Bethesda Softworks and ZeniMax Online Studios shared The Elder Scrolls Online 2025 Direct on Thursday, giving details on what players can expect over the next year for this long-running massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) that has reached 26 million players so far.
As previously outlined by ZeniMax Online Studios head Matt Firor, The Elder Scrolls Online is shifting away from its long-held yearly chapter model, with the studio experimenting with Seasons for adding quests, features, and quality of life improvements to the game.
I had the chance to see this Direct ahead of the broadcast, as well as listening to Firor, creative director Rich Lambert, and executive producer Susan Kath answer some questions about these next adventures in Tamriel.
If you missed it live, you can find The Elder Scrolls Online 2025 Direct below:
The Seasons of the Worm Cult arrives in 2025
The first story unfolding under this new model is the Seasons of the Worm Cult, which is a direct sequel to the original story that shipped with The Elder Scrolls Online at launch.
The titular Worm Cult are up to something. In pursuing them, players are heading to the island of Solstice. This island is mainly populated by various Argonian and High Elf groups.
This season will also introduce the Writhing Wall server event, which Lambert describes as the biggest event that's ever taken place in The Elder Scrolls Online. This multi-stage event will allow everyone playing on a server to pitch in, culminating in the siege of the soul-powered wall that's dividing the island.
According to Kath, not all seasons will necessarily be the same length, and future seasons could run for six or even just three months.
The other big focus of the Direct is Subclasses, a new feature that's on the way for all players to use. With Subclasses, players that reach level 50 can take a skill line from one or more classes into their existing character, shaking up their playstyle and encouraging some wild experimentation.
Lambert explained that naturally, this feature will require players to own the content they want to pull from. For example, if you're playing as a Templar and you want to use an Arcanist skill line for your Subclass, you'll need to own The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom chapter.
Skills used for a Subclass will also cost more points, in an attempt to keep things balanced.
Things are beginning with a prologue quest that's free for all players and available today.
After that, the first part of Seasons of the Worm Cult is slated to launch in June, with the Writhing Wall event coming in the fall. The second part of Seasons of the Worm Cult is set close out 2025.
Personally, I still have some questions about exactly how this change into a seasonal model is going to affect The Elder Scrolls Online in the long run. For now, it's clear there's still plenty to look forward to, and I'm looking forward to taking on the Worm Cult sometime this summer.
The Elder Scrolls Online is currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Mac. The base game is available in Xbox Game Pass.
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