1. The Elder Scrolls Online
  2. News

The Elder Scrolls Online News

ESO dev "befuddled" that some still don't know the decade-old MMO is out

When you hear the word 'MMORPG' you probably think one of three things: World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy 14, or Old School RuneScape. Perhaps, if you're like me, your mind wanders to the likes of Guild Wars 2, or even something like Lost Ark or Black Desert Online. But for the vast majority, WoW, FF14, and OSRS are 'the big three.' It's weird, then, that Bethesda, the creator of some of gaming's most iconic franchises, has struggled in the MMO space - Fallout 76's much-maligned launch and slow rebirth have been studied and dissected a thousand times over, and despite its ties to The Elder Scrolls, ESO has at times seemed like something of an underdog. All of this has left a "chip" on Zenimax studio game director Rich Lambert's shoulder.


Read the rest of the story...


RELATED LINKS:

Borderlands 4 delivers deep, tricky FPS combat, but it still hasn't hooked me

Romeo is a Dead Man is Suda51's gory, trippy spin on Back to the Future

Mechanicus 2 will have Space Marines, but you won't be able to play as them

Oblivion Remastered replicated the 'Fallout effect' for ESO, says game director

When I think of the most iconic MMOs out there, I am immediately drawn to stalwarts World of Warcraft, Old School Runescape, and Final Fantasy 14 (cat boy Red Mages rise up). Perhaps the most underrated long-runner is ZeniMax Online Studios' Elder Scrolls Online, which, unbeknownst to many, recently entered its second decade of life. Undoubtedly overshadowed by the iconic series' single-player headliners, it's easy to forget ESO exists. However, as game director Nick Giacomini tells Lauren at Gamescom, the release of Oblivion Remastered was a massive plus for the denizens of Tamriel.


Read the rest of the story...


RELATED LINKS:

Onimusha WotS dev asks you to "keep an open mind" about its modernized design

Warhammer 40k Mechanicus 2 lets you crush robots to death, finally

Dawn of War 4's four campaigns "offer more than any other RTS," says dev

New Elder Scrolls Online update introduces sad Argonians and a giant mouth organ

If your bedtime reading consists mostly of lusty Argonian maids, this tale may not be for you. Instead of romance, Elder Scrolls Online is telling a tragedy, as the Feast of Shadows update tells the story of the poor denizens of Solstice, whose lives are impacted by the actions of the Worm Cult. We join Seekxilts, a lizard fella whose home was destroyed by the villainous cultists, as he treks to find a hidden entrance to Naj-Caldeesh, a mythical Xanmeer that many do not believe exists. Along the way, you'll battle necromancers and avoid traps as you unravel the mystery of the citadel's legendary power.


Read the rest of the story...


RELATED LINKS:

Get Elder Scrolls Online and all existing DLC at its cheapest price yet

You can get 30 pieces of ESO DLC and swathes of content for free right now

ESO reveals August roadmap, with big patch and two new dungeons

A Note to the ESO Community from Rich Lambert


Game Director Rich Lambert’s role at ZOS is changing. Read about the adjustment to ESO’s leadership team in this community letter.

Hey everyone!

I wanted to take a moment to introduce someone to you—Nick Giacomini! While Nick has been part of the team since 2019, he will be a new face to many of you. Nick has been deeply involved with ESO as both a player and developer over the years. As a player and community member, he’s been playing ESO since the early beta days—exploring the world and watching the game and community grow for the last 11 years.

As a developer, most recently Nick has been serving as our Director of Product Management. Now, he's stepping into a new role—Game Director for ESO—so you'll be seeing and hearing a lot more from him in the future.

In case you're wondering—no, I'm not leaving, and this is not a goodbye! I will continue to be around, but my role is changing. I’m moving up a level into more of a studio role (Studio Game Director), where I’ll be focusing on studio needs and planning for our future. This is a bittersweet but exciting moment for me. The last 18 years have been incredible, and it has been something that I will always cherish, but the opportunity to do something different and grow is going to be fun, and I look forward to the challenge.

Thank you for being such an amazing community over the years; it has been such a treat to be a part of it. I'll still be working closely with Nick and the team, and I will continue to be a regular part of the community, it just won’t be 100% of my focus anymore.

I am really excited for this next chapter—for Nick, for ESO, and honestly for all of us. Nick and the team have big things planned, and I can’t wait to experience them with you all in the future!

– Rich



Eager to learn more about the ESO leadership team’s vision for your time in Tamriel? Keep an eye out for a roundtable discussion here on elderscrollsonline.com, press interviews from gamescom 2025, and a special livestream.

