The Elder Scrolls Onlinebegan its10th anniversary celebrationsat an old sugar factory in Amsterdam with banners for each in-game alliance flowing through its halls. I arrived on a bus pristine with golden artwork emblazoned on the side, celebrating the game’s history with a rich tapestry of its most iconic characters.
Inside the factory itself, every chapter from the past ten years was depicted in strikingly beautiful artwork framed on the walls, putting into perspective just how much the team at Zenimax Online Studios has accomplished.
Right in the middle of the facility lay an enormous model of the Imperial City, its spire piercing the air as landmarks from across Tamriel erupted beside it. The excitement was infectious and only grew more palpable as the crowds poured in to concoct their own alchemical solutions, try their hand at Daedric calligraphy, and devour as many sweet rolls as they possibly could.
I never thought we’d be here talking about ESO ten years after its launch, let alone travelling the world to commemorate it. Its beginnings were mired with problems as it failed to appeal to Elder Scrolls fans and MMO veterans alike. But against all the odds, the game is now thriving, and hundreds of people flocked to meet up and share their love for it together.
Despite its myriad issues, I’ve loved the game since day one. Seeing the enormous trees of Grahtwood stretch into the heavens and the luscious Thai-styled homes of Elsweyr after years of speculating about the other continents in Elder Scrolls was incredibly exciting.
ESO began as little more than a pale imitation ofOblivion, telling the same story of Daedra breaching through the realms to invade Nirn and lay waste to mortal civilisation, but it has grown into something far more unique. Last year’s chapter, Necrom, revealed thatHermaeus Mora buried all knowledge of a Daedric Prince called Ithelia, removing them from existence entirely.
The next chapter, Gold Road, is bringing her back. It’s an enormous revelation with huge ramifications for the series, marking a shift in the confidence behind the storytelling we haven’t seen before.
Expansions in the past have been built on nostalgia for the mainline single-player games, taking us back to Seyda Neen and unravelling the plots of ancient Vampire Lords in Skyrim. But Necrom and Gold Road are willing to shake up what we know about the series’ history, rather than tepidly trying to fit in.
Talking to developers during dungeon playthroughs and interviews over the past year, it’s clear the last decade was just a warm-up. ESO has spent these ten years course correcting from that infamous launch, finally becoming a game that MMO diehards can pour hundreds of hours into while TES fans pop by every chapter for a new story. It has at long last struck the balance that it originally failed to.
The last decade hasn’t seen the game stagnate or run out of ideas because Zenimax has spent it laying the foundations ESO can build from. Already, we’ve had a roguelite mode in the Infinite Archive, a tabletop card game in Tales of Tribute, and brand-new classes like Arcanist and Necromancer.
We’re about to get a spell crafting-like system and we’ve even seen companions added to the game - every year, fresh ideas pour in and rejuvenate the community, and if that was just Zenimax getting started, I can’t wait to see where it goes next.
These celebrations aren’t just a reflection of the past and how far the game has come, but a glimpse of the heights it can still reach. Ten years ago, I had my doubts we’d be here today talking about the game, but now I feel confident in saying that we’ll be here again for the 20th anniversary.
