A Decade of Exploration: Insights from Elder Scrolls Online's 10-Year Journey

The Elder Scrolls Online has reached a significant milestone, celebrating its tenth anniversary. Matt Firor, the game's creative director, has been instrumental in shaping the game's direction since its inception. In a recent conversation, Firor reflected on what has kept him engaged with the project for so long. He attributes his dedication to the fact that ESO has been the flagship title for the Elder Scrolls franchise since 2014, allowing the team to introduce new lore and collaborate closely with Bethesda Game Studios. Firor emphasizes the importance of providing a welcoming environment for players, citing the game's virtual world-like experience as a key factor in its success. During the pandemic, ESO served as a 'safe harbor' for many players, with its numbers surging to unprecedented levels. Although the game's growth has returned to its pre-pandemic trajectory, Firor is pleased with its current performance, highlighting the upcoming $2 billion lifetime revenue milestone. The game's cyclical nature, with players coming and going, is a deliberate design choice, allowing for a flexible experience that caters to different playstyles. Firor believes that ESO's ability to adapt to players' preferences has been crucial to its success, offering a range of activities that appeal to diverse interests. When asked about the metaverse, Firor stresses that virtual worlds require engaging content and systems, rather than just technological advancements. He argues that the industry should learn from experienced developers who have been creating connected worlds for decades. Firor intentionally avoids using the term 'MMO,' instead opting for 'virtual world,' to distance ESO from outdated genre expectations. Looking back, Firor acknowledges that the development team's initial concept for ESO was rooted in outdated ideas, but they were able to pivot and evolve the game into a more dynamic, virtual world-like experience. The key to their success, according to Firor, was investing in flexible tools and engines, allowing for quick changes and iterations. As ESO continues to grow and evolve, Firor's primary takeaway is the importance of flexibility, community engagement, and data-driven decision-making.