Summary
The Elder Scrolls Onlinezone lead Jason Barnes revealed in a recent Q&A discussing the latest update that there are “ongoing plans” for harder story content, following years of complaints that the game is ‘too easy’ for long-time players.
ESO is one of the most approachable MMORPGs in the genre, as Zenimax designs every new expansion and its accompanying zone with new players in mind. That means you may dive into the upcoming Season of the Worm Cult at level one and still be a capable Vestige.
Update 46 will addsubclassingto the game, a long-requested feature.
It’s why ESO appeals to both MMO veterans and more casual players who return every year for the newest story content. But for those who enjoy all facets of the game, it’s understandable that pushing through new zones and quests without any friction gets dull. What exactly the ‘plans’ are to make the core gameplay loop more satisfying isn’t clear, but it’s not the first time that Zenimax has addressed the issue.
“It’s Not A Simple Problem”
When we sat down with creative director Rich Lambert last year forESO’s tenth anniversary celebration in Amsterdam, he likewise revealed that Zenimax is keenly aware of players' frustration with the game being ‘too easy’.
“We do hear that feedback all the time,” Lambert said. “‘Give us a difficulty slider, let us do hard modes.’ There’s things we’re looking at, but it’s not a simple problem because ten different people can play the game and they all play it ten different ways, and it’s hard for some and easy for others. So we have to find the happy medium ground where the most amount of people can enjoy it.”
A common suggestion put forward by the community is based on something that ESO already does for dungeon content, a ‘Veteran’ option. When you reach level 50, you’re able to queue for the same list of dungeons you already have unlocked, but at Veteran difficulty, which makes monsters and bosses tougher, and in turn rewards you with better loot.
You can then adjust the difficulty further by enabling hard mode challenges for several bosses, which again makes the loot more valuable. A system like this for the overworld would no doubt quell many issues that players have, but divvying up entire zones into two groups of players is hardly the same as small four-player dungeons.
