The Escapist: "When I first saw The Elder Scrolls Online at E3 last year, to say I was dubious would be extremely charitable. The presentation was short - a bit of handwaving, some appropriately soaring music, and then "Hey, how about that Dishonored?" - but the little I saw looked like Ye Olde MMO(e) that had been given a quick lick of Elder Scrolls paint. I left that presentation with my eyebrow quirked at exactly the right angle to impart how little I was impressed, and it was with that eyebrow still firmly arched I sat down to play the game last week. Four hours had been slotted in the schedule for the play session, which I estimated to be about three and a half too many."
During a panel at GDC 2024, Elder Scrolls Online Game Director Matt Firor noted that the MMO has generated a staggering amount of player spending over its decade of operation—almost $2 billion.
Who says a dud game can't have a video game comeback?
Cyberpunk and No Man's Sky have to be up there. We're lucky and cursed, equally, to have games that can be updated now. For folks old enough to remember the Sega/SNES into PS1 and even 2 eras, if a game came out that was half baked (*cough*Angel of Darkness*cough*) that was it, no redemption. At the same time, having the option for updates shouldn't be an excuse for half assing games.
The Elder Scrolls Online has accumulated over 24 million players over the years. The RPG hit the milestone on its 10th anniversary.