It's on the Epic Games Store now

The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) is free on the Epic Games Store right now, and it's a pretty fantastic way to spend this semi-lull gaming period if you aren't getting Pikmin 4.

In case you were wondering, this is considered the "standard" edition of ESO and includes both the base game and the Morrowind chapter for $20. The "Necrom" version is $60 and adds in "all previous chapters," which at this point includes: High Isle, Blackwood, Greymoor, Elsweyr, Summerset, and Morrowind.

You can grab Elder Scrolls Online for ?free ??right here. This freebie promo will run through July 27 at 11AM ET, so you have time!

Is ESO worth playing?

Absolutely! Especially for free. Although it had its issues at launch, I thoroughly enjoyed running through and exploring this version of the Elder Scrolls universe, and it's only expand??????????????????????????ed since then with numerous quality-of-life patches. Although, you will have to buy/acquire the expansions that deal with c??ontent beyond the base game.

Does ESO have a mandatory subscription fee?

Nope! That's where? this free offer comes in handy.

There is, however, an "ESO Plus Membership" that you can buy, which has become increasingly popular since Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) helped usher the sche?me into the mainstream MMO scene ages ago.

Here's what it includes:

• Access to all DLC game packs
• Free crowns for the in-game Crown Store [read: microtransactions]
• Access to the Craft Bag
• Double bank space
• Bonuses to progression
• Increased Furniture placement limits
• Costume dyeing
• Double Transmute Crystal capacity
• Exclusive access to unique Crown Store deals

The post You can’t go wrong with getting the $20 base Elder Scrolls Online for free appeared first on Destructoid.

Extra launchers are like per-channel streaming services: not needed

Another launcher bits the dust. The Bethesda launcher is? no more by the time May 2022 hits, and?? you can transfer to Steam a month early in April.

He?re's the gist, and the bolded part is important:

"We’re saying goodbye to the Bethesda.net Launcher this year. We would like to thank you for your support and assure you that all of your games are safe. If you’re not playing PC games through the Bethesda.net launcher then your work is done here. Thanks for reading! If you do have games through the Bethesda.net launcher, don’t worry. Starting in early April you’ll be able to migrate your games and Wallet to your Steam account. For more details on what this process will look like, read on. You have plenty of time to plan and begin migrating your Bethesda.net library to your Steam account. The migration to Steam will include your game library and Wallet �meaning you will not lose anything from your Bethesda.net account."

Basically everything will transfer from the Bethesda launcher. Saves, character progress for Fallout 76, atoms (microtransaction currency), seasonal progress, friends lists, the works. The only game saves that cannot transfer, curiously, involve Wolfenstein Youngblood. This seems to be as painle??ss as possib??le, which is a huge plus.

If you're impacted, you can find the entir?e article here with a?ll the details. Fallout 76 has its own FAQ here, which is relevant because testing took place in the Bethesda launcher exclusively. According to the publish??er, "going forward, playtesting for all future PTS phases will only be available on PC through S?team." Again, easy!

As for the closure; competition is good, in theory. Steam is a monolith, and if someone wants to come along and provide products in a different way, with advantages (like how GOG provides DRM-free games),? so be it. Competition benefits everyone, as Steam has added consumer-friendly features in direct response to other services in a bid to stay relevant.

Having said that, not eve??ry publisher needs their own launcher, especially if it's adding nothing of value.

The post ??The Bethesda launcher is dead, e??verything will move to Steam appeared first on Destructoid.

'A tale that has yet to be told...'

For all of you adventurers still questing your way through The Elder Scrolls Online, Bethesda has a treasure trove of content headed your way in? 2022. The publisher has announced that it will be holding a special live stream presentation on January 27, in which it will lift the lid on some of the worlds, quests, and characters headed to the MMO.

"During the show, we’ll give you a first look at the upcoming Chapter and DLCs that make up this year’s brand-new Elder Scrolls adventure," hypes Bethesda on the official ESO website. "In 2022, we bring you new lands to explore, new threats to uncover, and new stories to experience, but if you can’t wa??it until January 27, here’s a short teaser trailer to set the tone for what kind of dangers lie ahead."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2e8SCyb2mc

The Elder Scrolls Online Global Reveal Event will broadcast live on Twitch January 27, 2022. The action kicks off at 12:00 PT / 15:00 ET / 20:00 BST and will be followed by a second broadcast where the community team will break down all of the exciting announcements and reveals. Far more importantly than all of the above, all players who tune into the event will bag themselves a Barnacle-Back Coral Crab companion. Look at him! This alone is enough of a reason to tune into the show. In fact, it's sort of enough to make me start playing The Elder Scrolls Online.

The Elder Scrolls Online is available now on PlayStation, PC, and?? Xbox?? platforms.

The post Elder Sc??rolls Online 2022 stream to reveal new content and give you THIS CRAB appeared first on Destructoid.

Look for new Performance and Fidelity modes

It's the Xbox and Bethesda show at E3 2021, and that means they've gotta sneak in a bit of The Elder Scrolls Online?? �in this case, a trailer and date for the Xbox Series X/S and PS5 "Console Enhanced" version. It's launching June 15, 2021.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=a43aVdqBbxs

With the upgrade, you'll be able to run at 60 frames per second in Perfor??mance mode, and there are touch-ups to "draw distance, antialiasing, reflections, lighting, and more."

