Who developed The Elder Scrolls® Online?

The Elder Scrolls® Online is developed by ZeniMax Online Studios.

Where can I play The Elder Scrolls® Online?

You can play The Elder Scrolls® Online through its official Steam page.

The Elder Scrolls® Online was released on Steam on 2017-05-22.

The Elder Scrolls® Online is categorized as Action / Adventure / Massively Multiplayer / RPG.

Steam MMORPG

Every legend starts somewhere. Explore Tamriel with millions of players in a shared online Elder Scrolls world.

May 2017

Released

161K+

Steam Reviews

Action

Genre

80.9%

Positive Reviews

The Elder Scrolls® Online is an action MMORPG set in Tamriel, taking place nearly 1,000 years before The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

The Steam release includes the base game plus Morrowind, Imperial City, Orsinium, Thieves Guild, and Dark Brotherhood adventures.

Players can experience rich Elder Scrolls-style storytelling solo or with friends, plus online PvP, co-op, dungeons, and trials.

Quick Facts

Gameplay Basics

ESO blends Elder Scrolls questing and exploration with shared-world MMO systems, real-time combat, and flexible solo or group play.

Action-Oriented CombatCombat is real-time with manual aiming, dodging, blocking, and resource management instead of auto-attack combat.
Shared Fantasy WorldTamriel is built as a persistent online world where you can quest alone, join groups, and enter large-scale activities.
Story on a Shared CanvasThe game emphasizes narrative quests in the Elder Scrolls style while still supporting multiplayer progression.

Getting Started

New players can begin with story-led progression, then branch into group activities and PvP once core systems feel comfortable.

Start with Base Story ContentUse the included base game and listed adventures to learn controls, quest flow, and zone structure at your own pace.
Choose a Class IdentityPick one class and focus on its skill lines early so your combat rotation and build choices stay clear.
Add Group Content GraduallyAfter early questing, step into 4-player dungeons and later 12-player trials when you are ready for team coordination.

Long-Term Growth

Character strength comes from leveling, skill points, and gear, with extra depth from horizontal systems and customization options.

Level, Skills, and GearCore progression combines character levels, allocated skill points, and equipment upgrades to improve performance.
Morph-Based Ability ChoicesAbility morphing allows customization within class and weapon lines, supporting multiple playstyles over time.
Horizontal SystemsSystems like Jewelry Crafting, Antiquities, Companions, Tales of Tribute, and Scribing expand goals beyond basic leveling.

Ways to Play

ESO supports multiple activity types, from solo questing to competitive PvP and organized endgame group encounters.

Questing and ExplorationTravel across Tamriel regions and complete story and side quests in a broad, adventure-focused world.
Alliance War and BattlegroundsPvP includes large-scale Alliance War in Cyrodiil and smaller objective-based Battleground matches.
Dungeons and TrialsGroup PvE centers on 4-player dungeons and 12-player trials for coordinated combat challenges.