Particle.news
Download on the App Store

The Elder Scrolls Online Adopts Quarterly Seasons as Season Zero Starts April 2

Studio leaders say the shift was planned well before last year's layoffs.

Overview

  • ZeniMax is replacing annual chapter expansions with updates every three months.
  • Season Zero: Dawn and Dusk runs April 2 to July 8 and introduces a new kind of zone experience.
  • Executives say the change is unrelated to Microsoft's 2025 cuts that canceled the unannounced project Blackbird.
  • Staff previously split across projects are now fully focused on ESO, increasing capacity in some areas.
  • Each season will refresh legacy systems, with a Dragonknight class overhaul kicking off the effort and leadership targeting a long-term future for the MMO.