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Is it worth to come back?

H3rBie
H3rBie
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Hello all,
I quit eso june 2023 and I didn't folllow the development of the game, now I'm thinking about comming back and wanted to know if it's worth to download it again. Before I quit I was doing raids with a group, focusing on trifectas. So how did the game develop, what are the significant changes in combat system, is it worth to come back.

thanks for any comments :)

cheers
  • moo_2021
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    There were at least 2 topics like this just this month.

    One of them is https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/8249807


    I love the spell crafting and armory. It's certainly better than 2023, if not earlier.
  • fred4
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    If you were focusing on trifectas, you didn't have much left to do. While the new trial (Lucent Citadel) is quite good, you'll basically still be in that boat. Spell-crafting has had a relatively mild impact. You might say it's balanced, with all the good and bad that comes with that. You may want it for trifectas. I wouldn't live without the universal chains on a non-DK tank, but you won't use crafted skills in every build.
  • colossalvoids
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    Not sure the game has anything new of value to you currently. I'd check the new year letter from Matt and see if there's anything of interest to you and maybe check for tests for those features, if not then next year or when some new content would pile up to complete.
  • olsborg
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    The games combat is still top tier imo, its just abit sad that it gets watered down with everything being so proccy, proccsets here and proccsets there, nothing rly compares. (pvp)

    PC EU
    PvP only
  • twisttop138
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    Just came back from a 4 year break to focus on work and family. My wife never left so I haven't been totally out of the loop and have had plus the whole time and all dlc, so im lucky in that way. I would say it's totally worth it. I started Fallout 76 over the summer, love the game but ran out of stuff to do. Thats not a problem here. Theres so much that it's almost intimidating. Some days I can't decide what to do for like 10 minutes. Come on back man, I'll put some tea on.
    Edit to remove a sentence.
    Edited by twisttop138 on January 28, 2025 1:10PM
  • Soarora
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    Things haven't changed much but the servers have become more unstable. People crashing, a significant portion of a trial group experiencing a lag spike at once, high ping…
    [PC/NA] Dungeoneer (Tank/DPS), Retired Trialist, and amateur Battlegrounder (DPS) with a passion for The Elder Scrolls lore.
  • ZOS_Icy
    ZOS_Icy
    mod
    Greetings,

    We have recently removed some unnecessary back and forth from this thread. This is a reminder to keep the discussion civil and constructive. Please keep our Community Rules in mind moving forward.

    Thank you for your understanding.
    Staff Post
  • CatoUnchained
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    H3rBie wrote: »
    Hello all,
    I quit eso june 2023 and I didn't folllow the development of the game, now I'm thinking about comming back and wanted to know if it's worth to download it again. Before I quit I was doing raids with a group, focusing on trifectas. So how did the game develop, what are the significant changes in combat system, is it worth to come back.

    thanks for any comments :)

    cheers

    If your interest is trifecta's and other end game activities, then heck no, you should not come back to the game.

    If casual, mindless questing and other non competitive activities are your thing, then yes, you should come back to the game.
  • xylena_lazarow
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    If you've ever considered PvP, the 8v8 solo BGs queue is fun and relatively accessible for beginners.
    PC/NA || Cyro/BGs || retired until Dagon brings a new dawn of PvP metas
  • Thumbless_Bot
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    H3rBie wrote: »
    Hello all,
    I quit eso june 2023 and I didn't folllow the development of the game, now I'm thinking about comming back and wanted to know if it's worth to download it again. Before I quit I was doing raids with a group, focusing on trifectas. So how did the game develop, what are the significant changes in combat system, is it worth to come back.

    thanks for any comments :)

    cheers

    Yes.
  • SirGabenOfSteamia
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    Depends. If you're in it for the group content for trifectas then I'd say yes because the dungeons and trials they added in the previous couple years are great and among some of the best in fun-factor and uniqueness.

    There's also the Infinite Archive which is a rogue like, infinite dungeon with can be played either in a duo or solo, with some fun rewards and class styles which give you a cosmetic glow if you equip enough of them.

    If you haven't tried arc yet, I'd highly recommend it. Its super easy to play and outputs great damage with very good add clear. Other than that, I can't really speak for any classes other than nightblade, and for that at least my rotation has stayed the same with very little DPS change over several years.

