In early December 2025, I had the opportunity to attend a preview event showcasing what the future holds for The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO). This presentation marks a major turning point for the MMO, as ZeniMax Online Studios prepares to move away from its more traditional chapter-and-DLC model in favour of a new seasonal content structure.

Hosted by ZeniMax Online Studios and Bethesda, the session was led by Game Director Nick Gian and Executive Producer Susan Kart, who walked us through the upcoming changes and explained why the studio is making such a huge shift after over a decade of ESO.

The team explained that while the previous formula had served the game well, it limited how quickly ZeniMax’s internal teams could respond to change. Switching to a seasonal structure gives the developers greater flexibility, allowing them to listen to player feedback and implement changes whenever needed throughout the year. This also allows simultaneous releases across all platforms, meaning no more staggered updates between PC and consoles, which I’m sure will be a godsend for many who miss updates with their friends on other platforms.

In addition to this shift, we were told that internal restructuring is underway, with teams being reshuffled to focus on key feature requests and on ongoing improvements driven by the community. This apparently allows for more experimentation and variety, since it was mentioned that each season will follow a specific theme.

The other major change is that all seasonal content will be free going forward. Beginning with Season Zero this spring (autumn for us here in Australia), every content update will be available to all players at no additional cost. Paid content isn’t disappearing entirely, however. ZeniMax is introducing Tamriel Tomes, a new progression system that essentially functions as a battle pass. While a base tier will be free for everyone, access to the higher-tier rewards will require payment. This replaces the daily login and endeavours that we currently receive and will be phased out.

At the end of the preview session, we participated in a live Q&A with Nick and Susan. During this, I asked whether Tamriel Tomes would remain accessible once new seasons and Tomes begin. The answer was yes, though it appears this may apply only to the paid tier, which feels like an odd design choice.

We were then walked through the roadmap, which the team described as a step toward greater transparency with the community. As mentioned earlier, the first of these updates will be Season Zero, which introduces a range of visual improvements to attack animations and class abilities, alongside a renewed focus on strengthening class identity. The first of these will be the Dragonknight Class, which will receive visual reworks of its two-handed skill tree.

In spring, players will also gain access to the game’s first-ever event zone, designed to enable large groups to work together toward shared goals. Season Zero will additionally deliver a substantial set of quality-of-life improvements. While all the details weren’t shared during the preview, faster travel around Tamriel was brought up, as well as allowing people to respec their builds for free. ZeniMax have an entire internal team dedicated solely to implementing these improvements.

Season One arrives in summer and brings with it the return of Sheogorath, alongside new story content, quests, and dynamic world events. A brand new trial, The Crimson Vault, is also on the way. While there’s plenty to dig into here, Sheogorath’s return is a huge yes for me because, honestly, how can you not love the Daedric Prince of Madness?

Looking ahead to autumn, Season Two shifts the focus to Skyrim, introducing large-scale world events in the form of massive, dynamic storms. These events are designed to dramatically affect the world around you, changing how players interact with the environment in real time. Solo players won’t be left out either; players will be able to experience content entirely solo if they choose, with activities like dungeons now scalable to accommodate individual playstyles.

More customisation should be music to people’s ears. An in-game storefront named the Gold Coast Bazaar will arrive, letting players claim rewards and buy cosmetics that will rotate in and out over periods of time. Event tickets will go away, and trade bars will be used at the shop, which can be earned by just playing the game. A new house with increased furnishing limits will arrive shortly. We got to see the interior of it, and I must say, what a beautiful home I wouldn’t mind owning.

Overall, it was a decent presentation which came with intent and purpose. Thank you to ZeniMax Online Studios and Bethesda for the invitation, and to Game Director Nick Gian and Executive Producer Susan Kart for walking us through a vision designed to carry The Elder Scrolls Online forward.

Written by: Dylan Kocins