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After initially launching for the PC and Mac back in 2014, the first year for The Elder Scrolls Online has been a wild one. Although it first released under a subscription-based model, the MMORPG ultimately transitioned into a free-to-play game under the moniker Tamriel Unlimited earlier this year, and this past June released for Xbox One and Ps4.

While not outright announcing a new expansion at their E3 press conference this year, Bethesda did hint that something big was coming to the game and today we finally know what exactly they meant. The first expansion for The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited is coming sooner than people think, letting players venture into the fallen capital of Tamriel for the first time.

In a press release, developer ZeniMax Online announced that Imperial City is the name of the first major expansion pack for Elder Scrolls Online. The pack is promising hours of new content for players by adding new areas to explore, quests to complete, enemies to slay, and items to acquire. ESO Plus members can snag the Imperial City expansion for free, while everyone can gain entry for the one time price of $20.

ZeniMax Online also detailed a number of key features within the expansion including:

  • All content is available to players that are level 10 and up
  • A brand new PvP/PvE space, including the six Imperial City Districts
  • New quests and key characters within the Imperial City
  • One new Imperial City PvP Public Dungeon: The Imperial Sewers
  • Two new PvE Imperial City group dungeons with Normal and Veteran versions: White-Gold Tower and Imperial City Prison
  • The Tel Var Stone system
  • 23 completely new Veteran Rank 16 item sets, only available in Imperial City
  • Treasure Vaults that contain new Veteran Rank 16 set jewelry and a chance for even rarer finds
  • Xivkyn racial motif style
  • New collectibles only available in Imperial City (pets, polymorphs, and a costume)

In advance of the new expansion, ZeniMax Online is planning to release a large update for the base game that introduces a number of changes and improvements. Here are some of the bigger updates players can expect to find when the patch hits in August:

  • Veteran Rank increased to 16
  • 15% decrease in the amount of XP it takes to gain a Veteran Rank
  • 100% more XP for all public dungeons
  • 50% more XP for all Veteran Rank quests
  • 20% more XP in Craglorn
  • Combat and gameplay balance changes
  • Improved Alliance War rewards

After a rocky start on consoles, the general consensus has been quite positive. After a number of updates and improvements to the core game, the console version has proven to be pretty popular, ranking first in sales on the PlayStation Network charts for the month of June. It's quite possible the high sales can be attributed to the word of mouth that spread after the closed beta took place on consoles prior to the games release. If nothing else, prior experience with the game could help generate interest in returning when Imperial City launches.

The Elder Scrolls Online is now available for PC, Mac, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. Imperial City launches on August 31 for PC and Mac players, with the Xbox One releasing September 15 and  the PlayStation 4 following suit September 16.

Source: Elder Scrolls Online