The Elder Scrolls Online News

Elder Scrolls Online will get new zones, but they'll "be a different flavour" from what came before

Much in the same way that I started this year by telling my loved ones I would cut down my portion sizes in 2026 to attend to my ageing body, Zenimax Online Studios began the year by saying they would be releasing smaller updates for Elder Scrolls Online to refresh the MMO's creakier content.

Both Edler Scrolls Online and I shall end 2026 leaner and able to climb stairs without our knees popping.

But, in announcing its move from Expansion-sized chapters released every 12 - 18 months to smaller Season updates released every three months, it wasn't clear what this meant for new zones. Would the world of Tamriel stay locked at its current size, with additional areas being too large a thing to add in a Season update?

When you think of MMOs, your mind immediately wanders towards high fantasy. World of Warcraft. Final Fantasy 14 (clue's in the name there). Guild Wars 2. There's something about fantastical worlds that makes them perfect for massive online videogames. But I'm sick of seeing thick brick dungeons and high-flying dragons. While I never really jelled with Destiny, I've always wondered what a true sci-fi MMO could look like. Imagine a dingy Night City-esque universe with its suburbs and underground tunnels. That's what Project Blackbird, an ambitious creation from Elder Scrolls Online developer Zenimax, was meant to be.

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The Elder Scrolls Online dev has heard your ESO Plus feedback, but it's a "tough conversation" to have right now

The Elder Scrolls Online's new seasonal model is one of its biggest shakeups yet. By rethinking rewards, adding in a new battle pass system, and making all future (and some past) gameplay content free for all players, it aims to future-proof itself further as it strives to become a "30-year MMO." Zenimax Online Studios has already revealed loads of details about this transformation, as well as some of the big changes that are coming in Update 49 in March and Season Zero in April. But I got the chance to dig a little deeper with executive producer Susan Kath and game director Nick Giacomini, while also asking them about concerns around the value of the ESO Plus subscription service in the new seasonal era, as well as its commitment to increasing "trust" and "transparency" with players.

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The Elder Scrolls Online's smaller expansions are "not in any way" a result of last year's layoffs

"Last year was a hard year for the studio," Elder Scrolls Online's executive producer Susan Kath says. "It was a hard year for all of us." In 2025, as part of sweeping cuts made across all their businesses, Microsoft laid off a significant chunk of Zenimax Online Studios. They did this despite CEO Satya Nadella later calling the year one of "record performance", with revenue up 15% and hitting $281.7 billion.

So, last week, when Zenimax Online Studios revealed it was moving from releasing major expansions every 12 - 18 months to smaller, more frequent updates every three months, it looked very much like the team could no longer manage those big releases.

Kath tells me that reading of events is wrong.

The Elder Scrolls Online's going through a big shift—with subclassing falling somewhat short and a difficult year for Zenimax in the rearview, its developers have decided to shake things up. Going from a yearly "chapter" formula to a seasonal structure where, in a recent conversation I had with executive producer Susan Kath and game director Nick Giacomini, "nothing is off the table."..
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