The Elder Scrolls Onlinehas revealed its content plans for 2025, introducing a major shift in how it delivers updates. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming changes to this beloved MMO.
The Elder Scrolls Online New Content Pass
After celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024,The Elder Scrolls Online—available onPS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC—will be changing the way it provides new content.
The traditional yearly expansions such asGold Road, High Isle, or Necromare being replaced with seasonal chapters that will arrive throughout the year via regular updates.
Studio director Matt Firor, game producer Susan Kath, and creative director Rich Lambert shared all the details of this new approach during a remote presentation. Now, let’s break down what this means for the future of ESO.
A New Chapter Format with Familiar Depth
With over 26 million players, the game has steadily evolved, but its content delivery model had grown somewhat stale. This new system aims to refresh things while retaining the core experience long-time players love.
TheContent Passis a new way to dive into Tamriel’s universe, essentially replacing the old expansions but spreading content out across seasonal updates.
For 2025, the paidContent Passwill offer a new story arc that serves as a sequel to the game’s original launch narrative. The first seasonal storyline,The Cult of the Worm, has already been revealed.
This arc brings players back into conflict with the infamous villainMolag Bal, taking them to a new location: theIsle of Solstice, a never-before-seen region south of the continent that Argonian fans are sure to appreciate.
Everything Included in the 2025 Content Pass
The new story begins in June and features the return of iconic characters that veteran players will recognize. It also introduces new enemies and challenges to keep things exciting.
One of the biggest new features isCyrodiil Champions, a large-scale PvP mode with balanced matchmaking. Expect massive battles with strong server support, according to ESO’s team.
To better welcome new or returning players, ZeniMax Online is also revamping the tutorial and enhancing early-game zones with improved visuals and streamlined progression.
While the format may be changing, some staples remain—like the12-player trial, now titled Ossine Cage, which continues the tradition of including a group challenge with each major update.
Gameplay Innovation with Subclasses
The biggest gameplay shake-up is the introduction ofsubclasses. Once players hit level 50, they’ll unlock the ability to use skills from other classes. This system allows for over 3,000 different combinations and applies to every character on your account.
The story’s structure is also evolving. Inspired by community-driven live events seen in games like Fortnite, the second phase of theCult of the Wormstoryline will feature a one-server-wide event.
In late summer, players will collaborate to build camps and forge a weapon strong enough to destroy the spiritual barrier around the island. Then, by the end of the year, a transformed new zone will open, continuing the main quest—which begins now with a free prologue mission.
What You Get with the Content Pass
TheContent Passis priced at$49.99and includes access to:
Early Purchase Reward Items
These limited-time reward items areavailable only until July 29, 2025, for PC/Mac and July 20, 2025, for Xbox and PlayStation consolesand are immediately unlocked upon purchase.
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