Crafting Bag is the biggest turn off for a new player

Arunei · March 3

They could very easily replace the crafting bag with something else to keep people subbed. The simple fact that inventory management is such a pain that everyone speculates it's the main reason why most people sub at all makes it clear SOMETHING needs to be done that ISN'T selling the solution to a problem they created.

Make the Bag base game and add in four of the current Crown Crate every month, increase the amount of Crowns you get, add Crown Gems as something you get every month, increase the additional gold to like 30% or something, add more "free" things to Plus that people can claim every month, and that's just a few things they could do.

Or like I said before, add a more limited version of the Bag to base game. Make it hold sonewhere like 50-100 unique stacks. People who are crafters/hoarders like me will still need/want the "unlimited" version, and the people who don't hard-core craft or whatever can get by with the Lite version.

Also don't forget that just because all content going forward is free, which includes all DLC and Dungeons, all the DLC/Dungeons currently in the store require you either own them or continue to sub to access them.

ESO_player123 · March 3

Arunei wrote: »

They could very easily replace the crafting bag with something else to keep people subbed. The simple fact that inventory management is such a pain that everyone speculates it's the main reason why most people sub at all makes it clear SOMETHING needs to be done that ISN'T selling the solution to a problem they created.

Make the Bag base game and add in four of the current Crown Crate every month, increase the amount of Crowns you get, add Crown Gems as something you get every month, increase the additional gold to like 30% or something, add more "free" things to Plus that people can claim every month, and that's just a few things they could do.

Or like I said before, add a more limited version of the Bag to base game. Make it hold sonewhere like 50-100 unique stacks. People who are crafters/hoarders like me will still need/want the "unlimited" version, and the people who don't hard-core craft or whatever can get by with the Lite version.

Also don't forget that just because all content going forward is free, which includes all DLC and Dungeons, all the DLC/Dungeons currently in the store require you either own them or continue to sub to access them.

That is the thing: it's not that easy to come up with something that is equivalent in value to the craft bag. None of the things that you listed are even close considering how many people are subbing for the sole reason of the craft bag.

Solvar · March 3

I wonder if a limited (non ESO+) craft bag that holds 50 of each item would reduce inventory friction, especially for newer players, but for experienced players/serious crafters, would still be insufficient and thus keep them subscribing to ESO+.
50 isn't a lot, and those who do serious crafting will still have to deal with limited storage, but that would be enough to hold more of the obscure style stones and other rare ingredients.
For new players to sell off those uncommon/unused crafting materials is its own challenge - need to know value, need to be in a guild with a trader, and if you only have 1 of the given item (hence, why you don't want to store it to use up space), it might just not be worth the effort of trying to list it on a guild trader vs what you will get if it does sell.

AzuraFan · March 3

Arunei wrote: »

They could very easily replace the crafting bag with something else to keep people subbed. The simple fact that inventory management is such a pain that everyone speculates it's the main reason why most people sub at all makes it clear SOMETHING needs to be done that ISN'T selling the solution to a problem they created.

Make the Bag base game and add in four of the current Crown Crate every month, increase the amount of Crowns you get, add Crown Gems as something you get every month, increase the additional gold to like 30% or something, add more "free" things to Plus that people can claim every month, and that's just a few things they could do.

I wouldn't stay subscribed for four crown crates every month, or an increase in crowns, or additional gold, or more free stuff. I subscribe because the craft bag makes my life so much easier in ESO. If they gave it to me for free, I wouldn't need a subscription.

It's not as easy to replace the craft bag, given that according to polls and threads here, at least half of subscribers would cancel if the craft bag went free. Having said that, I agree inventory management is a pain without the bag and maybe they can do something. But if they do too much, people will drop ESO+.

barney2525 wrote: »

what's next? All Bank space should be maxed and free upon character creation. And all Mount speed, stamina, and carry space as well. And all inventory non-combat pets should be free at the start. And all costumes, hair styles, cosmetics etc etc etc All Free Free Free ! And all Mounts in the game as well. And all Motifs in the entire game should be in the outfitter from the start. And all dyes as well.