If you've already got TESO, the Console Enhanced version will be free.

The post The Elder Scrol?ls Online: Console Enhanced is a boosted version for Xbox Series X/S and PS5 out June 15 appeared first on Destructoid.

Blackwood expansion still on track for June 1

Publisher Bethesda Softworks has announced that the next-gen console edition of The Elder Scrolls Online will launch on June 8, offering an enhanced edition of the fantasy MMO for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S?? players. This new edition will be offered as a free update within the same console family to anybody who currently owns ESO.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Console Enhanced will remain the same title from a gameplay standpoint, but will be gifted a wide selection of visual and technical updates. These include full 60 FPS gameplay while in "performance mode," higher resolution textures, improved anti-aliasing, improved shadow and reflective effects, an increased draw distance, more realistic Ambient Occlusion, and improved load times across the board. All of these visual upgrades will allow Tamriel ??to shine better than ever before, offering console players a smoother and more immersive experience.

Bethesda also took the time to address ESO's upcoming expansion, Blackwood, which is currently on course to launch on PC June 1, with consoles to follow on June 8. The latest chapter in the Gates of Oblivion story arc will see players take on the aptly-monikered Prince of Destruction as he attempts to bring chaos and havoc to Tamriel. The new expansion will allow players to travel back to classic Oblivion locales such as Leyawiin and challenge new bosses, trials, and? dungeons. A new "Companions" feature will also allow players to explore with A.I. party members watching your back, so you need never ventu??re into danger alone.

For more details on Blackwood and the Console Enhanced edition, check out the official Elder Scrolls Online website.

The post The Elder Scrolls Online: Con??sole Enhanced launches June 8 on PS5 and Xbox Series X appeared first on Destructoid.

Good combo

The Elder Scrolls Online has come a long way from its scrappy beginnings.

It made the free-to-play move rather quickly in the grand scheme of things, but hasn't looked back and gained a large enough following to keep it going with a regular content cadence. So far we've been whisked away to Tamriel, Morrowind, Summerset and Elsweyr: now we're venturing out into western Skyrim with the Greymoor expansion.

Revealed last night during an opulent ev??ent at the HyperX Es?ports Arena in Las Vegas, Greymoor is decidedly vampire-centric, and will launch on PC on May 18 and consoles on June 2. Billed as a "new year long adventure," the expansion will get four updates over the course of its lifetime, which includes more story add-ons and dungeons. Zenimax calls this "the largest zone yet," and the main questline will last you around 30 hours initially, before the updates hit. Harrowstorms are also in, which are a?? new world event, on top of another 12-player trial/raid, Kyne's Aegis.

I'm constantly in awe of how much of an "all-stars" project ESO has become, as we haven't had an Elder Scrolls project this ambitious since 1994's Arena. You can? watch the cinematic reveal below to get a taste of the theme they're going for.

The post The next Elder Scrolls Online expansi??on is vampire-centric and partially set in Skyrim appeared first on Destructoid.

But...how big

The Elder Scrolls Online has carved out a nice niche for itself.

After a tumultuous (but not disastrous) launch on PC, it picked itself up by its bootstraps, completely reinvented the way the leveling system worked, and somewhat pivoted itself as a traditional Elder Scrolls jo?int. Functional PS4 and Xbox One ports helped. But it seems like a Switch edition is not in the cards: and not for the traditional "we're vaguely looking at a Switch port maybe" reasons, but actual technical reasons.

Speaking to GameSpot, director Matt Firor noted that a Switch version was basically impossible. At this point in ESO's lifecycle it's roughly 75GB in size: something that won't fit on Switch. As the outlet points out that's?? twice the size of the absolute top-level Swit?ch release right now.

Bethesda is committed to the Switch though, publishing Wolfenstein II, Skyrim and several other games on the platform.

Elder Scrolls Onli??ne Not Coming To Nintendo Switch Because It's Too Big [GameSpot]

The post ZeniMax says The Elder Scrolls Online is ‘too big’ to come to Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

TESO hits 11 million players

The Elder Scrolls Online just keeps growing. That's both in te??rms of content and players.

During Bethesda's E3 press conference, director Matt Firor took the stage to reveal two upcoming expansions. First, a werewolf-themed add-on called Wolfhunter will release. Later, the Murkmire area (which is a part of the Black Marsh) will be add?ed.

Apart from the expansions, Firor revealed that there are now 11 million TESO players. One million of those joined in t??he past year.?? That's a lot of folks in Tamriel.

The post The Elder Scrolls Online is getting Wolfhunter and?? Murkmire expansions this year appeared first on Destructoid.

It's been a while

The Elder Scrolls Online is about to dump a super lore-heavy expansion on us -- Summerset. It takes us back to the Summerset Isles (and Artaeum), a place that hasn't been touched in the games since the very first entry -- Arena -- in 1994. While it's not quite as powerful of a launch as say, the iconic Morrowind, it's still a pretty impactful zone if you're an Elder Scrolls fan.

