Gaming

Elder Scrolls Fans Have a New Freebie to Claim (But Not For Long)

Todd Howard keeps reminding Elder Scrolls fans that we’ve still got quite a wait in store before The Elder Scrolls 6. And while I remain hopeful that the shadow drop we’ve all been waiting for is closer than it appears, 2026 isn’t looking likely. That means we’ve got to keep ourselves steeped in the lore of Tamriel in other ways. For many, that takes the form of another Skyrim playthrough or picking up Oblivion Remastered. But there are some big, potentially game-changing new things happening in The Elder Scrolls Online this year. And that includes a generous free gift.

Videos by ComicBook.com

To usher in the new year, Zenimax announced some big changes to The Elder Scrolls Online. The long-running MMORPG is shifting to a seasonal content model while also making much more of its content available to players for free. This shift is incoming, as Update 49 recently dropped as the last major patch before Season Zero begins on April 2nd. And to help current players prepare, plus welcome back returning fans, Zenimax is offering a rather generous free gift code. But quantities are limited, so you’ll want to redeem it ASAP if you’re even thinking about checking out the new and potentially improved ESO when Season Zero begins.

New Free Gift Code Preps Elder Scrolls Online Players For Its New Content Model

The Elder Scrolls Online Elswyer
Image courtesy of Zenimax Online & Bethesda

The Elder Scrolls Online has been kicking since 2014, giving players a way to explore the world of Tamriel, MMORPG style. Unlike many modern MMOs, the game hasn’t historically been free-to-play. Instead, players buy access to the base game, then pay for new content via a Content Pass. However, that’s about to change with the start of Season Zero. Soon, new content will be released as free, seasonal updates for anyone who owns the base game. And I’d be remiss not to mention that PlayStation Plus members can snag The Elder Scrolls Online Collection: Gold Road for free until the end of the month.

But even if you’re not a PS Plus subscriber, there are some freebies on offer to help prep for Season Zero. ZeniMax recently shared a new code that lets players grab a generous Player Experience Reward bundle. Aimed at helping players prep for all the new free content that’s headed our way, the package is pretty generous compared to most ESO freebies. By redeeming the code U49GIFT in-game or online via the Account feature, you’ll receive:

  • 5,000 Gold
  • 4 Research Scrolls
    • Blacksmithing: 1 Day
    • Woodworking: 1 Day
    • Clothier: 1 Day
    • Jewelry crafting: 1 Day
  • 2 XP Scrolls: 100% boost for a 1-hour duration
  • 50 Transmute Crystals
  • 4 Outfit Tokens
  • 4 Mimic Tokens
  • 3 Riding Lesson books
    • 1 for Stamina, Speed, and Capacity
ESO Seasons Roadmap 2026
Image courtesy of ZeniMax Online & Bethesda

These items will help get your account ready for Season Zero by letting you level up your character and buy some new gear. The code doesn’t expire until May 12th, well after the start of the new seasonal model for ESO. But the quantities are limited, which means you’ll want to redeem the code sooner rather than later. I checked this morning to get my own adventurer ready for next season, and it looks like there are still bundles available – for now.

When Season Zero drops on April 2nd, several previously paid DLC will be available to base game players for free. So if, like me, you’ve yet to pay up for content beyond the base game, you’ll have plenty of new quests to tackle. There will also be a new Tamriel Tomes battle pass to pursue, plus some general improvements to classes and QoL. So if you’re even thinking about jumping back in to check out what’s new, you may as well snag this pretty generous pack of items to help ease your transition back into Tamriel.

Do you play Elder Scrolls Online? Is the added free content going to bring you back if you’re on hiatus? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!