The Elder Scrolls Online – Creative Director’s Letter

With another year almost behind us, Bethesda’s MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online is fast approaching its fifth anniversary. And so, looking forward towards a new year full of adventures, the game’s creative director Rich Lambert brings us this open letter that looks back at 2018 and teases some major reveals and announcements coming our way in 2019. Check it out:

2018 has been another great year for ESO. We saw the release of two new DLC dungeon packs with Dragon Bones and Wolfhunter, a new story DLC with Murkmire and, of course, the year’s big Chapter release with Summerset.

We constantly challenge ourselves to create content that provides compelling new stories, visuals, and challenges, while at the same time giving you the chance to delve into the heart and soul of the many different peoples and cultures that reside in Tamriel. Both Summerset and Murkmire are worlds apart from the locations you have already explored in The Elder Scrolls Online, and it’s both humbling and extremely gratifying for us to see just how much you all love these new adventures. Thank you!

I’d also like to extend a big “thank you” to everybody here at ZOS who worked their butts off to pack so much into a single year, I’m extremely proud of what we’ve achieved in 2018, and it’s clear that the community appreciates it, too.

Speaking of the ESO community, 2018 was also a great year for meeting and engaging with you, the players. Starting with the Twitch Livestream announcing Summerset, we had a blast showcasing ESO and talking with the community at PAX East, PAX West, E3, QuakeCon, Gamescon, Twitchcon, RPC, PAX Australia, and, for the first time, Armageddon in New Zealand. These events are important to us because they’re not just a chance to show off our latest content or release, they’re also an opportunity to have some real face time with the people that make ESO such an incredible experience.

We also loved seeing everybody come together for the year’s different in-game events, including all the amazing community responses we saw to Summerfall and the addition of Indriks and Indrik Feathers in Q4. When the ESO community works together, for an in-game cause or out, magic happens. Whether it’s guilds dedicated to new or developing players, detailed guides, or kickass streams, I believe we have the most welcoming and dedicated community in online gaming. #ESOFam isn’t just a catchy hashtag, it’s a truth in our community, and it is something very special to all of us here at ZOS.

2019 is almost upon us, and it’s going to be a huge year for The Elder Scrolls Online. I can’t say too much just yet, and it is incredibly difficult to have to hold back details, but ESO will be 5 years old next year – a huge milestone for us and the community! As such, next year’s story and adventure will be something truly special for all Elder Scrolls Online players. We are so excited to be able to share it with you soon, and we can’t wait to see how you all put all the pieces together starting early next year.

I say this all the time, but I mean it earnestly: Thank you! From everybody here at ZOS, we truly appreciate all the passion, support, and dedication the ESO community brings. Without you, we wouldn’t be able to do the things we do and the game wouldn’t be what it is today. You have all made ESO the best online community and experience available today. Cheers to you all, and prepare for one heck of an adventure in 2019!

-Rich