Yeah, there seem to be players who don't want to pay for things they want. If only life were that simple. There are things I want that I don't want to pay for (or can't afford), so guess what? I don't get them. Suck it up, buttercup.

In terms of new players being turned away by inventory management, I was a new player once struggling with inventory. Guess what I did? I subscribed to ESO+. Problem solved. If the game grabs a player, they'll consider subscribing. If they checked out the game because it's free and they don't want to pay any money, then they won't stick around. That's normal. ZOS wants players who will spend money on the game.

scrappy1342 · March 3

AzuraFan wrote: »

I wouldn't stay subscribed for four crown crates every month, or an increase in crowns, or additional gold, or more free stuff. I subscribe because the craft bag makes my life so much easier in ESO. If they gave it to me for free, I wouldn't need a subscription.

It's not as easy to replace the craft bag, given that according to polls and threads here, at least half of subscribers would cancel if the craft bag went free. Having said that, I agree inventory management is a pain without the bag and maybe they can do something. But if they do too much, people will drop ESO+.

if i were still playing enough to be subscribed and they made the craft bag free, i'd drop it. quick. crown crates are great. i love crown crates... but i can buy those from players with gold. which i did hundreds of times because i didn't want to spend real money on them.

Orbital78 · March 3

It is kind of a zos mmo trademark at this point, I knew fallout 76 would be similar. I just didn't bother playing it. If I go without ESO+ I just sell more to the vendor. Though the amount of style mats they are adding to the game is kind of ridiculous.

Tandor · March 3

TheFibrewire wrote: »

This game is a paid premium experience, yet every single thing is monetized. [snip] The crafting bag should be a feature for every single player, yet it is imprisoned inside ESo plus. Everyone knows ESO plus is worthless without crafting bag. Just for inventory access you need to pay a sub fee is absurd.

These type of monetization is extremely predatory and a complete invasion of player freedom.

New players will immediately go away after getting to know this, stop this and provide Crafting Bag to all people who owns this game.

If you want your game to grow provide crafting bag to all, else stay with you ageing audience and stunt your growth.
[edited for bashing]

Totally false. Everyone does not know, or believe, that.

No argument ever succeeds on the basis of a false premise.

However, if you were actually right then making the crafting bag free for everyone would be financial suicide for ZOS because every subscriber would then drop their sub. Or do you have an alternative idea for something else that would keep the revenue stream from subs and which wouldn't immediately lead to criticism on the forum? I don't see anything in your opening post other than a clear implication that you want a crafting bag but don't want to pay for a subscription. Again, not a winning argument.

Deserrick · March 4

The game is already highly monetized, so giving more value to the consumers would not be anything like giving away the only paid item for free.

Worrying about the company losing money by making the craft bag free is also short-sighted. The game competes with other games, and the amount of friction and frustration is a consideration when choosing which game wins the competition.

Radiate77 · March 4

They should honestly just replace the sub with the Battle Pass. We have too many monetization options.

We have rotating Gamble Crates,
Gamble Crate bundles,
Imperial Race,
Arcanist,
Necromancer,
Collector Packs for each Zone,
Inventory Boosters,
Riding Lessons,
Alliance Tokens,
Appearance Tokens,
Name Tokens,
Race Tokens,
Skill Line Boosters,
Skyshards,
Player Homes,
Furnishing Bundles,
Individual Furnishings (like snow),
Mundus Stones,
Transmute Station,
Statues,
Outfit Slots,
Armor Loadouts,
Crafting Motifs,
Research Boosters,
Customized Actions,
Skill Styles,
Mounts,
Pets,
Companions,
Costumes,
Hats,
Adornments,
Emotes,
Hair Styles,
Markings,
Personalities,
Skins,
Dyes,
Merchant Assistant,
Banker Assistant,
Deconstruction Assistant,
Loadout Change Assistant…

Oh my wallet… 💸

SilverBride · March 4

Radiate77 wrote: »

They should honestly just replace the sub with the Battle Pass.

Absolutely not. I like the ESO+ perks and am not the least bit interested in the Battle Pass.

Radiate77 · March 4

SilverBride wrote: »

Radiate77 wrote: »

They should honestly just replace the sub with the Battle Pass.

