Highlights
- The Elder Scrolls Online’s Gold Road update brings Skingrad back with new landscapes and Daedric threats, offering nostalgia and fresh gameplay.
- The update delves into deeper lore surrounding the iconic Gold Road, introducing customizable Grimoires to enhance RPG mechanics for players.
- Fans of Oblivion can expect a story revolving around a new Daedric prince, Ithelia, and gameplay improvements that open up new play styles.
The Elder Scrolls Online is the first installment in the titular series to integrate many sub-locations found in earlier games into one experience. It combines the detailed RPG mechanics of games like Skyrim and Oblivion into a fully online world, where players can interact and create their own experiences together. Thanks to the live service model the game has, and the continuous development it has seen since its release in 2014, many parts of earlier games have slowly been getting introduced in DLCs.
The game has been making waves yet again thanks to the next major update The Elder Scrolls Online is set to feature. The Gold Road update was first announced back in January 2024 and is all set to be released next month on June 3, 2024. Combining a new story and fresh gameplay mechanics with just the right amount of nostalgia, Gold Road will incorporate the city of Skingrad, a prominent map location from The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion that calls for an Elder Scrolls alum-retreat.
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What Fans of Oblivion Are In For In The New ESO Update
The beautiful vineyards and engaging quests found in Skingrad are probably the first things that pop into mind for many fans of Oblivion. However, the landscape, this time around, might be far different back from when The Elder Scrolls had last explored this region. Attacks from Daedric forces have changed the landscape of this area, damaging Skingrad and even forming a new magic jungle in the region. In addition, the iconic Gold Road that remains a focal point in Oblivion’s map is faithfully recreated in ESO, allowing fans to revisit some of their strongest memories in fully rendered HD graphics.
ESO has a few more tricks up its sleeve, though, as the upcoming update will likely introduce deeper lore surrounding the Gold Road and Skingrad. Oblivion fans will be able to find out more about the locations surrounding the Road and how it came to be. Interactions with other players could change experience significantly as well — for instance, it will certainly change the way returning fans will interact with the Gold Road and Skingrad.
How ESO’s New Story Pays Homage To Oblivion
The upcoming Gold Road update features a story centered around a new Daedric prince named Ithelia. Oblivion players might remember that his story was centered around Daedric forces, too. Aside from characters like Mehrunes Dagon who served as central antagonists in the main story, the Shivering Isles DLC explores the Daedric world further and allows players to eventually replace Shegorath, the Daedric Prince of Madness. A new story focusing on the Daedra could explore many examples set by Oblivion, and might even feature returning characters, bringing the evil forces of the Daedric world back to the limelight.
The Gold Road Update Has More Gameplay Improvements To Offer
The Elder Scrolls Online’s latest update will introduce some sweeping changes to deepen the RPG mechanics the series is known for. It’s been dubbed the Scribing system and will allow players to collect skills called Grimoires and customize them to their heart’s content. These Grimoires will come in all shapes and sizes and feature area-of-effect attacks, the ability to escape from combat, and more.
A feature like this one could have knock-on effects on the entire game, as it opens up doors to entirely different builds and play styles that were not feasible before. Being able to customize any skills players collect will allow them to tailor their build to any situation, and it’s not too far off compared to Oblivion‘s own skill system – especially magic. It will be a refreshing change for TheElder Scrolls IV: Oblivion fans eager to revisit the Gold Road and give them deeper RPG mechanics to chew on.
The Elder Scrolls Online
The Elder Scrolls Online is an MMORPG from Zenimax and is part of the long-running Elder Scrolls franchise. Players will be able to pick from multiple races and classes, embarking on a journey through a massive open-world. There are tons to see and do in this release, with many DLC expansions to add additional content.
- Released
- April 4, 2014
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- How Long To Beat
- 160+ Hours
- Metascore
- 71
- Number of Players
- 1-4 (Co-Op)
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium