ESO in 2024: a dead game? Is it even possible to save it anymore?

[𝒞𝒶𝓉𝓎𝒶♡]

With all the last years low effort content (only Endless Archive was something semi-new, idea taken from another mmo) and the exodus away from the game by both the PVP communities oldschool players and Veteran Trial players, to a point where the ones left meme being the "Last Veteran Trial players", at least at the Trifecta level. The communities have become so small that it is sad when remembers the better times and years.

Is it possible to save ESO anymore? Do the Developers even listen the feedback? Do they even think and see the game as MMO game anymore, or more like just single player "Skyrim Lite"?

It feels they aim to just sell mounts and cosmetics and leveling stuff and Vampire Bites etc (that can get for free in game from other players, but not all new players know these kinds of things and gets milked) to grind money with minimal effort.

I know some have the good old sunk cost fallacy hitting, and feels needless anger rising, when has spent so much money to the game already, that feels the need to defend it in any case, or even attack personally anyone telling truths, even when the game is pretty much abusive to them also and do not respect their spent time and money. Anything you buy (sets, classes, skills in paid content, chapters) can be nerfed up and down from decent to useless every 3 months inverval so there never is a feeling of being respected or being able to relax and plan your goals, just so you buy the next thing that is buffed, on and on, meanwhile not having anything cool farmable even in the game like in other MMO games.

Imagine actually having most stuff in game as rewards and not in cash shop? Yes, that is how it is in most other MMO games. Can say that after played several other mmo games. ESO has been by far nothing but a Cash Shop front, game made to sell you Crowns so you buy cosmetics in a laggy, buggy game with bad performance. Would imagine with all that income they would have fixed at least Cyrodiil during all these years, but nope. They only want your money, not your loyalty as a player, they aim just to get new players that spend before they quit.

Do you feel there is anymore even a chance to turn the course of this game? Or will it just slowly fade away, with every chapter giving small nostalgia to the old ESO andies, but each time less and less, and faster and faster after update comes disappointment and player amounts drop back down and game feels lifeless and broken. Ravaged by greed and incompetence. When it could have been so much more, sad times.

Here is a good Youtube clip from a known ESO content creator Azura, explaining the greedy monetization model and backgrounds of the same points i am talking about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XunPmoW0Yf0

Watch that video before going into some reactive emotional anger towards your fellow gamers. If the ESO's own old fans and players say the same things, you know it's an actual issue. But for sure some gonna again tell any negative feedback is just "trolling" and try to silence.

Good thing we are in Steam forums where can say opinions on important issues that are impacting gaming negatively. And this one is.

How do you feel about this issue personally?

My own solution was to Uninstall ESO and play other mmo games until they fix things, put way more rewards into the game instead of 90% into the cash shop, and actually start giving the game same kind of effort and passion that was still visible during Summerset Chapter times. We as players, as their important customers deserve better.

With love,

Lelu, content creator and gaming news enthusiast

[LuTze]

is the crafting bag free to all players yet?

[=Palynzer=]

ROFL "content creator"...Useless generation that creates smoke....create a game, a real music album, a good painting etc, instead of stupidity and then we talk.

[vior wolfkin]

TOTAL claptrap ! just a silly troll posting nonsense to get a reaction ,,, OF COURSE ESO IS NOT DEAD ! .,.. Your friends have gone ,,, and they won't tell you where ! THAT IS NOT THE GAME ! THAT IS YOU

[Alun1]

the problem with the "Vet Trial" community shrinking isn't what you think it is.

when people are asked to link trifecta achievements just to be invited to the group with no prog runs ever being set-up then it's doomed to fail.

[Ray of Light]

This game has more online players weekly than Diablo 4 or Black Desert. This topic may be closed now.

[Lowbei]

Originally posted by Alun1:

the problem with the "Vet Trial" community shrinking isn't what you think it is.

when people are asked to link trifecta achievements just to be invited to the group with no prog runs ever being set-up then it's doomed to fail.

the only groups that a trifecta is required to join are other trifecta groups.