Absolutely not. I like the ESO+ perks and am not the least bit interested in the Battle Pass.

Did you willfully ignore the point of this thread? Or did it just kinda happen like that?

Absolutely yes.

The perks should be baked into the game, and the sub should disappear. Let those of us who have the means, fund the game for people who do not. There is more than enough stuff to buy.

SilverBride · March 4

Radiate77 wrote: »

The perks should be baked into the game, and the sub should disappear. Let those of us who have the means, fund the game for people who do not. There is more than enough stuff to buy.

A lot of people have the means, but not the desire to spend their money on a lot of loud and flashy cartoony cosmetics. I much prefer to support the game by subbing, which provides a lot of perks I actually find useful.

AlterBlika · March 4

I think you missed the point. Playing without craft bag is absolutely manageable. I don't think it's a concern at all for newer players, just a doompost they might find on the forums.

The biggest turn off is how much this game costs you eventually with all these dlcs or monthly subs just for access to the content. Good luck trying to get someone new into the old and dying game and then telling them they have to invest so much to play it. It's a much bigger problem than crafting bag imo.
At least they're making steps into the right direction now (giving away dlcs and ditching annual chapters).

Orbital78 · March 4

if it were not for inventory auto sorting addons and loot filters to leave behind junk, I wouldn't be able to manage. Most new players won't figure that out for awhile. I also have had time to unlock all char slots, max alt inventory, and have a couple dedicated mules.

SgtSilock · March 4

jirusan wrote: »

Bruh the game is almost completely free, there has to be something to make it profitable.

Selling convenience and cosmetic items is the most common way. Inventory tabs, or in this case the craft bag, is a classic.

I believe the OP’s point is that the developers created a problem in the game that the crafting bag is designed to solve.

AzuraFan · March 4

SgtSilock wrote: »

I believe the OP’s point is that the developers created a problem in the game that the crafting bag is designed to solve.

Yep, we all know that. We've all always known that. It is what it is.

You have these choices: Leave the game, learn to play without the craft bag, or subscribe. There's a fourth choice: stick around and complain that the craft bag isn't free. But that's the least constructive choice and isn't going to get you anywhere. You'll be much better off going with one of the first three.

AScarlato · March 4

I've also seen many a comment on reddit that it's also a turn-off for returning, not just new players.

Anyway this is how I felt returning to ESO after a break for Heart's Day, undecided how much I will play given the lack of new content I am interested in for some time, and trying to access my bank.

AScarlato · March 4

jirusan wrote: »

Bruh the game is almost completely free, there has to be something to make it profitable.

Selling convenience and cosmetic items is the most common way. Inventory tabs, or in this case the craft bag, is a classic.

There is a reason this sometimes extremely predatory game that is "almost free" made $2B+ in revenue.

Surprised how many people agreed with this sentiment. We see them backtracking from some of this (removing bites from the crown store from new/gullible players among other practices), but really...

Deserrick · March 4

AzuraFan wrote: »

SgtSilock wrote: »

I believe the OP’s point is that the developers created a problem in the game that the crafting bag is designed to solve.

There's a fourth choice: stick around and complain that the craft bag isn't free. But that's the least constructive choice and isn't going to get you anywhere.

Then again, look at what happened when people stuck around and complained that bringing endgame power into early-game content caused them to overpower the early-game content.

lolinternet · March 4

TheFibrewire wrote: »

Everyone knows ESO plus is worthless without crafting bag.

I disagree. I only started ESO+ for the DLC dungeons and it has been fully worthwhile. I was doing fine without the crafting bag for a good while. Sure, it was convenient, but it did not become important to me until a good while later.

AzuraFan · March 4

Deserrick wrote: »

AzuraFan wrote: »

SgtSilock wrote: »

I believe the OP’s point is that the developers created a problem in the game that the crafting bag is designed to solve.

There's a fourth choice: stick around and complain that the craft bag isn't free. But that's the least constructive choice and isn't going to get you anywhere.

Then again, look at what happened when people stuck around and complained that bringing endgame power into early-game content caused them to overpower the early-game content.

