Elder Scrolls Online director explains why ESO 2 won’t happen

The Elder Scrolls Online has cemented itself as one of the gaming universe’s premier MMORPGs, but is there an ESO 2 on the horizon? Creative Director Rich Lambert explains why he believes a sequel isn’t necessary.

As the MMORPG genre rises to prominence once more following Amazon Games’ New World and the Western release of Smilegate RPG’s Lost Ark, The Elder Scrolls Online is hoping to capitalize on this sudden influx of new players with ESO High Isle; the latest chapter in Tamriel’s story.

Allowing players to explore this dazzling, Monaco-esque world (as well as the terrors that lurk beneath it), High Isle opens up a whole new area of the map. Set in the caldera of an ancient volcano, there’s a whole collection of new activities to keep your hero or heroine busy.

With MMOs hitting their prime once more, however, all eyes are on what the future holds for The Elder Scrolls Online; specifically, whether or not we’ll see an ESO 2. The game’s Creative Director, Rich Lambert, has opened up on where he sees Bethesda’s iconic franchise heading next; and, spoiler alert, a sequel isn’t it.

ESO Creative Director rules out Elder Scrolls Online 2

As The Elder Scrolls Online continues to transform with each expansion, Lambert doesn’t see a need for a sequel to the classic MMO.

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“You know, I’ve been asked that question a few times,” he told Dexerto. “My response is: I’m not sure what a ‘2’ next to the name would get us in terms of types of stories we could tell differently, or locations we could go.

“Maybe that could be a different Era – we’re in The Second Era – but our focus right now is on [the current version of [ESO]. Players love it, the game is still growing like crazy; why would we endanger that at this point? Why not just continue to make the game amazing and support the community we have?

“We’re definitely not done,” he concludes. “There’s lots of locations that we still want to explore, there’s loads of stories that we still want to tell. We’re slowly filling the map out, so that gives you kind of a hint about the future; but we also have a nearly infinite number of realms of Oblivion that haven’t been explored.”

Highlighting that there’s “no shortage of things to do and stories to tell,” the future looks bright for ESO and the world of Tamriel.

Right now, however, all eyes are on the High Isle and the monsters that lurk beneath its crystalline waters.