The best way to combat that, at least in my opinion, is to play games. The gaming industry in general has seen that, because people can’t go out. Lambert: There’s definitely been a noticeable bump in our population. Can you talk about what that growth has been like for ESO in the last couple of years? GamesBeat: We know that there’s been a lot of growth in gaming during the pandemic.

This is our way of getting back to our roots and telling that more grounded storyline, a more personal storyline. And we did a lot of those kinds of more grounded stories around launch, and just after launch. I know the team in general has been itching to do something a little different than “the world is going to end if you don’t do this thing.” That cosmic threat. Lambert: Yeah, I think it’s a bit of both, for sure. Is that a response to fatigue from that sort of thing happening too often? We’ve seen players of other MMOs criticize their games for getting too big and epic, constantly tasking players with stopping the end of the world. GamesBeat: You talked about an experience for players that is less about world-threatening plots. You don’t need to know a lot about the world to grok it and understand what’s going on. But you’re right that the storyline is probably a lot more accessible to those players that aren’t big into Elder Scrolls and the lore. We ungated world exploration and turned it into a game you can play at your own pace. We’ve been focused on new players really since 2016 and One Tamriel, where we removed the level restrictions. Growth is incredibly important in an MMO’s lifespan. Rich Lambert: I would say that’s always a focus for us.

GamesBeat: Is High Isle focusing on welcoming in new players? This year’s Breton story will have a medieval focus. I had a chance to talk with ESO’s creative director, Rich Lambert, about High Isle, the MMO’s future, and its efforts to welcome new players while keeping current fans happy. The launch of High Isle gives ESO, which has already attracted over 20 million players, a chance to attract more people. And while World of Warcraft has been on something of a decline, other MMOs like Final Fantasy XIV and new games like New World have benefitted. MMOs are experiencing something of a renaissance, with many looking to their online worlds for entertainment and socialization during the pandemic. MetaBeat will bring together metaverse thought leaders to give guidance on how metaverse technology will transform the way all industries communicate and do business on October 3-4 in San Francisco, CA.

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