Although ESO was released in 2014, it is still considered a popular game despite the fact that many players quit the game after update 35.
Players can explore the fictional universe of Tamriel in this explorative video game, Elder Scrolls Online (ESO). Since it is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, you can enjoy its content with gamers across the globe.
Since it was released in 2014, a lot of gamers have wondered if ESO is still regarded as a popular video game.
ESO gameplay
Before you can explore the world of Tamriel, you have to create a character. During the character creation phase, you have to select a class and a race, though you should keep in mind that the race you choose limits your class options.
After creating a character, you can start completing quests, levelling up your skills, exploring dungeons, and meeting new friends. Once your character reaches a specific Champion Point level, you will be able to join trials.
Although the game primarily focuses on the multiplayer environment, there is a lot of content available for solo players.
Is ESO still popular?
ESO launched in 2014 and although the developers expected it to receive positive feedback overall, the game received mixed reviews.
However, reception improved significantly with the 2015 re-release as the game transitioned to a buy-to-play model with microtransactions and an optional subscription.
The game has been active for nearly 10 years, however, many gamers wonder if the game is still as popular as it was after its release.
Since ESO’s release, several other MMOs have been introduced to the gaming world. One would assume that these MMOs have more players than ESO, since it is an older video game, but this is not the case.
ESO is still considered one of the most popular MMOs in the gaming world. This is because ESO introduces new content to the game through downloadable content (DLC) annually.
That being said, you have to purchase the DLC in order to access the new content. Although the DLC has to be purchased, most ESO players purchase the new expansion even before its official release date.
In addition to new content being released yearly, ESO supports both multiplayer and single-player gamers. Most of the content in ESO is to be completed by groups, however, you can complete it as a solo player if you are brave enough to dare to take on unknown risks.
The latest companion system allows solo players to take non-player characters on their adventures. So if you do not like socialising with others, but still want to enjoy ESO, you can complete a quest to get a companion to help you complete content.
ESO update 35
In August 2022, ESO released update 35, which got a lot of negative feedback. This is because ESO fans felt that the developer, ZeniMax Online Studios, is changing the game entirely. One of the biggest changes was pertaining to the light and heavy attacks.
In update 35, the light and heavy attacks continue to scale with the highest of your offensive statistics. However, the developers reduced its damage by approximately 26 percent.
Additionally, they also changed the damage and healing over time features and the debuffs and buffs.
A lot of veteran ESO players stopped playing the game entirely on account of the changes that update 35 implemented.
ESO charts
According to SteamCharts, which is an ongoing analysis of Steam’s concurrent players, ESO is still an extremely popular game. At the time of writing this, the 24-hour peak is approximately 18 047 players, while the all-time peak is 49 061 players.
However, there are months where players stopped playing ESO, which are:
| Month | Average quantity of players | Reason |
| January 2023 | 16 353 | ESO’s community increased by 16.5 percent |
| November 2022 | 13 300 | 2.21 percent of players stopped playing ESO |
| September 2022 | 13 081 | Approximately 5.25 percent of players stopped enjoying the game |
| June 2022 | 16 266 | The game’s community increased by 18.31 percent |
Necrom: Shadow over Morrowind
According to the table above, the game’s community increased by 18.31 percent in June 2022. This is because ESO generally launches new DLC’s in June. However, as time progressed, many players stopped enjoying the game due to update 35.
ZeniMax Online expects their player numbers to grow with the launch of the new expansion, Necrom: Shadow over Morrowind. This DLC, which features the Daedric Prince, Hermaeus Mora, takes place in the Telvanni Peninsula..
The DLC is set for launch on 5 June 2023 for personal computer (PC) players and on 20 June 2023 for console players.
In Necrom, you will become an agent of Hermaeus Mora, and you have to investigate a mysterious threat to the Daedric Prince’s most closely-guarded secrets. Furthermore, you have to purchase the DLC to unlock its content.