The craft bag is directly tied to revenue. It's a different beast.

BretonMage · 2:51AM

I don't think I've ever heard anyone, let alone a newbie, say, I quit ESO because of inventory issues. Usually it's because they find it boring or they find it too easy. I'd say that managing inventory is annoying but not fatal.

I think it's important to keep revenue up to ensure the game continues, and the subscription with its craft bag is one of the surest ways to support the game. And it's what, the price of 3 coffees, for an entire month. It's not bad.

spartaxoxo · 4:35AM

BretonMage wrote: »

I don't think I've ever heard anyone, let alone a newbie, say, I quit ESO because of inventory issues. Usually it's because they find it boring or they find it too easy. I'd say that managing inventory is annoying but not fatal.

I think it's important to keep revenue up to ensure the game continues, and the subscription with its craft bag is one of the surest ways to support the game. And it's what, the price of 3 coffees, for an entire month. It's not bad.

Literally some of the first review I see on Steam

Not Recommended
265.7 hrs on record
Posted: March 2
Premium crafting bag should go, it's very predatory. On top of that you need to buy A LOT of DLCs to make it playable. Try it out for free and see yourself.

Not Recommended
4.8 hrs on record
Posted: March 2
Buying the game on its own is a total scam. You have no inventory space without the subscription.

Not Recommended
3.6 hrs last two weeks / 6.5 hrs on record
Posted: Feb 26 @ 9:59pm

i really wish these MMO's would really just die. It's Elder Scrolls themed if you want to do anything please give us more money. Not worth the full price they asking or the sale price, Bethesda should stop wasting time on this garbage, But I guess people give them money to drink a potion, ride a horse and increase their satchel size.

And even when you have it stretch further back

Not Recommended
10.4 hrs last two weeks / 8,911.3 hrs on record (8,823.3 hrs at review time)
Posted: Nov 11, 2025 @ 4:55pm
Updated: Nov 11, 2025 @ 5:00pm

I am 2.1k level and the game is unplayable beyond a certain level without paying for PLUS+.
playing without paying is spending half the time playing storage simulator and playing the game. Paying is no longer about gaining things, it is about avoiding annoying sorting chores. I used to love this game with all my heart but it has become pay or pain. this game is losing player base with all the roadblocks to enjoyment in the pursuit of money. becoming a microtransaction game has ruined what it once was. We won't return to what is was but I hope there may be a revival of what it once was.

returning to the game is painful. I don't want to have to pay to return to game I have spent countless hours in just to come play for a bit. this is the way to lose players. I am honestly getting close to done with this game altogether. bad updates, worse pay to play restrictions. I earned my way to the top, im not paying to keep it. I will spend my money elsewhere. its literally a chore to log back in and try to play again. I just wont comeback.

May you walk on warm sands traveller...peace be found in the shade...may your sword stay sharp

New and returning players frequently site it as a negative on their Steam reviews.

BretonMage · 5:58AM

I guess someone could do a poll to see why they've quit in the past. I personally haven't seen people saying they quit due to inventory issues, and I read both these forums and reddit.

Adding:
I can't remember if someone has suggested this, but how about a cheap crown store token for a one-off access to your crafting bag? That way, you manage your inventory for most of the month/week and then when it builds up too much, you buy a token for a nominal sum, and stow your mats. That way it's more accessible for the player price-wise and ESO still gets some revenue.

SilverBride · 6:10AM

I've never seen anyone say they quit due to inventory issues, either. And why just single out the craft bag anyway? Why not ask for double bank space line ESO+ gets? Why always just the craft bag?

kargen27 · 6:15AM

"Not Recommended
3.6 hrs last two weeks / 6.5 hrs on record
Posted: Feb 26 @ 9:59pm

i really wish these MMO's would really just die. It's Elder Scrolls themed if you want to do anything please give us more money. Not worth the full price they asking or the sale price, Bethesda should stop wasting time on this garbage, But I guess people give them money to drink a potion, ride a horse and increase their satchel size."