[Alun1]

Originally posted by Lowbei:

Originally posted by Alun1:

the problem with the "Vet Trial" community shrinking isn't what you think it is.

when people are asked to link trifecta achievements just to be invited to the group with no prog runs ever being set-up then it's doomed to fail.

the only groups that a trifecta is required to join are other trifecta groups.

only groups i see always say "link achievement", when you don't got the achievement how do you get it?

let me guess, the "go with guild" cop out? then don't complain about community shrinking.

[Halcyform]

As a game it's not dead, but it is dead to some long time players - including myself. Don't care for the current direction so stopped purchasing anything.

Does it mean I've stopped playing altogether? No, but dropped subscription and will not buy any newer content until I see something that convinces me to do otherwise.

[Lowbei]

Originally posted by Alun1:

Originally posted by Lowbei:

the only groups that a trifecta is required to join are other trifecta groups.

only groups i see always say "link achievement", when you don't got the achievement how do you get it?

let me guess, the "go with guild" cop out? then don't complain about community shrinking.

A. I have never complained about the community shrinking.

B. Groups you see arent asking for the trifecta achievement to get an invite to a group. They are asking for clears, which is not even close to the same thing. You have never, and let me be very clear here, you have never been excluded from joining a group ingame because you didnt have the trifecta for that run.

C. There are public discords that do training runs for all sorts of content, and have been doing so for many years. Anyone who puts any effort into getting clears and gear can get them easily.

[Alun1]

"Link achievement" killed wow raiding and it is killing ESO raiding. seen it all before. being denied an invite because you don't have an achievement, trifecta one or not, is the problem.

even guild members asking for achievements to join their runs. i should not be required to hunt through discord servers to possibly find a training run.

[𝒞𝒶𝓉𝓎𝒶♡]

Originally posted by Alun1:

"Link achievement" killed wow raiding and it is killing ESO raiding. seen it all before. being denied an invite because you don't have an achievement, trifecta one or not, is the problem.

even guild members asking for achievements to join their runs. i should not be required to hunt through discord servers to possibly find a training run.

So many of us who LIKED to help others get clears (so they like actually HAVE the achievement to link next time for someone asking for it) moved to other games, due to how ESO did treat the whole game, combat changes were often made to clearly just create temporary metas, buff this, nerf that up and down every 3 months, without actual sense and logic in the changes. When players had fun builds and classes still had more variety and uniqueness on both magicka and stamina.. they went to slowly destroy all of that.

And changing fun and liked skills/sets/mechanics all the time to just worse. Like literally felt like the "changes made by darts board method" everyone on both PVP and Raiding community was memeing about. They do not listen to players, and they did not listen to Class Reps when that program was still alive. PTS server was always useless, because they did not listen to feedback in 99% of the time, they just always kept huge majority of their bad changes and doubled down on them. So naturally slowly but surely the endgame community started to leave to other games with more reasonable Devs where can actually focus on playing the game and having fun, not having anger management issues when reading another ESO patch notes when they again destroy things people actually liked about the game.

So as result of that, the endgame groups get smaller and fewer. So the ones left get then very tribalistic (and some even enjoy the fact that not many get the latest achievements & titles), because for them it's better to have like 3 groups only clear the content, so they have the bragging rights.. so they do not even train new people to do them, they just do with their static and only replace 1 person if someone quits. Then they take friend of a friend with same mindset.

It was so different when i moved to Final Fantasy 14, the raiding scene there is (while not perfect like in any game), but a lot more accessible and even most "elite groups" always do "clear for 1's" meaning all others have cleared the Savage/Ultimate in question but that 1, so they get clear/achievement for that 1, and then to another 1 after that, next week the same, so people keep getting clears. it's like actual THING there. And then those with clears also do actual Party Finder runs, where half might have clears and half not, so they do easy Training runs and help others, the raiding scene feels WAY more healthy there, and thus.. fun.

