colindestiny2 wrote: »

Question because I am curious since this game is an MMO will an game pass sub be needed to play this via Xbox play anywhere when you guys do release it?

Recent rumors said with upcoming console generation they'll get rid of the need for GamePass to access multiplayer functionalities.
If that's true we won't need it anymore to play ESO, both on PC and console, if we already own a copy of the game.
But with all the shakeups at Microsoft, who knows anything anymore...

Colindestiny2 · February 28

SkaiFaith wrote: »

Colindestiny2 wrote: »

Question because I am curious since this game is an MMO will an game pass sub be needed to play this via Xbox play anywhere when you guys do release it?

Recent rumors said with upcoming console generation they'll get rid of the need for GamePass to access multiplayer functionalities.
If that's true we won't need it anymore to play ESO, both on PC and console, if we already own a copy of the game.
But with all the shakeups at Microsoft, who knows anything anymore...

Yeah with the shakeups at microsoft I don't think anyones but if they do remove the need for gamepass for multiplayer games that would be amazing and huge!!!!!

HedgeHugger · February 28

So what happens with 2 accounts? I play on Xbox and PC and need to keep them separate. The email for both is the same. They are linked.

Hurbster · February 28

Will be able to log on to my PC account through the gamepass pc app? I have always used the Bethesda launcher before.

Vampryss · March 2

I'm a little confused as to what this means going forward. As a PC & Mac player, I do NOT want to log in via Xbox anything. I do not use Steam either. I like to be in control of my own downloads and game management. It's the largest reason why I left ESO on PlayStation.

Please clarify what the plan is.

LootAllTheStuff · March 2

Vampryss wrote: »

I'm a little confused as to what this means going forward. As a PC & Mac player, I do NOT want to log in via Xbox anything. I do not use Steam either. I like to be in control of my own downloads and game management. It's the largest reason why I left ESO on PlayStation.

Please clarify what the plan is.

Currently, "XBox Play Anywhere" games co-exist with current PC/Mac store-front offerings, be that MS, Steam, Epic, GOG, or publisher-specific. The main selling point is that someone with a play anywhere game can progress the same save files on either XBox or PC under the same account. So in that sense it shouldn't affect your current setup at all - whatever you've purchased direct from ZOS and installed on your Mac & PC should still carry on exactly the same.

As pointed out by others above, however, it's not clear if the current vision at MS for play anywhere titles will continue as is or change in some meaningful manner. We'll have to wait on that.

James-Wayne · March 4

Question... If we have both a Xbox and PC account can I overwrite my Xbox account with my PC one?

The characters on my Xbox account are 14+ years old so I want to replace them.

James-Wayne · March 4

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

SnakeDodger wrote: »

This is actually amazing, if it works as it seems it's going to.
It's probably still just the xbox server, but you can continue your xbox save on a pc environment.

Thanks, @SnakeDodger! This is accurate. Players on Xbox Play Anywhere will be using the Xbox ESO realms, and require logging into an Xbox ESO account.

Nooooo... I hope you can merge the Xbox and PC servers or do some kind of game save transfer to the Xbox server like Console launch.

Id love to play my PC account via Xbox cloud or on my Rog Ally X

lillybit · March 4

James-Wayne wrote: »

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

SnakeDodger wrote: »

This is actually amazing, if it works as it seems it's going to.
It's probably still just the xbox server, but you can continue your xbox save on a pc environment.

Thanks, @SnakeDodger! This is accurate. Players on Xbox Play Anywhere will be using the Xbox ESO realms, and require logging into an Xbox ESO account.

Nooooo... I hope you can merge the Xbox and PC servers or do some kind of game save transfer to the Xbox server like Console launch.

Id love to play my PC account via Xbox cloud or on my Rog Ally X

Not sure if they'll merge or not, but supposed to be cross progression coming with cross play. I'm looking forward to playing my PlayStation account on my PC

SnakeDodger · March 4

James-Wayne wrote: »

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

SnakeDodger wrote: »

This is actually amazing, if it works as it seems it's going to.
It's probably still just the xbox server, but you can continue your xbox save on a pc environment.

Thanks, @SnakeDodger! This is accurate. Players on Xbox Play Anywhere will be using the Xbox ESO realms, and require logging into an Xbox ESO account.

Nooooo... I hope you can merge the Xbox and PC servers or do some kind of game save transfer to the Xbox server like Console launch.

Id love to play my PC account via Xbox cloud or on my Rog Ally X

There's no ESO for pc on the microsoft store as far as ik. You can consider the MS Store and Xbox as being one platform, even if one is on pc and the other on console. The other pc launchers and versions of this game have nothing to do with this.

James-Wayne · March 12

lillybit wrote: »

James-Wayne wrote: »

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

SnakeDodger wrote: »

This is actually amazing, if it works as it seems it's going to.
It's probably still just the xbox server, but you can continue your xbox save on a pc environment.

Thanks, @SnakeDodger! This is accurate. Players on Xbox Play Anywhere will be using the Xbox ESO realms, and require logging into an Xbox ESO account.

Nooooo... I hope you can merge the Xbox and PC servers or do some kind of game save transfer to the Xbox server like Console launch.

Id love to play my PC account via Xbox cloud or on my Rog Ally X

Not sure if they'll merge or not, but supposed to be cross progression coming with cross play. I'm looking forward to playing my PlayStation account on my PC

Not seen cross progression announced but if true they must have some sort of server tech to pass your account from server to server which would be ok because I then login to the MS Store ESO with my account details similar to how Diablo 4 works

But even then as I have two different account states on different servers not sure how that works unless you can simply select it.

Have to wait and see I guess

BenevolentBowd · March 18

To make things more muddled, the next Xbox console will play PC and Xbox games and Windows 11 is getting Xbox Mode....

So...

PC will be able to play on PC Megaservers or Xbox Megaserver (Xbox mode / Play Anywhere)

Xbox will be able to play on Xbox Megaserver and PC Megaserver (Windows Mode?) and Steam if I recall.

History tells us it is possible to move accounts from one megaservers (eg. console launch), but the population was much smaller. It will be interesting to see what happens.

lillybit · March 18

James-Wayne wrote: »

lillybit wrote: »

James-Wayne wrote: »

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

SnakeDodger wrote: »

This is actually amazing, if it works as it seems it's going to.
It's probably still just the xbox server, but you can continue your xbox save on a pc environment.

Thanks, @SnakeDodger! This is accurate. Players on Xbox Play Anywhere will be using the Xbox ESO realms, and require logging into an Xbox ESO account.

Nooooo... I hope you can merge the Xbox and PC servers or do some kind of game save transfer to the Xbox server like Console launch.

Id love to play my PC account via Xbox cloud or on my Rog Ally X

Not sure if they'll merge or not, but supposed to be cross progression coming with cross play. I'm looking forward to playing my PlayStation account on my PC

Not seen cross progression announced but if true they must have some sort of server tech to pass your account from server to server which would be ok because I then login to the MS Store ESO with my account details similar to how Diablo 4 works

But even then as I have two different account states on different servers not sure how that works unless you can simply select it.

Have to wait and see I guess

I haven't seen it personally but someone on another post/poll here about cross play posted a screenshot of ZOS_Susan saying "We will be doing crossplay and crossprog at the same time." I've also read an external article that said she confirmed it in January.

My guess is with the reduced playerbase there is now, they'll just move everything on to the one server (or 2 with EU and NA, which will stay seperate as I understand it). It would be a great opportunity for them to reduce their running costs by a third!

I don't know how other games work tho, I only really play ESO