This is just a person that wants instant gratification instead of game play. Same with the person who only played 4.8 hours. No way they visited a bag merchant in game to increase inventory. That would mean playing the game some to make gold. None of that stuff need cost real money and they didn't play long enough to be able to purchase with in game gold.

spartaxoxo · 6:17AM

BretonMage wrote: »

I guess someone could do a poll to see why they've quit in the past. I personally haven't seen people saying they quit due to inventory issues, and I read both these forums and reddit.

Adding:
I can't remember if someone has suggested this, but how about a cheap crown store token for a one-off access to your crafting bag? That way, you manage your inventory for most of the month/week and then when it builds up too much, you buy a token for a nominal sum, and stow your mats. That way it's more accessible for the player price-wise and ESO still gets some revenue.

Quitting posts aren't allowed as a topic here so it's a poor place to find it. Additionally, while it is on Reddit, subreddits tend to be dominated by fans of the topic. So you'll generally see people happier about the game on Reddit. Where a lot of people leave "I quit," stuff for public view is on the reviews of a game. Steam reviews have their own issues such as brigading it over politics or some unpopular patch or whatever. But, if you want to get a good idea of why people don't play, they remain the best source. New players and returning players frequently cite the craft bag as a reason why they aren't there because the mats we're flooded with make it tedious and difficult to manage their inventory.

spartaxoxo · 6:20AM

kargen27 wrote: »

"Not Recommended
3.6 hrs last two weeks / 6.5 hrs on record
Posted: Feb 26 @ 9:59pm

i really wish these MMO's would really just die. It's Elder Scrolls themed if you want to do anything please give us more money. Not worth the full price they asking or the sale price, Bethesda should stop wasting time on this garbage, But I guess people give them money to drink a potion, ride a horse and increase their satchel size."

This is just a person that wants instant gratification instead of game play. Same with the person who only played 4.8 hours. No way they visited a bag merchant in game to increase inventory. That would mean playing the game some to make gold. None of that stuff need cost real money and they didn't play long enough to be able to purchase with in game gold.

First impressions are actually really important for determining if someone stays with a game. It shouldn't take dozens of hours for a game to become fun. Maybe if they don't want to make the craft bag free outright, they should start them with 30 days of free Plus or something so they don't have to care about it right away. And maybe a free week for returning subscribers if they've been gone for more than 3 months. IDK the solution but it shouldn't be annoying to start (or restart) the game.

AzuraFan · 2:39PM

BretonMage wrote: »

I can't remember if someone has suggested this, but how about a cheap crown store token for a one-off access to your crafting bag? That way, you manage your inventory for most of the month/week and then when it builds up too much, you buy a token for a nominal sum, and stow your mats. That way it's more accessible for the player price-wise and ESO still gets some revenue.

I'd drop my sub and just buy the cheap token every once in a while. So sure, it might bring in some revenue, but the amount most likely wouldn't compensate for the loss due to cancelled subs.

The problem is this: If any proposed free or cheap solution removes the inventory pain point well enough that people don't feel the need to subscribe, then people will cancel subs. That's why it's so difficult to come up with another sub enticement to replace the craft bag. The new enticement would have to resolve an equally irritating pain point. And guess what? We'd have threads on here saying that new players are quitting because of it, and asking for it to be made free.

Solvar · 5:35PM

I suppose the question is how many unique players per month by crowns vs the number of unique players who have ESO+. I presume that nearly everyone buying crowns would have ESO+ also, because you get the number of crowns from ESO+ as if you bought them outright. So those players would not cancel if the craft bag went away.
Now I suspect that number may still be fairly large, but not all of those players who have ESO+ but don't buy crowns would cancel - some would still want it for other benefits. It is hard to say how many would cancel - forums tend to be a very non representative portion of the player base.
But if providing some craft bag functionality increases player base, those additional players may then buy other stuff - DLCs, or maybe that fancy house or other cosmetic skin.
I suspect that Zenimax has figured all this out, and figure that the tying the craft bag to ESO+ makes them more money, even at the expense of fewer players. Though I personally would prefer inventory management to be less annoying without ESO+, though I do occasionally subscribe, but mostly to get crowns to buy DLCs I don't have yet.