A new trailer below gives us another glimpse into the purple?-hued area, as well as a peek at the upcoming conflict that will once again involve the Daedra. This time around you'll be teaming up with the Psijic Order to take them down, while uncovering new abilities and such along the way -- most of which are time-based.

I've been playing the PTS (Public Test Server) edition for roughly a week, and although I defi?nitely need to see more of the narrative play out before I can make a judgment on the story, I'm sufficiently impressed by the zone. ZeniMax Online Studios has done a great job of capturing the raw beauty and danger of Tamriel. It's larger than Mor??rowind, which is a plus in an MMO centered around exploration, but still bite-sized enough to the point where it doesn't feel like most of the areas are filler.

All of the ancillary elements, from the concept art in the loading screens to the soundtrack, are phenomenally done. As far as the in-game art goes I'm constantly reminded of the work in possibly the best Elder Scrolls expansion to date, Shivering Isles, and Summerset's constant sense of wonder (perhaps best conveyed through the vario??us fairy and butterfly presence) lends itself well to some of the busywork involved in running from place to place.

The Elder Scrolls Online really deserves some sort of "most improved" award. It had a lot of issues at launch but many content-gates were removed shortly after, and the move to free-to-play has only helped it, especially on consoles. It's not a perfect system but the concept of starting wherever you want and exploring your favorite zones (paid expansions excluded) is a big draw when it comes to the rich world of Elder Scrolls.

Summerset will launch on May 21 on PC, and June? 5 on PS4 and Xbox One as a premium purchase.

The post The Elder Scrolls Online’s Summerset expansion is shaping up nicely appeared first on Destructoid.

I'm a Dark Elf myself but hey, we already had our expansion

I find myself enjoying the general lore of Elder Scrolls more than a few of Bethesda's gaming renditions. I've always been interested in the Dunmer, a hobby that was not only indulged with reckless abandon in Morrowind and its several add-ons, but a full-on expansion for Elder Scrolls Online as well.

The elves are back, but this time they're High (Altmer), and we're going to Summerset. Bethesda just confirmed that the next expansion for ESO is simply called "Summerset," and will arrive on June 5, with an early access progr??am for PC? coming on May 21.

Despite being a fairly closed off nation, Queen Ayrenn has opened up the island for all to visit, though once again you'll have to deal with the evil forces of the Daedra. You'll be able to complet?e a new storyline, join the Psijic Order (with its own combat skills/powers), battle in Cloudrest, a 12-player trial, and work on ??your jewelry crafting skills.

It's grea??t how much ZeniMax and Bethesda were able to turn this game around, and I'll be there when this expansion arrives in June.

The post Elder Scrolls Online ?returns to the High Elves of Summerset for the first time in ages appeared first on Destructoid.

With bonus reaction clips

Now that The Elder Scrolls Online has gone to Morrowind, it's time for the next adventure. Or, at least, to learn about it. One of the first items in Bethesda's E3 press conference was a simple reveal of two new TESO add-ons.

As outlined in the description of the YouTube video that's embedded above, TESO has Horns of the Reach and Clockwork City in the works. And, that's all that we really know. There's a chance it'll come up again ?later tonight, but not really. This is probably a news story to be better told at a future date.

Until then, enjoy these influencers "reacting" to TESO gameplay.

The post Bethesda rev??eals two new add-ons for Elder Scrolls Online appeared first on Destructoid.

Pre-loading is live

Chalk another discount up for PC gamers. The Morrowind upgrade for The Elder Scrolls Online has early-access availability coming to you two weeks before the scheduled June 6 release. For whatever reason, console peasants pals do not get such treatment.

Those on PC who already own ESO and have pre-ordered the Morrowind expansion can start pre-loading the content this weekend as to be ready for early access on Monday, May 22. On top of that, PC gamers are getting discounts on the Morrowind upgrade.

The bes?t price online is Green M?an Gaming with an 18% price drop from $40 to $32.79. DLGamer is also confirmed to be shipping keys out early with its 16% discount to $33.49. GamersGate shares a similar 18% discount with GMG and is also sending keys as of writing.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind: Upgrade Deals

• Green Man Gaming — $32.79  (list price $40)
• GamersGate — $32.79  (list price $40)
• DLGamer — $33.49  (list price $40)
• Bundle Stars — $35.19  (list price $40)

The Elder Scrolls Online Morrowind Collector's Edition Upgrade Deals

• GamersGate — $49.19  (list price $60)
• Green Man Gaming — $50.99  (list price $60)
• DLGamer — $50.99  (list price $60)

The keys sent out from the above retailers are intended for the non-Steam versions but will work for Steam copies of ESO as long as you link the account. The keys are compatible with both Steam accounts and the ZeniMax Launcher. The discounts are valid now through June 5, the day before Morrowind officially goes live. 

The post Grab a deal on ESO’s Morrowind upgrade and get access Monday appeared first on Destructoid.

All platforms, too

If you've been looking to dive into The Elder Scrolls Online ahead of the Morrowind update, this week will be your chance. Running from April 11 till the 18th, Bethesda has announced that their? MMO will be going free on all platforms. In a further show of good faith, there will be no restrictions on gameplay and all progress can be carried over int??o the regular game once finished.

