As is the case for any other existing MMORPG, it is necessary to ask whether or not The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) is still worth playing in 2021, seven long years after its release in 2014. This holds true both for returning players and people who don’t play the game but are still curious. The game has seen several major changes in gameplay and development since its release and recently announced another expansion known as Blackwood. This article will highlight some of the key highlights and features of the game and keep you informed about these new changes to aid in making an informed decision as to whether or not you should invest your valuable time into playing this game. Whether or not if you decide to do it, you can check out Gamecamp where you can find various retailers that can offer the cheapest ESO key price.

 Blackwood Expansion and Gameplay Changes 

 If you are a fan of a large open playing world or of intriguing quest lines with characters that are voiced by professional voice actors then the Elder Scrolls Online will give you a lot to offer in that regard. As with any new expansion, Blackwood adds a new area to the already large map unlocking the region that encompasses the border area of Elsweyr and Black Marsh. The story follows the Gates of Oblivion storyline which involves the scheming Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon roughly 800 years prior to the events depicted in Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. This is great news if you love continuity and closure in storylines. And if you enjoyed Oblivion then this expansion will definitely please you as it will also feature the much talked about Oblivion Gates. There are six new gear sets that will come with this expansion, so if you are unhappy with your gear or you are a trading guild player then this is something that should be on your mind. The most interesting news for ESO players in 2021 however, is the new changes in the Champion Points (CP) system. The total points that a player can hold have now been increased from 810 to 3600. The three new constellations that have replaced the old system are Craft, Warfare, and Fitness and the game has done away with minor constellations altogether. The bonuses that the CP skills provide are no longer linear changing gameplay drastically. This may be unsettling if you liked the previous system better, but many players would argue that it adds more excitement to gameplay at the cost of a little balance. Many players also like the fact that it brings attention to aspects of the game such as crafting, making the grinding in this game more enjoyable and dynamic. Players are still adjusting to these new CP system changes, and it will take time before the experienced veterans figure out the new meta. This is a great development for new, casual, and competitive players alike because it means that you have a new opportunity to experiment with newer character builds. The developers have said that there will be future additions to the CP system to watch out for. The intricacies of this system will continue to unfold as changes are made accordingly. This isn’t the only new addition to the game. They have also added a companion system which is designed for solo players. You will really love this if you are a fan of Skyrim because these companions have to be sought out and each comes with their own intricacies and backstories. One major concern to watch out for is if this will affect guild membership considering how companions can dissuade solo players from relying on guilds for finding other players to complete difficult quests, dungeons, and zones. In any case, this will offer players more freedom in the creation of solo and quest related builds. And it also seems to fit more logically with the games leveling and experience gaining system. 

ESO Plus and Other Key Highlights

After purchasing Elder Scrolls Online, the rest of the base game is free to play. However, there are areas on the map that are locked for players who haven’t purchased the latest edition, as well as quest lines, mounts, accessories, and DLC’s that you would have to purchase individually. Fortunately, ESO has a subscription model called ESO Plus that allows players to temporarily access all the features that they would otherwise have to purchase individually. ESO Plus also offers players a craft bag that eases out inventory space, making grinding and trading a lot easier. Another really cool feature of ESO is that it gives you 1650 Crowns back to the player, which means that it actually pays you back in in-game currency to hold the subscription. This is a highly recommended feature for players that play the game in patches, in and out of it with breaks in between. Like any MMORPG, ESO has large scale item, resource, and in-game currency trade between players and guilds. Gold is the currency that players use to purchase items in game from NPC vendors and from other players in private trades and through guild-owned vendors.  Fortunately for new players, it is relatively easy to earn gold and learn how to trade. There are also many cool online services that facilitate the trade of gold such as Eldorado which allows players to sell their gold. The most important highlight of ESO, and what truly separates it from its counterparts is the community of players which is highly diverse and very welcoming towards new players. This is very helpful if you are having difficulty leveling up, or experiencing doubts over your build, or even as simple as needing people to join you in dungeons. The way the ESO community organizes itself via guilds and the way it facilitates a community experience is remarkable. The community is important for another reason; throughout the years ESO has changed a lot and much of this change has been driven by inputs from the gaming community that the developers have done an excellent job of heeding to. The developers are constantly listening to feedback from players and have fixed many patches in the past 5 years. This means that even if you gave this game a shot in 2014 and didn’t like it if you do choose to play it again you will be coming back to a completely different albeit better game. Another strong highlight of the game is the sheer size and scope of the game world and how much it has to offer. It would be an understatement to say that Tamriel is a massive space with so much for an individual to explore in terms of lore, quests, and bosses. The aesthetic beauty of many locations in the game, such as Summerset adds an extra layer of ambiance to your gaming experience that is difficult to find or replicate in other games. Sometimes this is so immersive that it becomes the key highlight of a day's play, instead of a dungeon or PvP arena. You have a lot of freedom in choosing which quests you wish to complete and when, and also a lot of freedom to make important choices within quests that will help develop your character. The game also takes many aspects from previous Elder Scrolls titles such as the Thieves Guild, the Dark Brotherhood, vampirism, and lycanthropy and integrates them into the online experience incredibly well. Unlike other competitive games where power creep stagnates and breaks the metagame, ESO’s metagame is incredibly dynamic and constantly evolving. While there are some overpowered items such as Volendrung (a celestial warhammer found in Cyrodil) there isn’t anything that really breaks the game and tactics are generally balanced. This means that you don’t need to worry about your build becoming obsolete. For example, Argonians can still make really good tanks even after their passive skill called Resourceful (which grants them extra health from drinking potions) was nerfed. The diversity of in-game strategies and character builds give you more freedom to do what you want as opposed to what the meta demands.

Verdict 

ESO has improved so much in quality that it is still worth playing the game in 2021 and well into the future. This owes largely to how many new features the latest expansion will bring and the recent changes to the game that have vastly improved the gameplay experience. It checks just about every box when it comes to requirements and features that players are looking for such as competitive PvP gameplay, immersive visual graphics, and an intriguing storyline. And not to mention that its community is miles ahead of other MMORPGs. Even if there are some things about it that you don’t like, or if there are possible improvements the game can make, it is highly likely that your concerns are shared by other players. In that case, it is highly possible and likely that the developers will make changes and adjustments to the game in the future just as they have in the past. All in all, this is a game you should definitely invest quality time in, and recommend to your friends too while you are at it.