Feast of Shadows Preview—Black Gem Foundry


Get an early look at Black Gem Foundry, a new dungeon coming to ESO in Update 47 with the Feast of Shadows dungeon pack.

The second dungeon pack of 2025, Feast of Shadows, is coming to live servers soon. It brings with it two new dungeons, Naj-Caldeesh and Black Gem Foundry. For now, the forgotten ruin of Naj-Caldeesh remains a mystery—perhaps to be unveiled soon. Instead, journey into the depths of Molag Bal’s Oblivion realm of Coldharbour to witness the perils of the Black Gem Foundry dungeon. Learn how events have unfolded there, what deadly threats it holds, and the precious rewards to claim from it.

[h2]Toil and Turmoil in a Foundry Full of Foes[/h2]
You can reach the entrance to the Black Gem Foundry from a cave in Western Solstice, but the Foundry itself—both a quarry and forge for black soul gems—is deep within Molag Bal’s Oblivion realm. A planar portal marks the work of nefarious hands, but so much worse awaits you in the foul pits of Coldharbour once you enter. What could possibly drive you to seek out such a place?

“It's the classic conundrum of something terrible being cooked up in Coldharbour and players being tasked to stop it,” explains Writer-Designer Juli Comstock.

The terrible something in question is weapons laced with soul magic, capable of ripping the vital animus directly out of a person. These armaments are the main product manufactured in this vile place, and they pose a terrible danger to Solstice and beyond if allowed to leave its forges.

“Dalenor, the summoner who discovered the true nature of this place, realizes too late that he's naively helped the Soulbinders ramp up foundry production with the aid of his summoned atronachs,” says Comstock. “He's desperate for someone strong enough to shut the place down and help him make things right.”

The Foundry is a forbidding sight

The weapons have not yet reached mass production, giving you a fighting chance to stop the whole operation—if you can conquer the Foundry’s defenses. The Fellowship of Stirk, the Alliances, and perhaps of all of Tamriel, are counting on you to defeat them and deny the Worm Cult access to these terrible tools of death.

[h2]Dark Innovations and Deadly Designs[/h2]
Terrible foes throng within the dungeon, including bosses wielding—or forged from—powerful soul magic. These dungeon bosses won't easily allow you to put a stop to their dire work.

“I love how the arenas for Quarrymaster Saldezaar and the Black Gem Monstrosity present very different field hazards to players, calling for the need to be really spatially aware to mitigate and even survive certain attacks,” shares Comstock. “High Soulbinder Vykand also tests that awareness, plus the player's attention and memory. It's the type of fight that rewards players for group coordination and communication.”

“The Black Gem Monstrosity is a towering atronach made from black gems that are held together with chains and twisted summoner magic,” says Senior Content Designer and Dungeon Team Product Owner Shane Slama. “It's a tough fight because you have to pay attention to the lava that rises and falls, all while making sure no one in your group gets singled out by its hyper-focused beam attacks.”

Test yourself against the Foundry’s challenges

“Keep your eyes peeled for any objects of interest, and don't hesitate to explore off the beaten path,” hints Slama. “Your efforts may provide a leg up in the toughest boss battles. Even more so for those with high-level crafting that know how to maximize the power of black gems.”

[h2]Black Gems and Glittering Gold[/h2]
Doing good deeds is its own reward, but you may well want more material compensation for your efforts in halting this threat in the form of new item sets, collectibles, achievements, and more.

Feast of Shadows rewards

“Skill styles are one of my favorite rewards and we've got one of those for the Fire Rune ability,” says Slama. “And if you love showing off the mementos you've earned, we've got an abnormally slick black gem that nobody seems capable of holding on to.”

You can also acquire several items from four new gear sets in the dungeon—one for each armor weight and a monster mask featuring the Black Gem Monstrosity. These include the Lustrous Soulwell light armor set, which greatly boosts your group’s recovery whenever you use an Ultimate ability. In the Black Gem Foundry, the rewards are worth the risk!

[h2]Fracture the Foundry[/h2]
Daedric domination awaits Tamriel if the Worm Cult triumphs, so be sure to oppose the forces of Molag Bal in the Feast of Shadows dungeon pack. Let us know if you'll be doing your part in this necromantic war via Bluesky, X (formerly Twitter)Instagram, and Facebook

The Feast of Shadows dungeon pack arrives for 2025 Content Pass owners and ESO Plus™ members alongside the Update 47 base game patch on August 18 on PC/Mac and September 3 for Xbox and PlayStation Consoles. The dungeons will be available for purchase in the crown store.