For PC users, the free client will ??be available from Steam and console users just need to go to their respective storefronts for the download. You'll be able to hop in starting at 3 PM BST (10 AM EST).? All in all, this sounds like a good time. I might have to give it a go as I'm curious if the game has been fixed up since launch.

The Elder Scrolls Online gets another free play week [Videogamer]

The post The Elde??r Scrolls Online is getting a free week st?arting tomorrow appeared first on Destructoid.

Vvaiting is the hardest part

The Elder Scrolls is venturing back to Vvardenfell for the first time since 2002. Well, you could technically see it off in the distance in Skyrim, but that's not a pro??per visit. Flying ??over Wyoming doesn't mean you've been to Wyoming.

No, come June 6, The Elder Scrolls Online is going back to the province of Morrowind, and more specifically the island of Vvardenfell. We've known about this for a month now, but we haven't actually gotten to really check out Morrowind. The trailer that was released in January focused mostly on one combat ??scenario in a confined location.

This video serves as a much better overview. It's full of quick shots offering brief glimpses at the area's gorgeous vistas, often juxtaposed against its unique monstrosities. There's a lot in Morrowind that wants to kill you. You know what they say: T?he more things change, the more they stay the same.

The post Here’s what The Elder Scrolls Online’s take on Morrowind looks like appeared first on Destructoid.

Launching June 6 for PC and consoles

Okay, okay -- you got me! I'm not one to typically follow along with the latest Elder Scrolls Online happenings, but when ZeniMax is floa??ting around words like "Morrowind," I'm bound to take a look.

When the MMO's Morrowind expansion lands on June 6 for PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, new players can bypass the current Elder Scrolls Online content and head straight for Vvardenfell if they so choose. Similarly, folks with an existing game account can upgrade and start playing new level-appropriate content from day one. The standard pricing for the expansion (lord knows there's pricier options and pre-order bonuses galore) is $60 for new players, who will get access to both Morrowind and ESO: Tamriel Unlimited. Exist??ing players who are merely upgrading will need to pay $40.

ZeniMax is promising 30 hours of "main story content," a 4v4v4 Battlegrounds mode for PvP, and the bear-commanding Warden class. The story setup: "Morrowind is in dire peril and it's up to?? player heroes to help Vivec, the legendary warrior-poet and Guardian of Vvardenfell, solve the mystery of his mysterious illness, regain his strength – and save the world from ultimate destruction."

If nothing else, non-ESO players, you can probably enjoy this cinematic trailer fo?r what it is.

The post Next up for The Elder Scrolls Online? Morrowind! appeared first on Destructoid.

I'm gonna make this place your home

Hearthfire may not have been the best DLC for Skyrim, but fans latched onto the base-building mechanics and loved their inclusion in Fallout 4. Many felt it was an integral part of the fun factor for the title, allowing you to stake a claim in the vast world Bethesda had created. The joy of buying furniture is soon coming to The Elder Scrolls Online with the "Homestead" update.

Slated for early 2017, Homestead will give players the chance to buy a home in ESO. Each house will be an instanced location, so there shouldn't be any fighting ove??r plots of land. Players will have the ability to customize the house to their liking as well as invite their friends to tea.

There is going to be a wide range of items available for customization. Around 2,000 pieces of furniture will be include along with 40 different types of homes with styles ranging from elaborate manors to small cottages. Some of the home exteriors will be based on the different Elder Scrolls races.

As for pricing,?? most of the items will be purchasable with in-game currency. Some will require the premium currency, known as Crowns, but those seem to be relegated to ultra-luxurious items. When the update does officially launch, all players will be given a free home after completing a tutorial. You can own multiple plots of land, so you won't have to worry about selling your previous hous??e.

This seems like a cool way to give players more stuff to do within The Elder Scrolls Online. I'm not sure that taking care of a house is what players truly want (as opposed to ??more quests), but I've always had a thing for virtual dollhouses. Something about wish fulfillment and all that.

Elder Scrolls Online Update Brings Player Housing Early Next Year [GameSpot]

The post Build your own home in the Homes??tead update for Elder ??Scrolls Online appeared first on Destructoid.

Not quite horse armor DLC

It's the season of triple-A as Battlefield 1, Civilization VI, and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare arrive. If you're a patient gamer who yawns at these upcoming releases and prefers to partake in the fine nectar of oldies but goodies (at equally decen??t prices), why, we've got some deals for you today!

Randomly discounted at GMG this week, Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen along with The Elder Scrolls Online Gold are both now at historic low prices. The Steam key for Dragon's Dogma is now only $12 (woot) whereas ESO Gold Edition is at a very reasonable $26.79. If that's too rich for you, DLGamer has the? standard edition for $13.99. 

• Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen (Steam) — $11.99  (list price $30)
• The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Edition — $26.79  (list price $50)
• The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited — $13.99  (list price $40)
• Must sign-in at GMG to see discounted price

The Gold Edition is essentially the "complete" ESO experience, which includes:

• Imperial City
• Orsinium
• Thieves Guild
• Dark Brotherhood
• ...and of course the Imperial F'ing Horse.

