Highlights
- ZeniMax Online Studios is potentially shifting its focus away from The Elder Scrolls Online to develop a brand-new game.
- The studio is currently hiring for various roles for this new project, indicating that it is in the early pre-production stages.
- Despite the development of a new game, ZeniMax Online Studios is still hiring talent to work on The Elder Scrolls Online, suggesting continued updates and new content for the game in the foreseeable future.
A new job listing from ZeniMax Online Studios seems to hint that the studio is pivoting away from the massively popular The Elder Scrolls Online to focus on a brand-new game. The Elder Scrolls Online has garnered an enormous fan base since its launch in 2014, but as the MMORPG nears its tenth birthday, ZeniMax Online Studios appears to be ready to shift its focus elsewhere.
A subsidiary of ZeniMax Media, ZeniMax Online Studios was founded in 2007 and is the primary developer for The Elder Scrolls Online. Launched in 2014, ESO initially opened to poor reception, but has since grown to become one of the most popular MMORPGs of all time, with a current player base of over 18 million and plenty of awards under its belt to date, and has cemented ZeniMax Online's reputation within the realm of MMORPGs. Nearly a decade later, the game continues to see regular updates and new DLC content.
A look at ZeniMax's job listings provides some clues as to the studio's direction, as it is currently searching for new team members to help with "an all-new unannounced IP." Among other roles, the studio is currently hiring for a Lead Animation Software Engineer, tasked with developing an animation system using a brand-new engine. A variety of other roles are also available as this new game is, according to ZeniMax, in its early pre-production stages. The wording of these listings appears to confirm that ZeniMax Online Studios is taking the lead in developing this new game.
While ZOS has helped out with other ZeniMax titles, specifically Doom and Fallout 76, ESO is currently the only game it's taken lead on. While the prospect of a new title from the acclaimed developer is exciting, fans could be left wondering if ZeniMax Online Studios plans to shift its focus away from The Elder Scrolls Online; it's possible ZeniMax could eventually be moving on from the MMORPG set in Tamriel in pursuit of its newest vision.
However, fans of The Elder Scrolls Online need not panic just yet. Alongside their job postings for this new project, ZeniMax Online is still hiring new talent to work on ESO, which suggests that developments and new content releases for the game aren't slowing down any time in the near future. With ZeniMax Online's new game still in its infancy, fans should still have many years ahead to explore the vast continent of Tamriel with friends and enjoy new content and updates.