ZeniMax Plans Exciting Seasonal Transitions for Elder Scrolls Online in 2025
Image courtesy of ZeniMax Online Studios.
Starting in 2025, Elder Scrolls Online will transition from launching yearly expansions (or “Chapters”) to a more seasonal model.
In a recent blog post by ZeniMax Online’s studio head Matt Firor, he shared that the Seasons are projected to last for “three to six” months and will likely include “a blend of themed narrative content, events, store offerings, dungeons, and more.” According to him, this shift from annual Chapters will be easier on the team.
Similar live-service games like Destiny 2 and Apex Legends feature comparable three-month seasons. ZeniMax Online will gradually move towards creating “smaller bite-sized content,” along with “some larger items” that will be released throughout the year.
“We’ll be able to have teams launch content when it is ready during the year instead of aiming for a June deadline—this will allow us to focus on a broader range of content distributed over the year,” he stated. “This supports the new Seasons model, and will enable us to release content, updates, fixes, and systems more efficiently.”
Live-service is getting a refresh
Earlier this year, Bungie announced a series of modifications to its own content model for Destiny 2. Similar to Elder Scrolls Online, these adjustments will take effect in 2025 and will encourage the sci-fi shooter to “explore and innovate” through medium-sized content releases instead of larger expansions like Destiny 2: The Final Shape.
The first of these is Codename: Apollo, which is set to be divided into a couple of paid updates beginning in summer and autumn. Codename: Behemoth will subsequently transition into Apollo with updates in winter 2025 and spring 2026. Additionally, there will be two free seasons for each update.
According to Firor, ZeniMax is considering implementing quest content in Elder Scrolls Online in “different ways” with the upcoming model. Some of the ideas he outlined included utilizing existing zones and areas to tell new stories (or continue existing ones), dividing large zones across several updates, and providing the team with “the space to establish a new rhythm that integrates new content and systems with addressing feedback, resolving issues, and adding new quests and activities to existing areas and narratives.”
Firor’s complete perspective on Elder Scrolls Online and what lies ahead can also be read here.
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Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com
A native of Kansas City, MO, Justin Carter has contributed to numerous websites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. Besides Game Developer, his writings can also be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don’t ask him about how much gum he’s had, as the answer will be more than he’s willing to disclose.