The latest update is now available on Xbox One and PS4, but uh?, deals are still missing in action for th?e Gold Edition on consoles. Check back in a month during the holiday season and we're sure you'll be seeing some $29.99 offers on tap.

The post RPG deals: $12 Dragon’s Dogma, $26 Elder Scrolls Online Gold on PC appeared first on Destructoid.

One Tamriel

Two big showings dropped for fans of Bethesda's massively multiplayer role-playing game The Elder Scrolls Online. The first was a trailer for the assassin-focused expansion, The Dark Brotherhood?. There was a lot of stabby-stabb??y, like you'd expect.

The second received an arguably bigger reaction from the audience watching Bethesda's E3 showcase. This fall, One Tamriel will be added to The Elder Scrolls Online. One Tamriel intends to streamline the experience, removing all content barriers. No longer will character levels and progression affect which quests can be played. Basically, it should be easier to do what you want and play with your? friends, whether you've been at it since launch or are just getting into it. Neat.

The post The Elder Scrolls Online is g??oing to be less restrictive appeared first on Destructoid.

Hatching some deals

Update: Spring sale is over but GMG has a new Deep Silver sale.

Flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, rain is turning the ground into a muddy sponge, and Fallout 4 is no?w at its l?owest price ever for the digital Steam copy. It's that time of year... time for the spring PC gaming sales.

GMG's Spring Sale is almost over. In fact, we're on the final "Encore" phase of the sale. Now through tomorrow, April 1 at 9:00am Pacific almost its entire sale is back including the hot deal on Fallout 4. Get up to 80% off Bethesda, Nordic, Valve, and other publisher titles. Best of all, GMG has its signature 20% off coupon to mark prices down even further, resulting in new lows of a few titles like Fallout 4's Steam key at $29.

Check out the full sale here or browse our list below for best picks.

Deep Silver

• Lost Horizon 2 (Steam) — $19.99 (list $40)
• Obscuritas (Steam) — $17.99 (list $20)
• Adventures of Dog Mendonça and Pizza Boy (Steam) — $17.99 (list $20)
• Metro Redux Bundle (Steam) — $7.49 (list $30)
• Saints Row IV - Game of the Century Edition (Steam) — $5.99 (list $20)
• Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell (Steam) — $5.10 (list $15)
• Metro Last Light Redux (Steam) — $4.99 (list $20)
• Metro 2033 Redux (Steam) — $4.99 (list $20)
• Saints Row: The Third The Full Package (Steam) — $4.99 (list $20)
• Saints Row IV (Steam) — $4.49 (list $15)
• Dead Island Franchise Pack (Steam) — $4.49 (list $30)
• Escape Dead Island (Steam) — $3.99 (list $20)
• Dead Island GOTY Edition (Steam) — $3.99 (list $20)
• Killer is Dead - Nightmare Edition (Steam) — $3.99 (list $20)
• Dead Island Riptide Complete Edition (Steam) — $3.99 (list $20)
• Saints Row The Third (Steam) — $3.75 (list $15)
• Saints Row 2 (Steam) — $2.49 (list $10)
• Lost Horizon (Steam) — $2.49 (list $10)

Bethesda

• Fallout 4 (Steam) — $29.76 (list $60)
• Fallout 4: Season Pass (Steam) — $24 (list $50)
• Wolfenstein: The New Order (Steam) — $13.92 (list $60)
• Skyrim Legendary Edition (Steam) — $12.80 (list $40)
• Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited — $12 (list $60)
• Dishonored: GOTY Edition (Steam) — $8.16 (list $30)
• Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (Steam) — $4 (list $20)
• Morrowind GOTY Edition (Steam) — $3.60 (list $18)

Valve

• Valve Complete Pack (Steam) — $27.20 (list $100)
• Counter Strike Complete (Steam) — $12 (list $30) <- Includes CS:GO
• Half Life Complete (Steam) — $10.88 (list $40)
• Left 4 Dead Bundle (Steam) — $8.16 (list $30)
• The Orange Box (Steam) — $5.44 (list $20)

Warner Bros.

• Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor GOTY (Steam) — $9 (list $45)
• Batman Arkham Origins (Steam) — $4 (list $20)
• Batman Arkham City GOTY Edition (Steam) — $4 (list $20)
• Batman Arkham Asylum GOTY (Steam) — $4 (list $20)
• Gauntlet (Steam) — $4 (list $20)

Nordic Games

• Darksiders Franchise Pack (Steam) — $20 (list $50)
• Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition (Steam) — $18 (list $30)
• Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown (Steam) — $8 (list $20)
• Broken Age (Steam) — $5 (list $25)

2K Titles

• Borderlands: The Handsome Bundle (Steam) — $20.80 (list $130)
• Sid Meier's Civilization V: Complete Edition (Steam) — $10 (list $50)
• Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (Steam) — $8 (list $40)
• XCOM: Enemy Unknown The Complete Edition (Steam) — $8 (list $50)

Square Enix

• Just Cause 3 (Steam) — $32.16 (list $60)
• Life is Strange: Complete Season - Episodes 1-5 (Steam) — $9.60 (list $20)
• Sleeping Dogs Definitive Edition (Steam) — $6 (list $30)

More

• Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide (Steam) — $16.80 (list $30)
• Cities: Skylines (Steam) — $12 (list $30)
• Ultra Street Fighter IV (Steam) — $12 (list $30)
• Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number (Steam) — $10.04 (list $15)
• Total War: Attila (Steam) — $9 (list $45)
• Crusader Kings II (Steam) — $8 (list $40)
• Cities: Skylines After Dark (Steam) — $6 (list $15)
• Magicka 2 (Steam) — $4.80 (list $15)

Once again, this is th??e final phase of GMG's Spring Sale. The whole thing goes up in flames starting tomorrow April 1, at 9:00am Pacific.

