Elder Scrolls Online: Gates of Oblivion is the follow-up to last year’s Dark Heart of Skyrim adventure, with the massive Blackwood expansion taking center stage in June with 30 hours of new story content, a new zone, the Companion system and loads More. And despite the fact that its name refers to a beloved game, Gates of Oblivion is much more than a massive multiplayer version of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion.
Creative director Rich Lambert, himself a producer on The Elder Scrolls 4, joined me in a video call to talk about everything that will happen on Elder Scrolls Online this year. As you might expect, you’ll be able to explore some familiar locations as they were 800 years before the events of Oblivion, but Lambert describes most of the new content as ZeniMax’s “own view of things”. There is also a greater focus on the infernal dominance of the forgetfulness villain Mehrunes Dagon, the Deadlands, and we will still explore a reinvented version of the city of Gideon, which has not appeared in a game for 27 years.
“It’s not going to be a face to face,” says Lambert. “Mehrunes Dagon is still trying to discover the science behind the Gates of Oblivion … But there will be familiar overtones. So Leyawiin is the capital. And then, Leyawiin still has almost the same shape, the same size as it is in our time. “
“So there is Leyawiin in the West and, in the East, we have Gideon, who has not been seen in the Arena since 1994. And, of course, the kingdom of Dagon too. But then everything between that is our own view of things. And even even the kingdom of Dagon is kind of ours. We’ll have that kind of fire and sulfur part, especially in the fourth quarter, when you spend all your time there and really explore [Dagon’s] realm, you will see more of what his realm is than just what you saw on TES4 “, says Lambert.
When I asked about Lambert’s favorite Oblivion memories, he returned to Mehrunes Dagon, which explains why a deeper focus on the character and his world beyond the titular Gates of Oblivion.
“So Mehrunes Dagon is probably my favorite Daedric prince of them all. So it was kind of important for me to explore more of him and find out a little more about who he is and what it is about. He’s kind of a creature for his own devices, where, you know, he’s the prince of destruction and change and ambition and everything. So, he can’t really rethink that much. But we have to spend more time focusing on it and telling more about its history, which was really fun for me “, says Lambert.
The story of Gates of Oblivion will be told throughout the year, starting with the Flames of Ambition DLC, which will add context and configure Blackwood events. I asked Lambert about some of the moving parts that are being prepared before the start line.
“The Longhouse Emperors signed a pact, or made a deal with the devil, essentially, with Mehrunes Dagon, where they would help him invade Tamriel as long as they managed to rule [Tamriel] in your image. So, that was their offer to him. He accepted them and gave them the power they needed, basically creating four weapons of mass destruction, “explained Lambert.
“One of the interesting aspects of this is that, in our time, you know, ESO starts right after the last of the Longhouse Emperors was killed. So their lineage is gone, but the pact is still in effect. And someone is kind of moving the whole story forward. And this is one of the big revelations is, how and why “, he jokes.
When Blackwood is released in June, it will not complete the Gates of Oblivion story, but it will occupy a considerable part before the second half of the year. It will also present a new test for 12 players, new world events called Portals of Oblivion (effectively replacing the Black Anchors) and, more significantly, the new Companion system that will allow you to recruit and play alongside NPCs. Lambert says the idea behind Companions is to allow solo players and small groups to face dungeons without worrying about becoming overwhelmed. As a solo player, I asked Lambert bluntly why it took so long for something like this to be added.
“I think we’ve learned a lot over the years. And one of the main recurring themes that we’ve heard from players, especially our most hardcore Elder Scrolls people, is that people are scary. And there’s some content that they aren’t. a big group, but they’d do it with a couple of close and trusted friends. And so the beauty of this system and one of my hopes is, you know, you and a friend could go and do four player dungeons because you have two companions to help you out. “
Another benefit of the next Companion system, Lambert hopes, is that it will give people the confidence to face tougher dungeons, thus giving them a chance to blend in and become more involved with the ESO community.
“This will help players, A) develop stronger social ties in the game with their teammates, but also, B) help them get a little more into the group’s content and meet other players potentially, which is really exciting for me , because that’s where the magic of MMO happens, you know, meeting other people and talking to them and developing these really close social ties. “