ESO Datamined (Part 1): “Okay” Says Zenimax Online

It’s only been a week since ESO: Tamriel Unlimted launched, and already Zenimax Online Studios is looking to expand it’s PvP servers. Once again they’re dealing with Megaserver lag due to the influx of returning players.

But all this talk about expanding has us asking questions. ZOS has said in several conferences (most notably at QuakeCon) that there’s more content they want to see in the game. Whatever became of that content?

It would be wrong to say that ESO didn’t have a very rocky launch. With many bugs left in the game and gold spammers aplenty, it was honestly quite impressive they were able to maintain an estimated 750K+ player base as last summer drew to an end. It was right around this time when ZOS announced upcoming content at QuakeCon, having earlier promised frequent content updates. As time went on though, updates became less meaty and more spread out.

One obvious reason that content packages were “delayed” was due to the sheer number of system changes ZOS had to make in response to player feedback. Everything from PvP balances to environmental changes took top priority. Looking at the major list of changes in updates from launch to 1.6, most were things people could argue should have been in the game from the beginning.

This is where Redditor Dominoid73 comes in to shed a bit of light on the very quiet ZOS. His first datamining thread popped up last month, and it shows the “Alpha” map for the up-coming “Wrothgar” DLC. This was quickly followed up by loot tables added by ESO 1.6. Since then, Dominoid73 has been a primary source of information regarding things that have been added into the game but are not yet active.

Official word from ZOS in relation to these leaks was released on the official forums :

Datamining information isn’t illegal or against the TOS, but please understand that anything datamined isn’t final and is subject to change.

-ZOS_GinaBruno

ZOS is taking an approach that is keeping them very transparent and close to the community. A major part of the reason ESO continues to do well is because they use this approach. Listening to consumer feedback and prioritizing player concerns over initial plans has given them the good will of many TES fans playing the game. Which is why for better or worse, this attitude has dramatically changed the way the game feels from beta and launch for the better.

In the following weeks, I will be keeping tabs on these data mined threads and the implications their content has had or not had on the game. I will also add in my own personal experiences with the game as I have been subbed since Beta.