Just a final note th??at while there is also a SPRING20 coupon for 20% off, this code has a $10 minimum threshold to work. Our code listed above has no such limitation when you buy a game priced un??der $10.

Game deals from Dealzon. Sales help support Destructoid.

The post Half-price Fallout 4, $12 Elder Scrolls Online in GMG’s PC Spring Sale appeared first on Destructoid.

Steal everything... with explosions!

One of the coolest questlines in both Oblivion and Skyrim was the Thieves Guild. Sure, it&rsquo??;s never been ??as memorable the Dark Brotherhood, but I always find planning heists and dealing with the politics of a band of thieves really cool.

Now we’ll be able to do that with friends, as ZeniMax has announced the next Elder Scrolls Online DLC will be The Elder Scrolls Online: Thieves Guild.

The DLC will add a whole load of stuff: new environments, new story content, a 12-player trial called the Maw of Lorkhaj, new crimin??al activities, new skills, a??nd, of course, plenty of new loot.

There will also be an update to the cor?e game coming alongside the DLC, which wil??l include tweaks to many of the game’s systems, improved combat, and 64-bit builds for PC and Mac. Basically, the whole game is seemingly being improved.

The trailer is a bit explosive and not-at-all sneaky for my taste, but those few new environ??ments shown look really neat.

I know a lot of people stopped playing TESO not long after launch (which is fair, the game’s always had problems), but the last DLC – Orsinium – was really cool. While I admittedly haven’t put much time into it, I found the new quests and environments it introduced were probably better made than a lot of the core game. I’m hopeful that Thieves Guild will live up to its single-player predecessors.

ZeniMax hasn’t announced pricing or a release date yet, but if it’s comparable to Orsinium, expect the price to be somewhere around 3,000 crowns,?? or £??14.99.

The post The Elder Scrolls Online: Thieves Guild’s trailer is the least sneaky thing possible appeared first on Destructoid.

Uh

The Elder Scrolls Online has found a decent niche as a subscription-free game (several of my friend??s on all three platforms play it), but will it find success in other regions? ZeniMax is seemingly hopeful, as publisher DMM has acquired the rights to the game in Japan, and will launch it on June 23, 2016.

It's going to go for 7,949 Yen (roughly $65) and 12,744 Yen (roughly $100) for standard and deluxe editions respectively. There's no subscription fee? just like other regions, but an optional monthly stipend will grant players extra rewards.

I really wish a?ll of the servers were cross-play, or that ZeniMax just went the way of Square Enix and allowed PS4 and PC users to play together. As it stands??, the community is too fragmented for me to really get involved, given the small amount of people I know who play it.

The Elder Scrolls Online &ndash; Japa??n server launch date announced [MMO Culture]

The post The Elder Scrolls Online will? launch in Japan in June of 20?16 appeared first on Destructoid.

Here's everything you need to know

Always fancied giving The Elder Scrolls Online a tr??y but haven't yet been able to?? commit? Here's hoping you have some free time this weekend as Bethesda is giving you the chance to try before you buy. 

From Thu??rsday, Decemb?er 10 until Monday, December 14, 2015, you'll be able to download the full game client and sample the game on PC/Mac or Xbox One (or both, I guess).

For Xbox One you'll need a live Gold subscription, and from 3am PST you'll be able to download The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited client for free. 

For PC/Mac you can download the game for free now, but you'll need a Free Play Weekend code from a friend to unlock the game this weekend. Once you have one, sign up at //account.elderscrollsonline.com, redeem, and off you go. 

If you like what you see and fancy picking up the game, you can pick it up for 60% off, and enter Bethesda's $1 million giveaway. And ye?s, any progress made will be retained after your trial. Happy happy joy joy.&nbsp;

If you're a PlayStation 4 ?owner, worry not. Though there's nothing concrete yet, Sony says it hopes to have a similar offer on the PS4 "in the near future."

Let me know if this trial tempts you!

Elder Scr??olls Online getting free weekend on PC, Mac &amp; Xbox One – all the details [VG24/7]

The post Want to play The Elder Scrolls Online for free? appeared first on Destructoid.

But only if you're lucky

One The Elder Scrolls Online player is about to have their loyalty rewarded. As a response to its #MillionReasonsToPlay campaign, Bethesda has announced that? it will be giving away $1 million to a single, lucky player.

Official contest rules and a detailed list of instructions can be found here, but the simple version is that active players have until January 10, 2016 to register for the drawing. If ESO dropped off your rada??r following ?release, now might be the time to give the game another go. 

