ZOS, Massive Spike in Ping/LAG in Recent Days - What Gives?

edward_frigidhands · March 8

When is the next server hardware refresh scheduled for?

YandereGirlfriend · March 8

We're definitely due for a refresh. The current hardware was ordered pre-pandemic and then delayed... so we are using some fairly dated gear at this point.

While the listed ping has been fine in-game I have been experiencing some giga input delay over the last two weeks or so in GH. The game had been significantly more responsive up until then.

edward_frigidhands · March 9

YandereGirlfriend wrote: »

We're definitely due for a refresh. The current hardware was ordered pre-pandemic and then delayed... so we are using some fairly dated gear at this point.

While the listed ping has been fine in-game I have been experiencing some giga input delay over the last two weeks or so in GH. The game had been significantly more responsive up until then.

I wonder when they will get around to it. It took them a long time to do this and now with the hardware crisis due to AI gobbling up everything it might be even more difficult.

blktauna · March 10

I think its cute you expect a hardware refresh.

method__01 · March 10

archives NA server are unplayable

Renato90085 · March 13

asia player,tonight my game have many RNG 999 ping or dc, and many guild member can't log in game

meekmiko · March 14

PC/NA
I've been crashing a lot since yesterday. (3/12) About five times yesterday and twice so far today.

Had absolutely no problems throughout Update 48 until that maintenance a week or two before Update 49 dropped.
But the hard crashes have been happening a LOT in just the last day.

Edited to add: Crashed again yesterday, so make that three times, and then crashed again today. (3/14)

Someone else crashed in an AA trial I was in the other day as well.

blktauna · March 14

Having the same issues PCEU and PCNA

Frayton · March 14

Same on PCNA. Others in my groups were having the same issue. We're from different regions of the world and have different ISPs.

Other games work fine.

Carcamongus · March 15

When it isn't the ping spiking, it's the game kicking me to the lobby and then forcing me to wait five minutes to get back. Today that happened three times while I was (trying to) do dailies in Solstice PC/NA.

FadeShade · March 21

pcna series of disconnects with 'cannot connect to server' followed by 'an error has ocurred please wait a few minutes and log in' with everything ok client side. there's sometimes been a spike in latency just before the errors & disconnect but not always. only eso has these peristent disconnections, nothing else does.

RandomKodiak · March 21

Just found this and since the servers are in the Dallas Area could explain a lot.

Recent reports from early March 2026 indicate that there are indeed significant, recurring network issues involving routes connecting through
Dallas, TX, specifically causing high packet loss and latency spikes.
While not explicitly confirmed as a "malicious attack" by carriers, the evidence points to substantial technical challenges in the region:

Specific Routing Packet Loss: Reports in March 2026 highlighted packet loss over certain routes entering the Dallas network, with service degradation reported particularly over weekends.
Infrastructure Strain: The Dallas-Fort Worth region is experiencing massive data center growth and digital infrastructure bottlenecks, causing local networks to struggle under demand.
Persistent Latency: Users have reported persistent, high-ping latency issues when routing through Dallas (e.g., trying to access specific, likely Western or Central, gaming/cloud servers).
Potential Mitigation: Network providers have been actively adjusting routing configurations to bypass the degraded paths.

If you are experiencing spikes only when connecting to Dallas, it is likely due to the current congestion or routing issues with specific internet service providers (ISPs) utilizing the Dallas transit nodes, rather than a repeat of the 2023 ransomware attacks.

silky_soft · April 7

PvE has been pretty good. Soon as we go into pvp it's just like what's point unless you lobbing siege. Especially if it's both of us in pvp. You get cc, it take about 3 enemies gcd before it lets you breakfree. On 250ms it's not the best and being old but come on at least 3 gcd before it breaks you free. Then you try combo poison arrow, dodge bar swap, heal. Nope, dont even try you'll be stuck in bar swap also. But after you die you'll get your bar swap.

Ran tracert while making this rant aaaaaand it's akamai again. Figures.

HelixUnited · April 30

yeah xbox eu and na constant disconnects cant even play the new content because you get in with a group then disconnect get back on, alone and as loads have already said the night market cant solo what a load of trash since update 49

Auberon1983 · May 2

I’ve been gone 6 ish months now (whole lotta family health problems) and only came back a couple days ago.

I see not much has improved performance wise. In a five minute time span, in GH Cyrodiil, fights just came to a standstill, only to “fast forward” suddenly, twice. Twice in five minutes. This isn’t prime time, and there are barely 3 bars between all factions.

