The Elder Scrolls Online

The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) is a permanently evolving fantasy MMORPG by ZeniMax Online Studios. Rather than depicting a single Elder Scrolls province, ESO connects numerous regions of Tamriel in a shared online world and tells standalone questlines long before the events of Skyrim.

The game can largely be explored alone, but it is built as an MMO: public events, dungeons, trials, PvP and other group activities complement the open areas and story campaigns.

The PC version of The Elder Scrolls Online was released on Apr 4, 2014. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One followed on Jun 9, 2015; the native Console Enhanced versions for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S launched on Jun 15, 2021.

ESO is not a finished standalone game; it is continuously expanded with free base game updates, new systems and paid or later unlocked content modules.

ESO is natively available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. On PS5 and Xbox Series, the dedicated Console Enhanced version runs instead of just the last-gen version via backward compatibility.

The game requires an internet connection and an ESO account. Platform, region and edition should be checked before buying, as chapters, Content Passes, Crowns and ESO Plus are not automatically included in every version.

A native macOS client for Apple silicon Macs is announced for summer 2027. Until then, ESO on Macs with Apple processors continues to use the Intel version. ZeniMax Online Studios plans to adjust the Mac system requirements and aims to phase out support for Intel Macs over the long term.

ESO combines real-time combat with freely customizable classes, skills, gear, crafting and exploration. Quest lines and open zones form the core for solo and co-op players; dungeons, trials and world activities deliver more demanding PvE content, while Cyrodiil and battlegrounds cover PvP.

Characters can be played in first- or third-person perspective. Progression comes from levels, skill lines, gear, gathering and crafting systems, and the many long-term account and collection features.

ESO was expanded over many years through chapters, story DLCs, dungeons and new game systems. Since 2026, ZeniMax Online has bundled larger additions and permanent improvements into seasons.

Greymoor and Wolfhunter have been part of the base game since Oct 19, 2026. This makes Western Skyrim, the antiquities system, the Kyne's Aegis trial and the dungeons Moon Hunter Keep and March of Sacrifices available without buying additional DLC. Markarth follows on Nov 9, 2026 and brings the Reach region, along with further story around the Dark Heart of Skyrim, into the base game.

Further chapters and additional content may remain paid, depending on edition and unlocks.

The current Steam version requires at least an Intel Core i5-2300 or AMD FX-4350, 4 GB RAM, a DirectX 11 graphics card with 1 GB VRAM and 150 GB of free storage under Windows 10 (64-bit). 8 GB RAM and a GPU on the level of a GeForce GTX 970 or Radeon RX 570 are recommended.

ESO has been developed in themed seasons since 2026. Alongside rotating rewards, it includes permanent game content. The first season brought Rumors, the Nowhere Vault and three-sided battlegrounds.

Season Two: Echoes of Skyrim runs from Oct 21, 2026 to Jan 27, 2027. The season opens two solo dungeons. A mini-map, higher housing limits and additional ways to customize companions are announced for Jan 19, 2027.

Update 51 has expanded the base game since Sep 28, 2026 with several permanent systems. The Nowhere Vault is a new challenge that can be played alone or in a group. Three wings combine changing rooms with puzzles, stealth sections, navigation and combat; special Nowhere Keys open further rooms and optional chests.

With Rumors comes a permanent exploration system that guides players through clues to secrets and activities in Tamriel. Update 51 also brings back the three-sided Battlegrounds permanently and bundles further improvements to the base game. Time-limited season events are not part of the permanent game content.

Since Oct 21, 2026, Mondjägerfeste and Marsch der Aufopferung have been available as solo dungeons. Enemies and encounters have been adjusted for a single character. NPC companions can come along. The original group versions remain, and the stories can be replayed in solo mode.

Up to three optional Meted Misfortunes increase the difficulty. Without modifiers, combat is tuned to normal open-world areas. On higher difficulty there are more Undaunted Crests, which can be exchanged for rewards at Veya Thenim. Two new monster sets and furnishings are also among the possible rewards.