Fall is finally upon us, but surprisingly there are not many big MMO releases slotted for this season. Once again we’ll be focusing on major updates coming to or recently arriving for MMOs; this time, it’s ESO, Riders of Icarus, and TERA.
ESO Releases One Tamriel and Readies for Update 13
Since we last reported on Elder Scrolls Online (ESO), even more changes have gone live, and the game is currently preparing for another big update: Update 13. Earlier this month, ESO added “One Tamriel,” which allows players to adventure with their friends regardless of level differences. What this means is that right out of the tutorial, characters can go wherever they want in the world and their character will automatically scale to the content around them. Alliance restrictions have also been lifted in all zones except PVP areas. On top of that, every zone has been tweaked to allow for both solo and group-play options. All dungeons in the game now have both a Normal and a Veteran mode, with Veteran dungeons all having their own specific Monster Mask and Shoulder set rewards. One Tamriel significantly changes the way ESO is played, and as such a lot of facets of the game have been changed to accommodate this new way to play. The Craglorn Zone has in particular received a lot of changes to be One Tamriel-friendly. You can check out their full patch notes accompanying One Tamriel on the game’s forums.
But what really has ESO players excited right now is the upcoming Update 13. This will be a housing update. Upon launch of the update, every player will have access to an apartment after simply completing a quest. They’ll be able to upgrade their apartment to larger houses through in-game gold. Update 13 will bring a total of 30 houses to the game (3 sizes, and each size themed for each of the game’s 10 races). The houses will be account-wide, and multiple homes can be owned by players. No MMO housing would be complete without the ability to decorate, of course, and Zenimax promises hundreds of housing items out of the gate, including new craftable furniture. Update 13 is expected in Q1 of 2017. All updates to ESO are free to players. You can check out an interview about the upcoming housing in the video below:
Rift of the Damned Update Live for Riders of Icarus
Last week, a pretty substantial free update went live for Riders of Icarus (RoI). Entitled “Rift of the Damned,” the update adds new items to the Cash Shop, a level cap increase up to level 40, a new zone (Tritael Rift), a new dungeon (the Breach), and the expansion of the Exarahn Badlands zone. A huge amount of new gear, quests, and familiars can be found in the new areas.
Several limited-time events were also included in the Rift of the Damned update. Most of them only run through October 19th, but the October Attendance Event will run for the entire month. Many of these events only require that you log on and collect your daily reward (some specifically for new or returning players), while the Rift Conquerer Event requires you to flesh out your familiar collection to gain a special familiar skin or Necklace that provides a random stat boost.
TERA Teases Spellbound Update
TERA is currently teasing information slowly for an upcoming major update entitled “Spellbound.” One of the headlining features of the update is the complete rehaul of the Sorcerer class, complete with new skills, new mechanics, and increased spellpower. Overall, the sorcerer will have faster casting times, increased base damage, and more play-style customization via glyphs post-update. I personally didn’t play the sorcerer during my short time with TERA, but these all sound like good changes to me. Hopefully sorcerer players are also pleased with the overall lean of this overhaul.
Spellbound will also be introducing two new dungeons and gear sets, but no information has currently been revealed for those update features yet.
That about wraps it up for this month. Are you excited for the changes that have come/are coming to ESO? Have you tried out RoI? Did/do you ever play a sorcerer in TERA, and, if so, are you looking forward to the overhaul? As always, let us know in the comments below.