ESO raiding remaining scene has stagnated to a very tiny tribalistic group.

ESO pvp community has dwindled down to tiny group and you only see same few names every battlegrounds and in Cyrodiil same few people, recognizes every name. So it's not a healthy situation.

It just has become only mostly a "Single Player Skyrim Lite Online" and while that is fine for many people (and i do not judge, such chill solo playing can be fun), it is just not anymore very functional for the "average Jill/Joe" as actual MMO game. Many of the remaining players even are often in forums ASKING for it to be changed to single player game, because "other players are ruining their immersion". Like what? The MMO gamers been shifting to other games from ESO, so naturally gets more and more that kind of attitude there. They really want it to become single player game, where most your interaction with other players is when they come stand next to you with their Radiant Apex mount from Crown Store. Will they come raid with you? Nope. They do not do that. They just afk on top of their mount after daily Crafting Writs and then logout to play other games. *shrugs*

So what you see and feel.. is the consequences of the management doing wrong decisions and handling the game poorly for too long. People did find better endgame from other MMO games, that still feel like mmo gaming and have people with similar mindset. It is what it is.

Now some "hardcore ESO andy" comes saying probably: "Everything is fine, we have THOUSANDS of raid groups and i raid all day 24/7 with hundreds of Trifecta groups."

Challenge accepted, to the one saying that, name those groups and the players on them. :) I am giddy with anticipation while waiting.

Hint: You cannot because they do not exist and most have moved to other games and only login to ESO like couple times a year for nostalgia and logs off to other games where can actually like.. play the game, and have fun.

Because as poster here says the reality is: "Trying to hunt through discord servers to possibly find a training run" means there is no active helpful community left anymore. It used to go beyond guilds in ESO too and be more helpful and fun. But those days are over.

Situation is more healthy on FF14, no one cares what guild (FC there) anyone are in, people accept you in raids and trainings if you are normal person with polite manners, like that's it. :D So like post "Hi" on chat, and "thx for clear and bye" at the end of it, and in between do not be a toxic doomer (especially seen done by people who mess up themselves but blame others, you all know the type). So it's quite smooth there for 99% of the time. Every game has that 1% tho, never can get fully rid of, but there the endgame community is large enough and actually works. Even i joined it as a full nobody and did get all Ultimate clears and achievements. ^^

I did play ESO for 5 years. Of course it had sentimental value for me and at first felt almost "wrong" to switch games, but did not take long to realize how good it was on a game that actually works so smoothly with actual healthy sized endgame community that likes the same stuff that you do. It makes a difference. There feels like also Developers actually care about us as customers. It was a wholesome feeling after years of feeling like being treated like trash with minimal effort at ESO. Both PVP community and Raid community has always been the 3rd class citizens of ESO, biggest crowd they wanna appeal to is the single player housing players who spend 1000eur/dollars on crates for mounts until quits to play the next MMO and repeats same there. Or talks like Khajiit on forum. *shrugs*

I have my good memories/nostalgia from Summerset times. But it was time to move on where things are fun and not feeling forced to try find reason to login to a game that almost feels like is hating part of it's players and treats only as for milking money with minimal efforts and bad mechanical combat decisions as spice on top of that most Updates of each year.

Still, for people still playing ESO, enjoy the game if it's enjoyable for you! Good if can. But remember always that for many it just changed for worse during several years of bad decisions from Devs, even if some of those changes were things you liked. I guess MMO games can be like human relationships.. sometimes during years something changes and can just find something better, after the other starts treating you like garbage for long enough.

If i pay for a game, i want that money to actually show in performance (Cyrodiil atrocious performance for years and years..) and content, not have a broken game with dead endgame community due to bad management even when the game is making money from Elder Scrolls IP lore players, who come from the single player games and treat ESO as such also.

As said, it is what it is. So it's easy for ZOS to cater to that super casual crowd (nothing wrong with that, it is perfectly fine way of playing, but mmo games generally if wants healthy endgame needs content that demands coordination and co-op playing) and not care about the health of the raiding scene or pvp scene. And it shows, sadly. They just grind through the short term new players, and the few oldschool loyalists, who play even when there is 500ms latency while googling a "build that works in ESO lag - try this!" (while in no other game have i ever needed a build to combat games own bad performance).

You all know it's funny in a dark humor meme way.. but once you play other games that actually work normally all the time.. it almost feels like a miracle. It did for me. FF14 works perfectly for example. How ESO server manages to be like dumpster fire most times and even basic maintenances without even content additions fail and needs (We need another 6 hours to solve this issue.. thanks for your patience again lmao" etc? How is that even possible to happen constantly in a professional company?

tldr: I addressed all posts so far, now i can check back in after another 3 months while i play other games and also enjoy summer activities, have fun guys! Hope you all have a fun gaming summer, be it in ESO or in other games. No bad feelings, we all have our opinions to share about games. You can share yours also, i still like you uwu <3

[Lowbei]

so when questioned, this statement...

Originally posted by Alun1:

when people are asked to link trifecta achievements just to be invited to the group with no prog runs ever being set-up then it's doomed to fail.

becomes...

Originally posted by Alun1:

being denied an invite because you don't have an achievement, trifecta one or not, is the problem.

tsk tsk

there is a massive difference between trifectas, and clears, and i always require clears before i slot anyone for a raid. they can get those clears in training runs, which are far different from normal runs, much less hardmodes or trifectas.

it is extremely easy for anyone who wants a clear, and gear, to get a clear and gear. there are numerous discords and guilds who do training runs weekly.

most people doing pug runs expect the people who sign up to know what to do. i kick anyone who signs up for a role they cannot perform at least decently.

[Alun1]

Originally posted by Lowbei:

...SNIP....

and thus the troll reveals themself. at least the OP understood my statement and concern.

[Lowbei]

lol

[𝒞𝒶𝓉𝓎𝒶♡]

Originally posted by SPACEWAVER:

As far as active players go, I'm pretty sure ESO is the third largest MMO after World of Warcraft and FFXIV.

If that's your definition of "dead" then idk what to tell you xD

Actually Oldschool Runescape is the 3rd largest MMO after WoW and FFXIV. Mostly because the nostalgia andies still play it and it can be played with a potato even when at work etc lol, so the player base is still huge.

ESO does not even publish it's actual daily/weekly active correct player amounts anywhere (and for a reason clearly). It tells that "We have like 1 billion accounts made world wide pog!" (that includes even the 1 day bot accounts made that have never even been active real accounts and people who have tried game for 5 minutes and quit, they just count all that as their "players" lol

Only place where can see it's current player numbers is Steam Charts. Same is for many MMO games. But everyone with any knowledge and common sense of the current trends and data we have available knows the order. With some games have to actually play the games for a while to see the actual population (and if they have cross-play etc, no point talking if have console population or not, if console people cannot ever play with PC platform users for example, so for the players it makes no difference since only same handful of people in Battlegrounds queue everytime with long queues because lack of people doing actual content).

Because of long tradition and nostalgia, WoW and FFXIV will keep their places for another 10 years again. Then there are few "FOTM" mmo's hovering in the middle tiers, and some classic ones that are more active than what they seem from a fast glimpse. Like i play FF14 so i know how insanely populated it is from the city hubs alone already and how active the endgame community there is because easy to get to do content without trying to beg people to do something (like in ESO had to, i swear most people in ESO do not play the game at all, it's more like a habit to login anymore because used to do it for years?). Even in GW2 there is more active players actually DOING stuff, even it's player numbers on Steam is low, but the standalone client people are numerous and active. And they actually play the game. So there are differences. I have no personal experience from OSRS, but that game is funnily been for years the 3rd in order, prolly because it's like "2nd monitor grinding game while doing something else" for like 30+ years old peeps or something.