    That all being said, expect considerably less content because they haven't put out Q3 dungeons or Q4 story zones in the last couple of years.
    And so, Akatosh revealed himself to a young Gaben, and granted him purpose.
    "Grant them Steam sales," he commanded.
    And obey, he did.
  • Desiato
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    It might help to know why you left.

    PVE end game progression is kinda bridge to nowhere because there isn't enough content. I feel like I'm gearing up for an ultimate challenge that doesn't exist -- and will likely never exist.

    Over the past 8 months, I've watched many players enthusiastically join the trial community, learn mechs, get clears and gear up, only to stop playing out of boredom.

    IMO, ESO needs at least 3 trials per year that are designed for progression.

    The bright side for me has been the vet trial group finder. I enjoy voiceless KWTD trials. It's fun to pay attention to all the mechs and respond accordingly without relying on a RL.

    ZOS recently floated the idea of more challenging adventure zones like the original implementation of Craglorn, but I'll believe it when I see it.

    Edited by Desiato on January 29, 2025 5:20AM
    spending a year dead for tax reasons
  • majulook
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    The only way your going to get the answer is to log on and give it a try. If you enjoyed the game before you might again, or you might just find its not for you. It should not take to long to decide if you want to stay or not.

    Si vis pacem, para bellum
  • H3rBie
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    Thanks a lot for the input,

    However I left because I was really bored since I've no interest in in pure questing with no forcing overland content, for me this kind of playstyle died with One Tamriel, I wish there would be a lot more difficulty.
    So I'm really not sure if it's worth to come back because of 2 new raids and a few dungeons, but like majulook suggested, maybe I'll give it a try and find out, we'll see.
  • LatentBuzzard
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    H3rBie wrote: »
    Thanks a lot for the input,

    However I left because I was really bored since I've no interest in in pure questing with no forcing overland content, for me this kind of playstyle died with One Tamriel, I wish there would be a lot more difficulty.
    So I'm really not sure if it's worth to come back because of 2 new raids and a few dungeons, but like majulook suggested, maybe I'll give it a try and find out, we'll see.

    Wait until the April announcement on the future of the game before giving ZOS any more money as then you'll have a better idea of what you'll actually be paying for, how much you'll be paying and whether it will be worth it.
    Edited by LatentBuzzard on January 29, 2025 8:53AM
  • Rasande_Robin
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    I would say no because I recently let. Mostly because I have a problem with the feeling of "must" and when I get overwhelmed by "must" because of the fear of missing out on limited stuff. I just got burned out...
    PC/EU: Orcana "something"-stone
  • ADarklore
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    Sadly, ESO was a game I returned to over and over... but I left a few months ago for greener pastures. Now, due to lackluster content, new companions that didn't peak my interest at all, and now removal of annual chapters, I have absolutely no reason to return. It's clear the development into this game is going downhill, and even with seasonal content, it's still clear that we're close to maintenance mode at this point. Much like SWTOR; they add trickle of content but in the scheme of things, it all really amounts to nothing. I've actually preferred going back to playing AC Odyssey, Dragon's Dogma 2, Diablo IV, etc... instead of returning to ESO. It's heartbreaking considering how much money I've spent in this game over the years I've played, but the changes over the past couple of years- the ONLY highlight was Arcanist IMO... everything else was just fluff or nerfs.
    Edited by ADarklore on January 29, 2025 12:12PM
    CP: 2130 ** ESO+ ** ~~ ***** Strictly a solo PvE quester *****
    ~~Started Playing: May 2015 | Stopped Playing: July 2025 | Returned: March 2026~~
  • sans-culottes
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    H3rBie wrote: »
    Thanks a lot for the input,

    However I left because I was really bored since I've no interest in in pure questing with no forcing overland content, for me this kind of playstyle died with One Tamriel, I wish there would be a lot more difficulty.
    So I'm really not sure if it's worth to come back because of 2 new raids and a few dungeons, but like majulook suggested, maybe I'll give it a try and find out, we'll see.