The post Bethesda will literally pay you to play The El?der Scrolls Onl?ine appeared first on Destructoid.

We got the green, we got the tusks

You know what every single game ever needs? More orcs. The Last of Orcs, The Beginner’s Orc, Orcs Must Not At All Die for There to Be More Orcs, if there’s any game that do???esn’t have enough orcs, it can be improved by just throwing in a few tusks.

It seems like Bethesda has realised this fact with the trailer for the latest The Elder Scrolls: Online DLC – Orsinium.

It includes a load of new PvE zones set in Orsinium, the home city of the Elder Scrolls series’ Orsimer (aka ORC) race. On top of that, there??’s a new solo arena challenge called The Maelstrom Arena, where players must try and defeat nine combat? rings and two difficulty levels’ worth of enemies all on their own.

For those who like their MMOs a bit more social, there are also new pu??blic ?dungeons with Old Orsinium and Rkindaleft too.

The new DLC will be coming via the in-game shop on PC November 2, Xbox One on November 17, and PlayStation 4 on November 18. If you have an active subscription, you'll get Orsinium for free. If y??ou don't it'll cost you 3000 crowns, which translates to £14.99. 

Bethesda has been good with its orcs so far, and yet they understand how to make good games by adding a fuckton more orcs. Orcs. Did I m?ention orcs? Because orcs.

The post The Elder? Scrolls Online: Orsinium brings in the Orc??s appeared first on Destructoid.

All 1,400+ game deals return as well

Update: Interestingly enough GMG is limiting copies of ESO to 1 per customer.

Remember that $12 ESO deal from 9 days ago? We sure do -- the ??game actually went "out of ?stock" halfway through the sale last week. (Yep, digital products can go out of stock when they're on discount, apparently.)

If you missed out the first time, you get a second chance now as ESO: Tamriel Unlimited Standard Edition returns for $12. Also available is its higher-priced, unashamed bigger brother Imperial Edition for $21.76. Accompanying them are over 1,400 other games making a return for the "encore" phase of GMG's Summer Sale.

This means Skyrim Legendary and Metro Redux bundle are both $8 again, plus the recently released Wolfenstein: The Old Blood falls to only $4. It's like Black Friday in July! (Or, you know, that other PC game Summer Sale from last month...)

Here are the 19 most popular? games from the past 11 days, according to GMG:

Use code: DEALZO-NGMGSA-LESVVC at checkout.

1. Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (Steam) — $4  (list price $20)
2. Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited — $12  (list price $60)
3. Fallout 3: GOTY Edition (Steam) — $5.44  (list price $20) <- been cheaper
4. Elder Scrolls Onl?ine: Tamriel Unlimited Imperial Edition — $21.76  (list price $80)
5. Wolfenstein: The New Order (Steam) — $12  (list price $60)
6. Metro Redux Bundle (Steam) — $8  (list price $50) <- sweet deal
7. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Legendary Edition (Steam) — $8  (list price $40)
8. Fallout: New Vegas (Steam) — $2  (list price $10)
9. H1Z1 (Steam) — $8  (list price $20)
10. Risen 3: Titan Lords (Steam) — $6  (list price $30) <- yep, on the top seller list
11. BioShock Infinite: Season Pass (Steam) — $4  (list price $20)
12. Dishonored: GOTY Edition (Steam) — $8.16  (list price $30) <- been cheaper
13. Doom 3 (Steam) — $2  (list price $10)
14. Half Life 2 (Steam) — $2  (list price $10)
15. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Steam) — $4  (list price $20)
16. Portal 2 (Steam) — $4  (list price $20)
17. Doom 3: BFG Edition (Steam) — $4  (list price $20)
18. Rollercoaster Tycoon Deluxe (Steam) — $1.92  (list price $6) <- Mr. Bonirific
19. Portal Bundle (Steam) — $5  (list price $25)

Game deals from Dealzon. Sales help support Destructoid.

The post $12 Elder Scrolls Online deal returns i?n GMG Summer Sale ??encore appeared first on Destructoid.

2,500 Crowns

Elder Scrolls Online is still chugging along with its free-to-subscribe model on PC and consoles, and now you can get a look at the Imperial City pack, which is set to arrive on ??August 31 for PC, and September 15 on PS4 and X??box One. Have I mentioned that I really don't like the fragmentation between these versions?

It looks very cool, but there's a caveat -- it's DLC. If you have a subscription it'll be included, but otherwise you'll have to fork over 2,500 Crowns i?n the in-game store (3,000 Crowns costs $25). It'll offer up new PVE and PVP con??tent, including dungeons, quests, enemies, and items.

The Orcish province of Orsini?um is still in developmen?t, and a potential Dark Brotherhood questline has been teased.

The post Elder Scrolls Online’s Imperial City is DLC, costs roughly $20 appeared first on Destructoid.

$8 Skyrim Sanic Legendary too 8)

Update 7/21: Deals are back for next 48 hours or until OOS.

If you were ever hesitant on Elder Scrolls Online, GMG is giving extra incentive on Day 3 of their Summer Sale by pricing The ELder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited to only $12 after coupon.

The pricey Imperial Edition (aka give us more money edition) is also on sale for $21. We personally don't think this is worth the extra money but its also the only way you'll be able to play the Imperial race in g?ame.

