The Elder Scrolls Online continues to be a major pillar for Bethesda Softworks and developer ZeniMax Online Studios and in an interview, Creative Director Rich Lambert discussed future plans for the game, but it's not all good news.
Hot off the release of the Stonethorn DLC, Lambert discussed plot elements, upcoming quests, and eventual performance improvements the developer has for the game, but when asked about the potential for cross-play support, Lambert revealed some unfortunate realities both the developer and fans have to face when it comes to making major changes.
Lambert reveals that the development of the game began in 2007, during a time where aspects of the game were built to support the needs at the time. Since the release of The Elder Scrolls Online in 2014, the game has seen several expansions and built unique economies on each platform. While the answer isn't an outright no, the development team has other priorities before taking on such a monumental task, especially with Covid-19 impacting development, including the slight delay of the Greymoor DLC.
This past June, The Elder Scrolls Online made its debut on the Google Stadia with the implementation of crossplay support between the streaming platform and PC players. While the game's support of crossplay between both platforms gave fans hope for the feature being implemented to consoles, no such changes were made. Leading fans to wonder what the developer had in mind. The latest news may be disappointing to fans but it's not an outright no.
Despite the lack of support for crossplay, fans can look forward to some good news with next-gen consoles looming. When The Elder Scrolls Online makes its debut on the Xbox Series X and Playstation 5 not only can fans bring over characters from the current-gen version of the game, but also do so for free, as Bethesda confirmed The Elder Scrolls Online will be free on next-gen consoles for current-gen owners of the game when they upgrade.
Meanwhile, Bethesda has released a teaser for the upcoming Markarth DLC. Releasing early November, the trailer gives fans more details on what's to come in the next chapter, concluding the year-long sub-story of the game that began earlier in the year. The trailer teases new enemies, NPCs, and some major plot points players can expect. The Markarth DLC will feature a new solo arena an over 10 hours of new quests and story when it releases November 2.
The Elder Scrolls Online is available now on Google Stadia, PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
Source: DualShockers