Is Elder Scrolls Online Worth Playing in 2025?

As the years without any real news of The Elder Scrolls 6 stretch on, Elder Scrolls fans are left wondering how to best engage with the franchise. There’s always another Skyrim playthrough to start, but sometimes, you want something fresh. And we did get Oblivion Remastered this year, at least offering a new coat of paint to a classic experience. But for many of us, Elder Scrolls Online is a tempting offer for a regular influx of new content from an Elder Scrolls game. But as an aging MMORPG in the world of Elder Scrolls, is the game still worth playing in 2025?

Elder Scrolls Online first released back in 2014 and has slowly made its way onto a wide array of platforms. Though it’s not on the Nintendo Switch (yet), the game is available on pretty much every other platform. Though its MMORPG format is certainly different from your straightforward RPGs, The Elder Scrolls Online does offer a way to explore Tamriel. And in a time when the release of Elder Scrolls 6 remains a far-off mirage, it’s looking more and more tempting for those who’ve never tried the online game to jump on in.

Elder Scrolls Online May Be Old, But It’s Still Getting New Content

Elder Scrolls Online is just over 10 years old, making it younger than Skyrim, but still getting on in years. But as World of Warcraft has shown, a live-service MMORPG can certainly enjoy a long life with a dedicated fan base. And Elder Scrolls Online servers certainly aren’t empty. On Steam alone, the game still frequently hits over 11K concurrents, and that’s not counting players spread out across consoles. And like any live service game, Elder Scrolls Online is giving us something we’re not getting from other Elder Scrolls entries at the moment – new content.

The most recent update to The Elder Scrolls Online arrived just a few days ago as I’m writing this. Bethesda still infuses its MMORPG with regular content updates, adding new adventures and story to keep things moving. I love another Skyrim playthrough as much as the next RPG fan, but honestly, sometimes you just want to experience something you haven’t done before. And that’s what makes checking out The Elder Scrolls Online so enticing.

For an Elder Scrolls game, it’s a little surprising the peak concurrents on Steam never topped 50,000. Even the game’s previous Director, Rich Lambert, has noted that many people dismiss Elder Scrolls Online by default. I’m guilty of this myself. Even as someone who adores Elder Scrolls, I’ve only ever watched Elder Scrolls Online from afar with a sort of vague curiosity. That is, until recently. As I begin to wonder if I’ll ever see Elder Scrolls 6, I decided it was time to see whether jumping into ESO in 2025 is worth it.

The first thing to consider here is the pricing model, which isn’t a “one and done, with the occasional DLC” situation. Rather, there is an in-game shop in Elder Scrolls Online, with prompts to unlock certain skills and cosmetics by buying them with in-game purchases. Yet there’s also a startup cost, as the base game costs $19.99. This gets you the base game, which has over several hundreds of hours of content, plus the Morrowind expansion with another 50 or so hours. But from there, you’ll need to opt in for annual content passes to unlock additional story content. It’s not quite the monthly subscription cost of World of Warcraft, but to truly keep enjoying the MMO long-term, you can expect to spend more than its $20 entry fee. So, is it worth it?

How ESO Compares to Other Elder Scrolls Games

As an MMO, Elder Scrolls Online is obviously going to feel different from the main series entries. Games like Skyrim take you on an epic solo quest through the lands of Tamriel. ESO, meanwhile, is focused on offering a multiplayer experience. That means you’re going to see other players running around in the game’s world, marking an immediate difference right off the bat. But that’s not the only difference.

ESO builds out the lore of Tamriel in interesting ways, with many years of content under its belt to do so. Like Skyrim, it offers a massive world to explore and plenty of content to dig into. But the combat mechanics and leveling system are quite different from the other games, with a wider array of mechanics to pick up and adapt to.

The MMORPG brings back class selection, so you’ll niche down a bit more immediately and concretely than in Skyrim or even Oblivion. This is in part due to the game’s emphasis on a multiplayer experience, with an expectation of partying up as you do in D&D. In a perfect world, you’d combine the game’s classes and adventure with friends. So, for solo players making the transition from other Elder Scrolls games, it can be a bit of a shift. There are also the usual live service and microtransaction elements to contend with, with pop-up messages prompting in-game purchases at various points. I didn’t find these too disruptive, but it’s certainly an adjustment compared with other Elder Scrolls titles.

Graphics-wise, the game does look a bit dated in 2025. But it’s sort of like a slightly polished Skyrim, so if you’ve returned to life as the Dragonborn as often as I can, it’s a familiar kind of dated. The world builds on the lore, but the estory doesn’t always grab you in the same way that a more single-player focused immersive game does. That said, the story keeps getting new additions, which is more than we can say for other Elder Scrolls games until Elder Scrolls 6 finally arrives.

In all, if you enjoy MMORPGs and want to engage with the Elder Scrolls lore, the game will deliver. The world of Tamriel itself feels familiar, with the addition of other players running around. But Elder Scrolls Online is not going to feel, gameplay-wise, quite like playing a main series Elder Scrolls entry.

What It’s Like to Start Fresh in Elder Scrolls Online in 2025

Elder Scrolls Online offers multiple character slots, so you’re able to test out a few different builds without having to sacrifice progress in saves. But what is it like truly starting fresh in 2025? I decided to find out. Character creation is a bit more robust than Skyrim’s, but not quite as complex as the new rendition in Oblivion Remastered. Even so, between class selection and character customization options, things like race, face shape, hair style and color, etc, I was able to craft a character I was somewhat happy with. With the character design dispatched with, you’ll be thrown right into the beginning of the Elder Scrolls Online story.

The game’s intro, ironically, puts you outside Tamriel, but it’s a relatively short tutorial journey before you find yourself back in familiar territory. Area voice chat is enabled my default, but you can easily disable it by going to the social menu, so for those who prefer not to engage with online strangers, that’s a handy feature. As for the story? Well, it gets off to an interesting start, but the characters aren’t necessarily as compelling as those you’ll find in other games right off the bat. But familiar faces like Khajit pepper the world, making it feel like an Elder Scrolls game even if the mechanics are different.

Like I always do, I immediately wanted to collect quests from everyone I could. And as an MMO, ESO offers plenty of options to grind your way to greater influence and wealth in the game. Right after you return to Tamriel, you’ll pick up a few quests, and it’s off to the races to tackle them at your leisure. The game gives you guidance on how to level your character, which is useful if it’s your first time playing. That said, the combat and leveling still feels a bit convoluted compared with the main series games, and can take some getting used to.

In general, the game does a good job of introducing new players to the basics. Despite being a live-service game with years of content, you don’t feel like you’re behind the ball when you’re just starting out. And exploring the world itself does very much feel like digging into a new Elder Scrolls story, even with the differences in mechanics. If you can get past the monetization and live service elements, starting Elder Scrolls Online in 2025 doesn’t feel half bad. It’s not Skyrim 2.0 or anything, but it is a worthwhile stopgap while waiting on Elder Scrolls 6.

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