I enjoy both solo and group content in ESO. My preference is solo — exploration, story, lore, looting, talking to NPCs — but I sometimes queue for dungeons and join groups for world bosses and other content. I also have to step away from the keyboard unexpectedly much of the time, and so I am not often able to commit to group content. For most of the content I can do that, and just queue for a group when I know I have enough uninterrupted time.
I'm posting because I think there are some design issues with Night Market that are worth raising, separate from the difficulty debate that's dominated most of the feedback.

On supporting multiple play styles
The vast majority of ESO zones support both solo and group play naturally. Even Craglorn, which is the closest precedent to what Night Market is trying to be, threads a solo path through its quests while keeping the harder content group-focused. That balance is one of ESO's strengths, and it's what has kept a broad playerbase engaged across years of content.
What concerns me about Night Market isn't that it's group-focused — I understand the MMO argument, and I'm not asking for group content to be removed or made easier. What I'm asking is that we don't arrive at a point where the game has three distinct and largely incompatible play types to support: PvP, solo PvE, and group PvE. Group and solo play have coexisted naturally in the same content throughout ESO's history. That's worth preserving.
I'm also aware that the response to solo accessibility concerns is often "it can be done with the right build." I'm sure that's true. But build optimisation at that level is appropriate for things like trials, arenas, vet dungeons and IA — content that has always been understood as requiring that investment. Applying it to what's being presented as a zone sets a different precedent, and I don't think it's the right answer for players who have never needed to approach the game that way to access standard content.

On zone completeness and quality
ESO zones have a consistent design pattern that gives them lasting structure: you start with an empty map, you explore, you discover content progressively, and there's a zone completion checklist — delves, world bosses, skyshards, points of interest — that gives a sense of working through and finishing something. Some of that content requires groups, which is fine. The point is the framework exists for both play styles.
Night Market is missing that framework. The map icons are all discovered at the start, which removes the exploration loop entirely. There's no zone progression to work through. I understand it's an event zone with a limited run, but that doesn't preclude it being completable in the ESO sense of the word — and since ZOS has said it will return later in the year, having that structure in place would give it real replay value.
This gives me the impression that the content was released before it was finished, and that there was not enough time to implement some of the typical zone features like this.
A few other smaller things felt unfinished rather than intentionally different:
The entrance through Fargrave is down a passageway that isn't marked on the map, even though the map shows other passageways with dotted lines. It felt like the map wasn't updated beyond adding an icon.
There are two Curators with largely the same dialogue. I spoke to the one outside the portal, went through the full conversation, and then had to zone in and repeat essentially the same dialogue with the one inside to advance the quest. It would have been less confusing if the outside Curator simply sent me through the portal, or if there were just one.
These are small things individually, but they reinforce the same impression. That's been a recurring concern since the Writhing Wall, and I'd like to see it addressed going forward.
I genuinely want ESO to succeed. I paused my sub a few weeks ago and was hoping Night Market would be the reason to renew it. It wasn't, but I'm still here giving feedback because the game matters to me.

LitzySoDitzy wrote: »

I was happy to read, "Feedback regarding the faction points influencing faction choice (specifically seeing the scores before making a choice) is also heard and we will look at what we can do to address that." I had not read all of the details regarding picking a faction, so went with Ruckus to help get different ingredients and because he's a cool cat. Then I read that the "winning" faction would get better rewards at the end. That's disappointing.

"Better rewards" is technically true but a bit generous with the term "better".
There's a few more banners and flags, and the monster set is gold instead of purple or blue.
But that's it, you're really not missing out on much.
On the flip side, while maybe not intentional, the factions with fewer players can sell their recipe drops for decent gold.

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Adding to the voices to re-think the keys system. I understand the reason but the implementation is really hostile to organising groups, joining random groups, and helping players out.

I'm sorry ZOS - but you've lost me for good. I won't be renewing my ESO Plus membership as it is not worth it as a solo player. You keep promoting group content and ignoring the vast majority of your players who play the game solo, or occasionally with a friend. I am enjoying Solstice, but because I didn't pay for the Season Pass (above and beyond the annual amout you drag out of me), I had to wait over a year to experience it; and guess what, I'm nearly through the content. So soon, I will be back to being bored and just logging in daily to get my hirelings emails and craft for gold.

Why don't you do something useful, like port Oblivion and Skyrim to your servers using your engine? I would love to go back and experience both of those stories but cannot play them with the original engine. Gameplay is terrible, controls are terrible. You've got a fantastic product and it's being wasted on pure violence, trash mobs and bosses. Please use it to bring resurrect the LORE once again!

When the NM first dropped, I was going to post a lot of feedback but as I've spent more time in it, there's a big gap between what frustrates me and what's barely an issue, now. There are three things, for me, that are really annoying.

1] I need to echo the other sentiments that the keys are the biggest problem and barrier for people to play together in an event and zone that is intended for people to play together.

2] Another thing that is still driving me crazy is how the quests work. I know an explanation has been posted somewhere but I can't stand that a) you can't share most of them with your group and b) many only advance individually even when you are grouped and on the same quest. I know some of it has to do with the factions but honestly I just don't care. I want to be able to share the quests with the people who are playing with me and progress together, period. I don't want a whole "if this, then that" situation to make it work.

As a side note to the questing thing, the pick your faction quest is an extra huge offender of this because if you are grouping with someone and they've picked up the quest on a different character but haven't finished, they can't even pick up the quest nor can it be shared with them. Having it so only one character per account can hold the quest is so frustrating and, again, the opposite of encouraging grouping.

