The Elder Scrolls Online

Overview

The Elder Scrolls Online brings the world of The Elder Scrolls into a shared online world spanning different regions of Tamriel. Players create their own character and can follow story-driven quests, explore freely, join other adventurers for certain activities or take part in conflicts between alliances.

Developed by ZeniMax Online Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks, the game was released on April 4, 2014. The listed platforms are PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PC and Mac. The associated genres are action, adventure, fantasy, RPG and open world. The specified modes are Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative and Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO), and the listed engine is HeroEngine.

Character creation notably relies on choosing a race, class, appearance and alliance. Alliance plays a particular role in the Alliance War, while race and class provide access to their own characteristics and skill lines.

Progression does not depend on a single tree. ESO organizes abilities around numerous skill lines connected notably to class, weapons, armor, guilds, crafting, race or certain world activities. Several of these lines are unlocked simply by using the corresponding equipment, joining an organization or taking part in a particular activity.

Active abilities can be placed on the action bar and then improved as they progress. This system allows class-specific abilities to be combined with those coming from weapons, guilds or other sources in order to build different ways of playing the same character.

Combat takes place in real time. Light and heavy attacks, active abilities, blocking, interrupting, dodging and movement must be combined directly during encounters. Positioning therefore remains important both against enemies encountered while exploring and during group activities.

Much of the experience can be pursued solo through the quests and stories spread across Tamriel. The same world also contains numerous activities intended for several players, including group dungeons, bosses found in open zones and different cooperative challenges.

Dark Anchors directly connect exploration to the conflict with Molag Bal. They appear in the world as events where players must confront the forces of Coldharbour in order to prevent these devices from pulling more of Tamriel toward the Daedric Prince’s realm.

Exploration also rewards detours. Points of interest, locked chests, books, crafting resources, treasure maps, public dungeons and Skyshards are scattered across the different regions. Skyshards contribute directly to character development by allowing additional skill points to be obtained.

Crafting has its own progression lines. Gathering resources and then using crafting stations makes it possible to create or improve different types of equipment, prepare consumables and gradually develop the skills associated with the disciplines practiced.

ESO adds an important competitive dimension to this PvE structure with the Alliance War. In Cyrodiil, players fight for their alliance in a large-scale PvP zone where control of fortresses, siege weapons and clashes between groups contribute to a persistent campaign.

Taking part in these battles notably allows players to earn Alliance Points and progress through skill lines specific to this activity. PvP therefore forms a progression branch in its own right rather than a mode entirely separate from character development.

The online world also allows players to form groups, join player guilds, travel to other members and share certain quests. This social dimension coexists with the ability to experience a large portion of the content at one’s own pace.

The Elder Scrolls Online therefore builds its identity around the coexistence of several scales of play. A quest can be approached as an individual adventure, exploration can lead into an improvised activity with other players, while dungeons and the Alliance War structure explicitly collective experiences.

Key takeaways

• The adventure takes place in 2E 583, during the Interregnum, as Molag Bal seeks to pull Tamriel toward Coldharbour.
• The Elder Scrolls Online turns Tamriel into a shared online world that can be explored alone or with other players.
• Character creation notably relies on race, class and alliance.
• Progression combines numerous skill lines connected to classes, weapons, armor, guilds, crafting and other activities.
• Combat combines light and heavy attacks, active abilities, blocking, interrupting and dodging.
• Exploration notably allows players to discover Skyshards, Dark Anchors, resources, chests, books and dungeons.
• Cooperative activities notably include group dungeons and boss encounters.
• The Alliance War in Cyrodiil offers large-scale PvP battles and its own progression systems.

Conclusion

The Elder Scrolls Online retains several RPG principles associated with the series while organizing them around a persistent world shared by many players. Exploration, quests, skills, equipment and crafting remain tied to the personal development of the character, even when the adventure is experienced alone.

The MMO dimension expands this structure with cooperative activities, events encountered directly in the zones and areas designed for multiple players. Moving from solo play to group play can therefore happen within the same progression without turning the character into a separate entity depending on the chosen mode.

The Alliance War finally adds another scale to the game by turning Cyrodiil into a territory contested by players. ESO therefore combines individual progression, open exploration, cooperation and large-scale conflict within the same connected Tamriel.

Good to know

• The Elder Scrolls Online was released on April 4, 2014.
• The game was developed by ZeniMax Online Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks.
• The listed platforms are PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PC and Mac.
• The associated genres are action, adventure, fantasy, RPG and open world.
• The specified modes are Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative and Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO).
• The listed engine is HeroEngine.
• The game allows a character to be developed through numerous skill lines associated with different activities.
• Cyrodiil hosts the Alliance War, a large-scale PvP component integrated into progression.