The director of Elder Scrolls Online has reassured players that the game is “here to stay”, following heavy layoffs.
Earlier this month it was confirmed that Microsoft had laid off 379 employees at ZeniMax – comprising of 213 employees at ZeniMax Online and a further 166 employees at ZeniMax Media – as part of its wider cuts.
The news sparked concern among Elder Scrolls Online players, especially when laid off developer Morgan Goin told the BBC that the game would no longer be able to release new content at “anything approaching” the speed it used to.
Now, in a statement on the Elder Scrolls Online website, director Nick Giacomini has attempted to assure players that the game will still be around for the long term, and that ZeniMax was working closer with Bethesda Game Studios – the developer of the main Elder Scrolls series – to ensure both studios can help each other out.
“Recently, we’ve been through a number of organizational changes and departures of teammates who helped shape The Elder Scrolls Online,” Giacomini said. “We are profoundly grateful for everything they’ve contributed to the game and the community we’ve built together.
“At the same time, we’ve seen a lot of questions about what these changes mean for ESO. So let me be clear – ESO is here to stay, and our team is dedicated to the future of this game. Our focus hasn’t changed. It is continuing to grow The Elder Scrolls Online and build upon the world millions of players call home.
“Moving forward, I’ll be leading the studio alongside longtime ZOS veteran Josh Henderson. You’ll hear more from Josh soon, but I want you to know that our shared passion for ESO remains as strong as ever. We love this world, we love this community, and the fire in our team to continue building it burns just as fiercely today as it always has.
“We’re also entering a new chapter of collaboration across Bethesda. By working more closely with Bethesda Game Studios across The Elder Scrolls, we have new opportunities to share ideas, align our efforts, and create even better experiences for players, all while continuing to build the future of ESO.”
Planned 2026 ESO content has now been delayed to 2027
Despite assuring players that Elder Scrolls Online isn’t facing closure any time soon, Giacomini did also appear to lend credence to former developer Morgan Goin’s claim that content would be coming at a slower pace now.
Giacomini stated that the team would no longer be releasing content to a set deadline, and would now essentially be releasing it when it’s ready to do so.
“We’ve said this before: a core part of our philosophy is ensuring that the time you invest in ESO always feels rewarding,” he explained. “And with the recent changes to our studio, trying to hit our previously announced deadlines would mean sacrificing the quality you deserve.
“Therefore, we are establishing a clear principle for how we build and ship content and features moving forward: quality experiences over calendar dates. Instead of rushing to hit a previously announced deadline, we are giving our teams the runway they need to do things right.
“Some of our upcoming additions, like the Class and Combat Refresh and our new Trial, are highly complex, and we want to ensure they hit the mark before we put them in your hands.”
Giacomini announced that the new Crimson Veldt trial, the Class and Combat Refresh – both of which were planned for 2026 – will now arrive in 2027, and that Update 52 has also been pushed back to January 2027.
“We know it’s disappointing to see some features move out, and believe me, we want to get these into your hands as soon as possible, too. But we believe this is the right move for the long-term health of the game”, he said.
“We are not looking to just ‘maintain’ the game, we are looking to grow it”
Concluding, Giacomini thanked players for continuing to play the game and promised them again that it wasn’t going anywhere.
“We’ve had bumps in the road over our 12-year history that we’ve always faced together, he said. “As our studio evolves, we are not looking to just ‘maintain’ the game. We are looking to grow it. You, our community, are the reason we have grown over the years, and we want to keep growing with you.
“Moving forward, our principles are simple: we will continue to build fun and rewarding experiences through our Seasonal model, deliver long-standing player-requested features and changes that make Tamriel more fulfilling, and find new ways to provide you with features and content to keep your adventures fresh.
“As we finalize our plans through 2027 and beyond, we’re still hard at work bringing you all-new experiences in Skyrim, never before seen in The Elder Scrolls Online. We’ll be showing you more of this content over the coming months.
“I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: ESO is nothing without you, our community. Thank you for your continued dedication, your feedback, and your support. Let’s continue to build our Tamriel together.”
