Bethesda's Elder Scrolls Online has seen massive growth since its initial release back in 2014. With nearly 20 DLCs, a map size that has doubled since release, and an average player count that has been steadily increasing for the past few years based on Steam's statistics, ESO has seen unprecedented levels of success as of late. Most recently, Bethesda announced the release of a new expansion: Blackwood, slated to release June 1st. With the game's growth and Bethesda recently partnering with Xbox, the future of the Elder Scrolls franchise holds many possibilities.
Given the longevity and massive scope of ESO, there are questions as to what else can be added to the game's content. At the close of 2020, a Studio Director's Letter was released, penned by Matt Firor. The letter highlighted the various happenings of 2020, including the global pandemic, which saw many players flock to online games for an escape. Firor also detailed the growth that Elder Scrolls Online had experienced, and what this meant for the product and developers going forward. When referring to plans for the future, the storyline planned for 2021 titled "Gates of Oblivion" was mentioned, but focus was placed on increasing the game's stability and implementing bug fixes and patches.
One of the biggest highlights for Elder Scrolls Online in 2021 is its newest upcoming DLC: Blackwood, releasing on June 1st. Blackwood promises to add a slew of new activities for ESO players to enjoy, with a new Trial, new World Event, and new rewards entering the loot pool. Trials are 12-player activities, and Blackwood's Rockgrove Trial promises to bring a new challenge to players searching for a difficult, cooperative activity. Cooperative activities will also come in the form of the Oblivion Gate World Events, where players will be tasked with fighting to the heart of the Oblivion portal and closing it alongside other players in the area. Blackwood offers new Companions to accompany players on their missions, introducing many opportunities for personal narratives and quests to further the game's story.
ESO's Gates of Oblivion and Beyond
As has already been announced, the planned story for 2021 will have a heavy focus on the Gates of Oblivion, and tie in thematically with the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion mainline game. The Gates of Oblivion will pit players against Mehrunes Dagon, approximately 800 years before the events of Oblivion. The Blackwood expansion will focus on thwarting the attempts of the Longhouse Emperors seeking to wreak havoc throughout Tamriel with their cultic ambitions. The story saga will continue from the Flames of Ambition DLC, and allow players to venture into the Deadlands.
While there is only speculation on the potential content in 2022, Bethesda's presence at E3 could reveal more of the roadmap for the game's future. Given the recent success and growth of Elder Scrolls Online, it is unlikely development on the game will end soon. The recent crossover with Critical Role has only succeeded in drawing more attention to ESO. Due to Mike Firor's focus on improving the technical state of the game, a majority of updates for the remainder of the year will likely deal with bug fixes and patches.
The future of Elder Scrolls Online is likely secured for the time being given the success of the game as of late, but the direction of future content is purely speculative. It is unlikely that ESO will explore the Dwemer culture, given Todd Howard's refusal to allow the development teams to expand into that piece of lore. Elder Scrolls Online DLCs often connect and expand on stories that have been introduced earlier in the game's lifetime, and it stands to reason that some of the more popular DLCs may see a continuation in the future.