3] I don't enjoy limited time offerings for difficult content that requires relying on other people to get it done. Don't get me wrong -- I love grouping. But I'm also a bit of a completionist and it can be difficult with limited play time to complete group content quickly. Especially with this key situation. I don't love that there are achievements and dyes and a limited time Golden Pursuit award all tied to content that requires coordination. Yes, you can make fun of me and call it FOMO - again, I don't care. I understand making experimental content, but then don't tie achievements to it until you know for sure it's sticking around. I much prefer to know that if something comes up IRL that the content will be around and/or come back when I have time to play it.

I have some other smaller observations, like how the respawn length is punishing for groups trying to duo or trio a boss, and how it would be nice if the dropped favor lasted about 20 seconds more than it does, and how the rewards are a little meh. Also, I wish there was an easier way to see which area your group mates are in. I'm used to doing this via the group list, but it all just says "Night Market." But these things are not impacting my enjoyment of the content and I view them more as nice-to-haves.

Otherwise, I generally think the NM is great. I think the content is fun with a group. I like to see people using Group Finder! I like that it is new and different and how it's a zone that adds value to the tank and healing roles. The house is kind of fun. I'd say I like it much better than a new solo arena, but not nearly as much as a new 4 person dungeon, so I sure hope we get some of those in early 2027. NM is definitely not a comparable replacement for new dungeons or trials, but is a cool idea as its own thing. I don't think the difficulty is too hard, especially considering that power creep exists and eventually it will level out just from that alone. I wouldn't do anything to accelerate that. I think there needs to be some awareness that if, say, a new zone and a new companion had been released before the Night Market, less people would have felt excluded by the nature of this content. Don't cater to that feedback; give them something else to do that they'll enjoy!

spartaxoxo wrote: »

I've found the longer respawn timer to be incredibly useful in the night market and I hope they don't change it. You can complete quest objectives while immune and avoid aggroing trash packs. It is far more frustrating to have someone drag a bunch of enemies into an already difficult fight than it is to have them ghosts for a few seconds.

Trash packs would need to be nerfed substantially and respawn timers decreased dramatically to have a lower respawn timer.

The suggestion that I saw in another thread, which I think is a good idea, is for it to remain the same but give you the ability to pull yourself out of it sooner by attacking something. So if you're using it to navigate and sneak by stuff, which I've done, it would stay the same, but if you're waiting at a boss watching your allies die, you can jump in faster. This is how I'd vote for it to be changed, if I had a vote.

The Night Market offers me absolutely nothing. It is extremely difficult for new players, and there are no worthwhile rewards for long-time veterans—meaning customer retention is non-existent. I have no idea what ESO/ZOS is planning here; and on top of that, I consider the decision to cut back on new DLCs focused on exploration to be fundamentally misguided, as that is something a great many players love and value. I believe ESO/ZOS is heading down the wrong path.

Best regards

Definitely hope Night Market is expanded when it returns.

Went back to my typical gameplay now that I farmed all the favor I needed this run and found myself really bored doing overland quests again. After the fun in NM, walking over all the mobs put me to sleep. I did try a vet dungeon but already felt micromanaged and annoyed in ways I never was in night market. "Balls! Balls! Balls!" kept repeating the tank as I was the healer in Spindleclutch 2 vet for his sustain. He wasn't really happy unless that was all I cast. Just couldn't get enough of them I suppose.

I may just stay in night market without needing anything since it's still more exciting for the time being.

spartaxoxo wrote: »

It's amazing to me how a singular update not catered to solo players during the quarter that has literally never catered to solo players has suddenly become ZOS abandoning solo players. And it's not any one person, it's a sentiment being expressed many places. I have no idea where this is coming from but quarter 1 has literally not been solo content for like 10 years.

It really shows the power of ideas when they spread through groups.

Anyway for anyone worried about this, remember much of the rest of the year will be solo friendly content. And that quarter 1 has always been dungeons. I hope the sage's vault is as fun as it sounds on paper.

It's crazy right, but you're correct. It shows how mob mentality works. From the very first hour night market was alive and snowballed. Thankfully, many have seen the error of this and tried it out. I have quite a personal example of this. My wife is your very casual solo player. Lives quests, her houses, getting that look just right on her characters. She has never once participated in pvp, never done a trial and the only dungeons she's ever done were with me in a duo of base game dungeons. We're through most of them now. I am all those things but I also do vet and hm trials and dungeons, an officer in a social guild, etc. I love the night market but to her it's impossible. The other officers in my guild and I were able to put together a small group of mostly just us and convince her to join. She was not concerned about keys, or dailies beyond the kill 150, we just ran around and killed mobs and bosses for about 2 hours. She had a great time. The smaller group size kept the noise and stuff down and in my guild we don't apologize for dying or not doing huge dps or anything. Just fun. Last night she said she had a blast and hopes that we can do it again next weekend.

I know people get on here and are inundated with a deluge of negative comments. That somehow this idea has taken hold in some that ZOS has abandoned solo players and are focusing only on group players. I personally think that many saying this are being disengenous. I don't know what other conclusions to reach. This is the very first thing of it's kind. It's bookended by solo stuff. Zos has tried to tell them repeatedly. I hope Zos sticks to what they've said. That this zone is meant to be this way and that solo stuff is coming.