2023 could be a very important year for Xbox and ZeniMax Online Studios. Soon, fans will get the chance to delve into the all-new The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom expansion, and the team also has another, next-generation project in development. It's been a couple of years since Microsoft acquired Bethesda, which included major studios like ZeniMax Online, so it's only a matter of time before fans get their first look at this new game.
Over the years, ZeniMax Online has built much of its reputation in the MMORPG space with its support of The Elder Scrolls Online. With deep questing, PvP campaigns, and zone-based exploration, many consider it to be one of the best online RPGs currently, especially for those who are fans of The Elder Scrolls lore. The studio has invested a lot of energy into the game, gaining praise for its ability to capture some of the most exotic locations within the fantasy setting. But according to job listings, the developer is looking to go far beyond the provinces of Tamriel, and Xbox may benefit from cultivating a new multiplayer IP through ZeniMax Online.
ZeniMax Online Studios Is One of Gaming's Best MMO Teams
While The Elder Scrolls Online had problems at launch, it has since become one of the most vibrant, questing-focused MMORPGs in the genre. ZeniMax Online took years to hone its craft, expanding the world of Tamriel through original stories told nearly a millennium before the events of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. Players are free to create unique characters with a variety of classes, some of those even made relevant to the themes of major Chapter expansions.
Now partnered with Xbox, ZeniMax Online could possibly fulfill its larger ambitions in bringing online worlds to PC and consoles. The studio is experienced in both PvP and PvE-centered content, and its new IP may provide Xbox Game Pass subscribers with an original, live-service platform by applying the lessons learned from the development of ESO. It is still unknown if the project will be an RPG or not, but having more experience and better hardware, it's likely to be a fresh start for a team that has been dedicated to a regular content cycle for a while now.
Xbox's Support For ZeniMax and Bethesda Has Some Important Implications
Given Xbox's hands-off approach in Microsoft's recent acquisitions, it's likely that the studio will retain a lot of the creative liberty it has had in past projects. However, considering the brand's catalog, it may be in Microsoft's best interest to support ZeniMax Online Studios in any way it can. ESO is technically a first-party product now since it is an ongoing service that is a part of the company's larger library of gaming IPs. MMORPGs are not one of Xbox's strongest categories, so further development - as well as Microsoft's pending purchase of Activision Blizzard and World of Warcraft - could help cement the brand's position in a key sector of the gaming market.
Online games, especially those built with the scale of The Elder Scrolls Online's Tamriel, are designed to be platforms that can be enjoyed by players for years. They are usually accessible but also expansive as paid, premium content provides an avenue for players to invest more time into additional features. MMORPGs are community-driven as well, often being designed as evolving, virtual spaces where gamers play, share, and communicate with others across the world.
Understandably, there has long been a fixation on first-party, AAA titles that are technically impressive, open-world, or present story-driven experiences that break new ground. These kinds of games are released on a regular basis and showcase a particular developer's capabilities each generation. Despite those appeals, MMOs and online worlds are special because of their longevity, and that may give Microsoft's Xbox brand an unexpected advantage. If Xbox can succeed in fostering ZeniMax Online's next AAA IP, then gamers might be in for an ambitious, new-gen universe with true staying power.