With many games cannot know activity until actually tries and hits the endgame. I have personally played games that surprised me how active they are and make ESO look like a graveyard of retired MMO players who only login to do crafting writs and people doing any actual mmo content gone to other games for most part. ESO has become a mostly single player game, and nothing wrong with that for those who enjoy that type of playing.

I know it's hard to accept for many. People do their 8 hours of story when expansion comes, then crafting writs the next year and say they get "new content" when new Crown Crate season comes and they buy crates to get latest mount and talk like that is content? I mean.. in other games actual content is content, not what is inside loot boxes for the next 3 months. O_o

But yeah, as said. I am playing other games. But if you personally enjoy ESO still, go ahead and have a fun gaming summer there. I WISH the direction of ESO would not have changed so much after certain point. The game has amazing potential and always has had, for ME the combat is fun in ESO (or was more fun before they homogenized and started ruining classes/skills/sets) but it just has always had the Combat Dev team and it's Server Tech team (and spaghetti code) being it's own worst enemy with poor performance and bad changes to combat every 3 months until people gave up because they did not listen to reasonable feedback. And overland is one-shotting mobs, so can play it while being at sleep.. it's so easy that no challenge in anything that does in overland.

Even world bosses are faceroll to solo. I play now other games where bosses/world events fail if does not have actual group/coordination to do the mechanics. And it feels satisfying to do co-op playing and not just single player experience. If i want to play single player game, i play actual single player game. Can "solo together" in many games, as long as it still feels meaningful to have common goals. Not only have other players there to show mount, i wanna feel other players are NEEDED so you have fun together. But maybe that's just me and everyone else who left ESO for other games that still HAS that feeling.

Yes, i like actual MMO in my MMO games, imagine that right? :) This is criticism about the game, not it's players btw, so hope people always understand that one can talk about games without taking it's like personally talking about them. So no need to get defensive. It's Steam forums where can also tell the negative sides of games. All games have them. Like FFXIV has it's own flaws also, even it has a LOT of content for endgame and active community, the content cadence is always formulaic, always knows how many raids/trials gets and when, and they even tease them in advance often and show already what enemies gonna face and how the place gonna look etc.. it has good sides, but also, no big surprises. It's like your parents telling what xmas gift you getting, yay nice - but no surprises. :P

Kinda cool tho one aspect of it, they do not do much "up and down nerf cycle" like ESO does every 3 months, there can mostly just PLAY THE GAME and have fun. :D Also it has animeish graphics, so that is always a no-no to some, so it's not perfect game also hih.

Also the UI at FFXIV is a nightmare at start (was for me) until spends 6 hours modifying it and keybinds and targeting/group etc settings. :P

See? It's not so hard to admit flaws in the games you play?

So how does Gold Road feel? Been good? I did not buy it myself obviously. Sign that i have cured myself out of ESO addiction and my mmo addiction is now in other games. ^^ Then always more easy to objectively talk about and compare games. If only plays one game as "main game", people tends to get emotional about it and defend it even if they in their own hearts knows and feels it flaws, but hard to admit them often out loud. It's just human nature. Some feel if they say there is even a tiny flaw in their game that they have wasted their money/time on it, so they always tell it's the perfect game. I know that feeling.

Besides raiding that i did, we used to live in Cyrodiil and play in that insane lag, so trust me i know the memes that kept us playing for years. PVP felt so forsaken game mode in ESO the last years. We were always so high in copium and the "Surely they will fix this in next update", but that never happened obviously. But we still had some fun times, due to friends having the share suffering haha. Discord voice chats were always funny when people lagged/crashed lol. So there was this weird masochistic funny side on it always.

Now for real.. i shall disappear into the worlds of other games, wish you have fun in ESO though. =)