Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

The Elder Scrolls Online drops subscriptions today with Tamriel Unlimited

By
This is Tamriel Unlimited
As promised, Bethesda Softworks’ massively multiplayer The Elder Scrolls Online has dropped monthly subscriptions today, picking up the subtitle 
Recommended Videos
Tamriel Unlimited to reflect the change. From now on fans will only have to buy the game up front in order to play, much like the popular MMO 
Related
Guild Wars 2.

Play #ESO with no game subscription right now! Tamriel Unlimited has arrived: http://t.co/q09JSrFCPp pic.twitter.com/yFkkkDYSIA

— The Elder Scrolls Online (@TESOnline) March 17, 2015

Tamriel Unlimited includes all content released to date, like the recently-added Justice and Champion systems. It will come as a free update to anyone that already owns the game. Lapsed subscribers will also be invited to jump back in, having already paid the up-front cost of purchasing the game itself.

Current paying subscribers will be automatically enrolled in ESO Plus, the new premium membership. Plus members gain access to a variety of in-game bonuses like additional experience gains and a monthly allotment of Crowns, a new currency that can be spent on cosmetic and convenience items in the game’s new Crown Store. All new players will receive a gift of 500 Crowns when they buy the game, regardless of whether or not they sign up for ESO Plus.

While all content to date has been rendered free in Tamriel Unlimited, future DLC expansions will come with a price tag. ESO Plus members will have access to this additional content for the duration of their subscriptions.

World of Warcraft also modified its subscription options recently, introducing a new currency called Tokens. Purchasable with in-game gold, Tokens can be exchanged for subscription time, meaning that dedicated players can make their gameplay self-sustaining if they manage to bring in enough gold. After a decade of dominating the massively multiplayer space, WoW‘s subscription base has fallen off in recent years. Combined with the rise of various free-to-play business models in gaming, this has led to a general re-evaluation of how players will be most inclined to pay for access to persistent online games like World of Warcraft or The Elder Scrolls Online.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited will come out on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on June 9, 2015, sharing the same subscription-free model as Mac and Windows. Like other multiplayer games on those platforms, fans will have to pay for PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live. Check out Bethesda’s FAQ if you have any questions about how this all works.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Will Fulton
Will Fulton
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Will Fulton is a New York-based writer and theater-maker. In 2011 he co-founded mythic theater company AntiMatter Collective…
The Elder Scrolls VI has to be a decade game, says Bethesda’s Todd Howard
The Elder Scrolls VI

Bethesda Game Studios director and executive producer Todd Howard admitted that the next Elder Scrolls game has major expectations to live up to, according to an interview with GQ. Following in the footsteps of Skyrim, The Elder Scrolls VI, which is still without its official title, "has got to be a "decade game," Howard said.

Making a game that's meant to be played for 10 years comes with some challenges. Skyrim was made with replayability in mind, giving players access to a massive number of quests, including some that can be tackled over and over again for "unlimited" gameplay. But for Howard, it's not clear how Bethesda will make another game with more content and replayability than Skyrim. "How do you make a game where you go into it, like, 'people have to play it for a decade?'" Howardsaid.

Read more
The best character builds for the Elder Scrolls Online
Elder Scrolls Online player fighting with a Companion.

The Elder Scrolls Online is one of the most casual-friendly MMORPGs around. Whether you're questing, diving into dungeons with a few friends, or taking part in massive PvP battles in Cyrodiil, anyone can instantly jump into the action and contribute.

However, players looking to become one of the deadliest competitors on the field will need to optimize their ESO build. This means constantly checking DPS outputs, sustaining your resources, and living to fight another day. Whether you're looking to become a PvE expert or solo adventurer or climb to the top of the PvP charts, here are some of the best ESO builds in 2021.

Read more
The Elder Scrolls Online: Everything you need to know about Companions
ESO Companion preparing for combat.

The Elder Scrolls Online recently launched the Blackwood Chapter, offering a whole new region to explore along with a variety of quests, group activities, and collectibles. The biggest addition, however, is the innovative new Companion System -- which gives you a permanent follower to assist on your adventures.

Only players who have purchased the Blackwood Chapter can take advantage of the feature, but it's arguably one of the biggest -- and most exciting -- changes we've seen to ESO in years. If you're just beginning to explore the powerful Companion System, here are a few tips and tricks to get you on your way.

Read more