    This was the thrust of my point: You won’t know unless you try. Given that you decided to quit once, though, why would now be different?
  • Destai
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    I was super skeptical of the game's direction following Matt's letter and some of the surrounding events with streamers. Hearing Rich and Brian talk during the PVP stream a few days ago restored some confidence though.

    Personally, I'm still enjoying the game a great deal. If they can deliver on their promises, and keep the surrounding monetization under control, I think the game's future is quite promising. I say that as someone who primarily does dungeons and overland content.

    But, if you're focused on end game activities like trials, then I wouldn't come back until there's a new trial. The scene just isn't there, at least from what I can see. What does the future hold - we'll have to wait and see.

    Ultimately, I'd say login, play, and assess your enjoyment of the game then.
    Edited by Destai on January 29, 2025 5:57PM
  • AngryPenguin
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    As an end game PvE and PvP player I can tell you U35 decimated the end game PvE community and it has not recovered to any significant degree.

    So if end game trials, trifectas etc. are you preferred content, you are going to have a challenge any time you try to form or join groups engaging in these activities. You'll almost certainly have better luck finding groups for these kinds of activities in one of the other MMO's.
  • Erelah
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    I thought about dipping my toes back into the water. Then noticed the price of Gold Road and its companion DLC and decided not to bother. Other factors included the new seasons where purchases gated by ESO plus and player complaints about the lack of server stability.

    I am a beta monkey (and have the pet to prove it). I also remember when all DLCs used to be promised to be part of our subscriptions and then that promise was quietly removed from the ESO website and the first DLC was rebranded Chapters. Seeing it reverted once more has left a bad impression. /lurk
  • DeadlySerious
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    The future of ESO is changing very rapidly and nobody knows for sure what's going to happen in terms of changes to the game or content releases except maybe ZOS themselves, and it's not clear if even they know. If they do they certainly aren't being specific and telling the paying customers what their plans are.

    Now is not a good time to come back to ESO in my opinion, especially if trifectas and end game content is your preferred content. Most people I know that are still in game, which is about 10% of the numbers I knew that played regularly 4 years ago, are just waiting for a different game to come along that's similar and supported to move to.

    Edited by DeadlySerious on January 30, 2025 4:01PM
  • Orbital78
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    H3rBie wrote: »
    Thanks a lot for the input,

    However I left because I was really bored since I've no interest in in pure questing with no forcing overland content, for me this kind of playstyle died with One Tamriel, I wish there would be a lot more difficulty.
    So I'm really not sure if it's worth to come back because of 2 new raids and a few dungeons, but like majulook suggested, maybe I'll give it a try and find out, we'll see.

    was it worth coming back? I think only you could figure that out. DLC overland bosses tend to be a little more challenging but if you're not willing to dip your toes in veteran dlc dungeons or veteran/hardmode trials, you're not going to see the most difficult content. Veteran solo arenas aren't overly hard but do help less experienced players. vBRP is still a good challenge for most players. Those with unchained are probably already working on dlc trial trifectas and such.

    Infinite Archive was added, it is a huge time sink but eventually will challenge any player (I assume). I tend to just farm lower arcs for stickerbook, currencies, and experience.
  • H3rBie
    H3rBie
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    thanks again everyone, this helped me a lot, also reading around here. Looks like I'll wait and see how the game develops over time, at the moment I came to the conclusion that it isn't worth to spend money for the new content.

  • CrazyKitty
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    The future of ESO is changing very rapidly and nobody knows for sure what's going to happen in terms of changes to the game or content releases except maybe ZOS themselves, and it's not clear if even they know. If they do they certainly aren't being specific and telling the paying customers what their plans are.

    Now is not a good time to come back to ESO in my opinion, especially if trifectas and end game content is your preferred content. Most people I know that are still in game, which is about 10% of the numbers I knew that played regularly 4 years ago, are just waiting for a different game to come along that's similar and supported to move to.

    This is why the answer to the OP's question is a clear "No".

    Everything appears to be up in the air with ESO now days. We don't know what's going on because ZOS isn't telling us. In my view your time would be better invested into an MMO that focuses on the kind of competitive content you've said you're interested in. Just look at what ZOS' plans are for Cyrodiil in the future to get a good idea of how scrambled things are in ESO right now.
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