There’s something poetic about slashing your way through a Daedric-infested dungeon with three strangers while eating a fine meal by candlelight. That’s exactly how I spent a recent evening with The Elder Scrolls Online, reacquainting myself with Tamriel after a few months away delving deep into the amazing games out right now. Still, jumping back in was in a way new for a game that has been around for a decade, and frankly, bloody fun.
In 2025, ESO has transformed. With the launch of Season of the Worm Cult: Part 1 and Update 46, ZeniMax Online Studios has pushed the game into a bold new chapter. Well, not a chapter exactly. That’s the whole point.
After years of relying on a once-a-year Chapter expansion to deliver the goods, The Elder Scrolls Online has changed its rhythm. The new seasonal format, kicking off with Season of the Worm Cult, is the biggest shake-up the game has seen. For the first time, we’re getting a full sequel to the original 2014 base game storyline and they’ve dragged us to Solstice, a palm-fringed island.
I joined a special press session with some other media and PR folks to explore a few dungeons and features together. Normally, I’m the kind of ESO player who gets distracted by glowing mushrooms and takes the slow and solo path. But grouped up, chatting over voice and scrambling through dark corridors while we worked through mobs and slammed our head against the wall when faced with a boss that out-levelled us was… invigorating. Even a little bit wholesome?
2025’s ESO is much kinder to newbies and returning adventurers. The first thing I was greeted with after coming back was a five-minute gameplay refresher that provided me with updated tutorials with a welcoming UI and a fun little sidequest. It’s a “welcome back” flow that makes it easier than ever to dust off your characters.
After playing a few hours of dungeons, I ventured to the city of Sunport. It is full of colour and cultists. The new enemies, including hulking Argonian behemoths and Daedric satyrs that could’ve wandered in from DOOM, add menace to the mix. It’s the kind of setting that makes you want to explore every inch.
The long-awaited subclassing system is finally here and that’s what is getting me the most excited to sink another couple of hundred hours into a new character. Hit level 50, and suddenly your sorcerer can start dabbling in Nightblade skills, or your Templar might pick up a bit of Necromancer. With reportedly over 3,000 combinations, it’s like the whole game just got a second wind.
Even better, Scribing has just recently become free for everyone. This is a feature that lets you customise skills with unique effects. Combine these two systems and ESO character building becomes truly dynamic.
It didn’t hurt that my recent session was fully catered, with a custom dinner set, steel cutlery, and a flickering candle illuminating my keyboard. It was immersive, and it reminded me just how much more engaging the multiplayer in this game feels now, especially with the 2025 focus on community-wide events and PvP updates.
While Part 1 of Season of the Worm Cult is live now for all players, it’s what’s ahead that really excites me. We’ve got the Ossein Cage trial, a 12-player raid with new mechanics. Later this year, servers will unite for The Writhing Wall, a massive in-game event where we all must tear down a cursed barrier together. This all comes via a single Content Pass.
The world of Tamriel has always been deep, rich, and at times overwhelming. But this new seasonal structure with genuine quality-of-life changes and a renewed focus on multiplayer community has made it more approachable for me and more rewarding. More importantly, I’m having fun again.
