ZeniMax Online Studios will fully reveal its plans for The Elder Scrolls Online in 2026 during a dedicated livestream later today, on Wednesday, January 7th, at 3 PM ET on Twitch. The show features ESO Game Director Nick Giacomini and Executive Producer Susan Kath, next to members of the community team.
According to ZOS, the reveal will cover everything coming to ESO over the next year and beyond. Twitch Drops will also be active during the stream, letting you earn Ouroboros Crates for watching.
Community Hopes And Long-Standing Frustrations
Although the reveal announcement sounds quite exciting, the community reaction to it has been rather mixed so far. A lot of long-time players state that recent announcements have them remain cautious for now, especially after years of updates that also promised improvements but delivered limited change.
One of the biggest recurring topics, for example in this related Reddit thread, is overland difficulty. Players often compliment ESO’s story and quest writing, but say combat feels too easy, which removes tension from boss fights and exploration. Requests for optional difficulty scaling appear frequently, with many pointing out that new players often lose interest because combat lacks challenge.
Cross-Progression Remains A Major Wish
Another big talking point is cross-save and cross-play. Even after all these years, everyone is locked to their choice of platform. So, naturally, players want the ability to move their characters between console and PC, especially veterans who invested years into their accounts. Some openly state they would return to ESO immediately if cross-progression became available. Understandably so!
Right now, the lack of cross-save remains one of the biggest barriers for returning players.
Monetization And Trust Issues
Monetization also continues to receive tons of criticism. Crown Store pricing, especially for account features sold per character, frustrates a lot of players. Fans fear that upcoming changes will focus more on monetization than on fixing long-standing issues like class balance, bugs, and PvP stability.
For now, expectations remain low but hopeful. The 2026 reveal later today has a chance to reset the conversation, but most players want to see clear commitments and real changes this time.
Where to Watch the Bethesda Livestream
The reveal stream will start at 3 pm ET, 7 pm CEST. You can watch it live on Twitch.tv/Bethesda. Additionally, make sure to connect your ESO and Twitch accounts, so you can grab the Drops from your Twitch Inventory after watching the stream. Here is what you can get:
- Three Ouroboros Crates after 15 minutes of watchtime
- Five Ouroboros Crates after 30 minutes of watchtime
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