The Elder Scrolls Online had a great 2023. The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom Chapter introduced players to the Arcanist class and the Daedric realm of Apocrypha. It told a good story, even if I thought it was a slow starter. Towards the end of the year, the Endless Archive was released as a repeatable system for one to two players. While it introduced new class sets, those sets still share equipment slots with existing gear sets, limiting their viable use depending on a player’s build.
The Elder Scrolls Online also saw multiple hardware upgrades that improved server performance and stability during the year. But here we are in 2024, and Zenimax Online has started dropping hints about this year’s Chapter. What do we know so far? Where are we going next? What will they do to celebrate the 10th Anniversary?
As a warning, the ending of the Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom Chapter is spoiled in the next paragraph.
With the end of the Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom Chapter came the unraveling of a secret Hermaeus Mora wanted locked away from everyone. A new Daedric Prince was revealed to exist, Ithelia, the Prince of Paths and Mistress of the Untraveled Roads. Hermaeus Mora attempted to remove all memory and knowledge of her existence from everyone, including himself, for fear of the power she could wield over shaping fate. It has already been confirmed in the Studio Director’s Letter: ESO’s 2023 Retrospective & The Future by Matt Firor that the story involving Ithelia will continue into 2024.
But the question remains: Will the story of Ithelia’s possible return be the main plot or something that occurs in the background while other Daedric Princes attempt to achieve their goals? The developers have already sent out hints to different streamers, including a letter from Eveli’s older brother, Beragon, and pieces of a stained glass window. Each piece contains symbols and images that could help indicate where players are going next.
The letter from Beragon indicates he is “investigating a band of kin” somewhere along the southwest coast. Also, the developers have indicated in the 2024 Global Reveal announcement that it will be a “new (yet familiar) region of Tamriel, as well as the continuation of the story that began in last year’s Necrom Chapter.” So, I agree with others that it will most likely be the city of Skingrad or the region it is located within that lies just outside Malabal Tor.
The only other local I can think of would be if the developers did something interesting with Falinesti, also known as the walking city. Because of other symbols on the stained glass, I could also see a return to Fargrave and adventures that dip into two other Daedric realms before the end of the year—those being Meridia and Mephala.
If my guesses are correct, then I am all here for it. Beragon made for an interesting character, and the possible return of Eveli is always welcome. We could even see Lyranth and a few other old friends get involved, which could be fun if done well. I would love to see Zenimax expand more on the lore surrounding the Wood Elves and what else they might do with it. Skingrad also contains the Great Chapel of Julianos, so the Nine Divines may play more of a role in current events due to the threat that Ithelia represents. A combination of all these elements could make for a compelling story.
At the same time, though, this is the 10th anniversary of the Elder Scrolls Online, and I could see Molag Bal, the Daedric Prince of Domination, putting in an appearance since he was the original main threat. The new Molag Bal Illusion Imp morphing collectible for 2024 could hint at his return, but we will have to see, as it’s currently the only indicator of his presence this year.
As for what kind of system(s) we might see this year, Matt indicated in the Director’s Letter that they were happy with the Endless Archive as repeatable content and wanted to create other similar experiences. I could see them implementing something similar with a twist to fit the 2024 narrative or further expanding on the Endless Archive. But I think the big system implementation this year may involve crafting.
While I may be reading into this too much, the 2024 Global Reveal announcement stated that the developers are “crafting something special this year.” If it ends up being an overhaul or an expansion of the crafting system, that would be amazing. But some have also speculated that Order of the Lamp may put an appearance this year due to some of the imagery on the stained glass pieces; since they are part of the Mages guild, maybe there is a remote chance we could see some new spell crafting, gear enhancement, or advanced enchanting system. What any of those systems would look like, I have no idea.
Ok, setting guesswork aside based on vague hints, it’s time for my wish list and high hopes for the Elder Scrolls Online in 2024. Now, I realize that with the Elder Scrolls Online being an MMORPG, the developers are limited in what can be implemented and refreshed. But I would love to see them shake up itemization and loot. Currently, we have tons of sets to choose from; adding more of the same doesn’t feel impactful or engaging. I would love to see new item slots implemented as suggested by others or a modification system for existing gear that could lead to the thrill of chasing new gear and/or components that would meaningfully change the endgame meta.
A base combat revamp, adjustment, or improvement would be stellar on the more unlikely side. If done well, it could add more depth to the gameplay. I wouldn’t say combat needs a complete overhaul since many players enjoy the combat in the Elder Scrolls Online, but the current system feels limited. Updating character models, overall textures, and the appearance of older ability/spell effects would also help create a refreshed experience.
After the conclusion of the Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom, I think the story is in a good place with the introduction of a new Daedric Prince, and if they continue to explore different races that have not had a Chapter based around them yet, such as the Wood Elves, it could make for some excelling storytelling opportunities in the coming years.
Implementing new repeatable systems is also appealing, but to truly shine, the Elder Scrolls Online will need to shake things up in 2024 and break the trend of the last couple of years where Chapters have felt locked into a cookie-cutter mold. The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom was a good start to creating cracks in that perception, and while this is not necessarily bad for those who want more of the same content to stick solidly to a mold, it limits the game in the long term. Thankfully, we don’t have long to wait, as the Global Reveal is on January 18th.