In other Elder Scrolls related deal, Skyrim and its Legendary ?Edition are also both on a big discou??nt, hitting historic low price of $8. For the price of two (or three) happy meal, you can get the complete Skyrim experience, and we think that's pretty swell.

Both deals expire tomorrow 7/13 at 9AM Pacific.

Use coupon: DEALZO-NGMGSA-LESVVC

• Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited Impe??rial Editio?n (PC/Mac) — $21.76  (list price $80)
• Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited (PC/Mac) — $12  (list price $60)
• Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Legendary Edition (Steam) — $8  (list price $40)
• Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Steam) — $4  (list price $20)
• Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion GOTY Deluxe Edition (Steam) — $6.80  (list price $25)
• Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind GOTY Edition (Steam) — $5.44  (list price $20)

As for console version of ESO Tamriel Unlimited? They're "on sa??le" for $40 at Best Buy..??. mmmkay.

Update: Forgot to ??mention earlier, purchasing Skryim or ESO standard will get you a free mystery Steam game from GMG. Also added Morrowind & Oblivion.

Update 2: Looks like ESO standard and ?Skyrim Legendary is OOS. Bummer?

Game deals from Dealzon. Sales help support Destructoid.

The post E??lder Scrolls Online is now only $12 (until tomorrow anyways) appeared first on Destructoid.

Waiting for an overhaul

To my surprise, The Elder Scrolls Online works pretty well on a console. In fact, it feels almost identical to my experiences with Morrowind and Skyrim on the Xbox and Xbox 3?60 respectively (first-person mode helps). I was able to copy my character over almost instantly, log in, and pick up right where I left off on PC. Having to actually buy the damn thing is a hard pill to swallow, but since it's subscription-free now, I can just hop back in at any time.

Having said all that, the core game isn't really any better than it was months ago. The good news is that the free-to-sub scheme is actually pretty fair, and I don't feel like I'm "missing out" by not paying on a monthly basis. The bad news is that console servers are separate, which is a gigantic step down from my time with Final Fantasy XIV, which shares the same servers on PS3, PS4, and?? PC -- so it'?s really easy for me to play with anyone I want to.

In my time te?sting the PS4 version I noticed a lot of dead areas, likely due to the lower install-base, compared to all of the MMO players out there who already had a PC version and didn't feel like buying the game all over again. Dungeons are still fun (and far more active ?with a controller), but open world exploration hasn't really been addressed. At times leveling can be a crawl, and most world events fall flat.

The next bit of content coming to ESO is Cyrodiil and Orsinium (Imperial City and the city ??of Orcs respectively), which will launch later this year. Also, the Dark Brotherhood is being teased. which is likely enough to pull me back in to complete their questline. In the meantime, I'm going to be playing other MMOs instead.

The post Elder Scrolls Online feels fine on consoles, but it doesn’t fix the core game appeared first on Destructoid.

Hopefully sooner than later

It was a bit muted, but during Bethesda's E3 conference today, new zones were announced for The Elder Scrolls Online. The Imperial City and Orsinium will be playable,? and one more bit of content was teased for release later this year.

Yep, everyone's favorite faction, the Dark Brotherhood, was teased. They currently do not have a questline yet, but I'm guessing everyone will spring for ??it when it does eventually come out. I kept pressing Zenimax Studios during my studio visit, and could only ever elicit a "maybe," so this is ?great news.

The post Bethesd?a teases The Dark Brotherhood in Elder Scrolls Online appeared first on Destructoid.

Baffling scientists and all religions

A well-known MMO suffers ??major launch-day issues that prevent people from being able to pla??y. Shocker.

In a turn of events surprising nobody, players of The Elder Scrolls Online on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are reporting the inability to log in and play. This is, unfortunately, fairly standard with newly released MMO??s, but what&rsquo;s interesti?ng is it’s not the only problem players are reporting.

The Express has reported that in true Elder Scrolls fashion, there are a whole load of bugs plaguing the game: crucial NPCs going missing, being kicked for chat spamming without sending a single message, keyboards not wor?king, and problems with the friend system have all been ?brought up to ZeniMax.

An admin on the ZeniMax forums has clai?med the problems will be fixed shortly… w?e have no idea how shortly they consider to be shortly:

“Hey everyone. We're working on getting this resolved as soon as possible. We'll update you as soon as everything is up and running. Thanks for your patience!”

ZeniMax admins have also offered the incredibly helpful fix of simply trying again until it works:

“Hey guys,

We understand this is frustrating, but we encourage you to continue to try logging in until you reach a screen stating that you've been placed into a queue. Once you're in the queue, please do not leave the queue, close the game client, or otherwise navigate away from this screen. We’re working to get you into Tamriel as quickly as we can. Thanks for your continued patience and support!”

Way to totally stick the landing there, TESO. I like you, I want you to do well, but come the fuck on. Here's hoping people will be able to play soon.

Elder Scrolls Online PS4 and Xbox One: Troubles in Tam??riel Unlimited hits launch [The Express]

The post The El?der Scrolls Onlin??e suffers totally unexpected launch issues appeared first on Destructoid.