PvE is not much better. Time stood still just running around Khenarthi’s Roost for a treasure map, then the rapid rubber banding. Checked our internet connection (Arizona has dog water internet) but amazingly it’s actually doing just fine.

PS5/NA

moderatelyfatman · May 3

If there was one thread that it truly immortal for ESO, this is it!

Methodia_Rascale · May 12

I play on both servers (PVE) and everything was fine until Update 49, and now I experience frequent freezing and FPS drops. I have done all the 'self help' that is suggested for these issues and it hasn't improved at all.

ShutUpitsRed · May 26

I ran a couple normal dungeons today and sometimes it would take a full 2-3 seconds for my skills to go off after pushing a button. I feel like this is getting worse.

merevie · June 7

Horrific today NA pve. Apparently this thread does not do anything though. 129 pages

Arboz · June 7

Same here, my Heavy Attacks dont work from time to time in each and every (PvP) combat. After pressing the button, my character just stands around, doing nothing but eating enemies hits.

NxJoeyD · June 7

It’s bad and getting worse, which doesn’t give me much optimism for U50.

The input buffer right now, in PvP anyway, is worse than I’ve ever seen it. It’s clear that there’s a very real disconnect between the development team’s “creative” direction versus what the hardware & software can reliably handle.

Vengeance isn’t the answer, optimizing mechanics are. Ever since subclassing the overall environment of combat mechanics has been basically dogwater and needs a full review. Not just “class refreshes” but a fundamental revisit of core combat mechanics and the philosophy behind them.

I play on XB NA as well as PC NA, both devices are on gigabit Internet and hardwired with full config and both gameplay environments are pretty poor.

Cin_Vhetin · June 7

PCNA is booting me at login, ping fluctuates significantly, lag is bad. Please ZOS investigate - thank you

Cin_Vhetin · June 7

this is when I am trying to relog after being errored out of game

sshogrin · June 8

silentxthreat wrote: »

Speaking as someone who has ran with 3 ball groups the only add-ons we use to track stuff is RDK and then run logs and review on ESO Logs.

ive suspected the tracking ball groups use was the source of lag for years. I do wish zos would just ban any add on the makes the server unstable.

[/quote]

Addons don't make the server unstable. Addons only affect the user's PC/client.

LadyGP · June 8

The past few weeks the lag has slowly been building up.

Although, it only really gets bad when a certain group of players show up. Odd... we can have 3 ball groups fighting zergs and the lag is managable but everytime a specific group shows up the server nukes (even if its just them vs pugs).

FieryPhoenix · June 15

Imperial City was virtually unplayable tonight, hard stutters, freezing, lagging, skills not firing, extra load screens randomly, you name it. Audio lag is still happening for me in all areas of the game. This is just getting worse and needs to be addressed before the whole game is unplayable.

LadyGP · June 15

FieryPhoenix wrote: »

Imperial City was virtually unplayable tonight, hard stutters, freezing, lagging, skills not firing, extra load screens randomly, you name it. Audio lag is still happening for me in all areas of the game. This is just getting worse and needs to be addressed before the whole game is unplayable.

GH was about the same to be honest. Since U50 things have gotten noticeably worse. It's not a ping issue.. it's more of a "you can feel the server thinking and processing" issue... if that makes any sense.

spartaxoxo · June 15

I have noticed performance has been worse since U49, for me it's especially bad in the Night Market. Although not surprised that Cyrodiil is the same.

blktauna · June 15

frame drop and input buffering is heinous on PC

shadoza · June 17

In general, there is a overall system lag.
It felt like my character was pulling a wagon through mud.
latency rises (70 - 100) during this time. Sometimes there is a huge spike when certain players are nearby (jumps to 900+) but this is not that issue. This happens even when I am alone in the world.
The pulling more pronounced when an angry NPC is following you because you ignored their challenge to fight.
I feel comfortable saying it is not my internet as a test shows very little difference between running the game and not running the game.

I believe it is not my system either. My system is above the recommended, I think.
Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit Running Win 11
Processor: Intel® Core™ i5 2300 I think my Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF is better
System RAM: 8 GB RAM is 32 GB
Hard Disk Space: 105 GB free HDD space Hard space is 3T divided 1T + 2T
GPU: Direct X 11.0 compliant video card with 4GB of RAM (NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 970 12GB RAM on Video card
Sound: DirectX compatible sound card
Internet: Internet Broadband Connection Optic connection is well above broadband level

I don't see a reason the game should feel like I am pulling a weight rather than skating.