Read a letter from Matt Firor, ZOS’s Studio Director, on how we’re changing the way we support ESO on Macs moving forward.
As most Mac users know, last summer Apple announced that new Macs will no longer be built with Intel CPUs. Instead, new Macs will utilize a new custom-built ARM CPU going forward. The first of these devices was announced earlier this month at an Apple event.
Please be aware that these new ARM-based Macs cannot run software created for Intel-based computers. Additionally, these new machines will not support Boot Camp either, so you cannot dual boot an ARM-based Mac into Windows. This means that all software running on the new Macs must either be re-written for ARM or must run through an emulator. X86 emulation comes with a significant performance impact—in general, emulation is okay for software like office productivity apps, but not for gaming.
All of this puts a burden on software developers like ZOS to port their products to the new architecture. It is a huge undertaking to port a product as old, large, and complex as ESO to a new CPU, with no certain outcome of success. Because of these factors, we will not be porting ESO to run on the new ARM-based Macs. ESO will continue to run on Intel-based Macs, and we will support it as long as there is a large enough Mac user base to warrant it. While it will be technically possible to run ESO via x86 emulation on the new Macs, expect a subpar gaming experience that we will not officially support.
If you purchase a new ARM-based Mac, you will still have some options to play ESO. The most obvious one is that you can log into your account from any PC (or Intel-based Mac) and still be able to play with all of your account and character data. You also have the option of playing (with your current account and characters) on Stadia, a cloud-streaming service that uses the same servers as your current Mac-based accounts—so if you do use Stadia, you can continue to play uninterrupted with your existing account and character data.
Matt
If you have any questions regarding ESO running on Macs with Intel CPUs, please feel free to visit the Elder Scrolls Online Help Portal or contact the help team.
Can ESO’s Creative Director complete Markarth’s solo arena on veteran difficulty? Tune in to ESO Live this week as we put our own Rich Lambert to the test!
Join us on twitch.tv/Bethesda this Friday, November 13 at 4PM EST/9PM GMT, as ESO’s Creative Director Rich Lambert joins the ESO Community team for a no-holds-barred Veteran run of Vateshran Hollows. Markarth’s new solo arena is no small challenge, but don’t worry! We’ll also have Lead Encounter Designer Mike Finnigan on to commentate (or more likely, heckle) as his boss takes on this ancient Reachfolk rite.
Should Rich complete the challenge without dying, we’ll even do a special giveaway, so get ready to cheer him on!
We’ll also discuss the latest ESO news during the show, and Twitch Drops will be active throughout, so don’t forget to link your accounts. We’ll see you for our Creative Director’s latest challenge on twitch.tv/Bethesda this Friday, November 13 at 4PM EST/9PM GMT!
Get Bonus XP, Gold, and Drops During the Explorer’s Celebration
For this weekend only, you can get double XP, resource node drops, and gold in any zone in Tamriel during the Explorer’s Celebration!
Explore All of Tamriel
Kicking off this Thursday, November 12 at 10AM EST, and running until Monday, November 16 at 10AM EST, the limited-time Explorer’s Celebration grants you additional rewards for the following in-game activities:
These bonuses are available to all players in any zone in Tamriel—including Markarth’s two new zones, the Reach and Arkthzand Caverns!
Note that the Explorer’s Celebration doesn’t grant Event Tickets and doesn’t have its own unique quests, Achievements, or collectibles associated with it. Additionally, the Impresario isn’t available during this limited period.
To sum up, the Explorer’s Celebration begins tomorrow and runs for this weekend only, so don’t miss out on your chance to get extra XP, gold, and resource node drops—have fun!
Markarth & Update 28 Now Live on PC/Mac
The Dark Heart of Skyrim epic concludes with Markarth, our newest DLC game pack for The Elder Scrolls Online. Learn all about the new DLC and Update 28 base-game patch in this launch article.
The Markarth DLC game pack and Update 28 are now available on PC/Mac and Stadia*, taking you to the wilds of the Reach and bringing the year-long Dark Heart of Skyrim storyline to its epic conclusion. If you play on Xbox One or PlayStation®4, don’t worry—Markarth will release on consoles November 10!
Within the DLC and free base-game patch, you will find:
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This DLC is free for all current ESO Plus™ members or available for purchase with crowns from the in-game Crown Store. You can read the patch notes for both Markarth and Update 28 on our official forums.
Markarth DLC Game Pack
The Reach is under siege, and the dark forces of the Gray Host prey on the land’s beleaguered tribes from deep beneath the city of Markarth. In The Elder Scrolls Online: Markarth, you can explore two new zones, discover the proud tribes of Reachfolk, and conclude the year-long Dark Heart of Skyrim adventure.
Explore the Reach & Arkthzand Caverns
For the first time in The Elder Scrolls Online, you can explore the unforgiving wilds of the Reach and the underworld beneath it. Filled with new stories, characters, and challenges, as you venture into this perilous part of Skyrim, you’ll encounter a people both stalwart and resilient, struggling to defend their home against the Gray Host.
Explore Markarth under Reach control
In addition to the Reach, you can also venture into the area of Blackreach known as the Arkthzand Caverns, the world beneath the city of Markarth. Filled with new quests, delves, world bosses, Harrowstorms, and more, these two zones will challenge even the strongest adventurers and doom those foolhardy enough to go it alone or unprepared. For more, check out our preview.
The Dark Heart of Skyrim Concludes
In the Markarth storyline, you’ll join forces with the local Reachfolk to confront the Gray Host. As you stand with the “Despot of Markarth” Ard Caddach and other Reach allies, you’ll unravel the terrible schemes of the Vampire Lord Rada al-Saran, and battle your way into the darkest depths of Blackreach to stop him.
While the Markarth storyline is a complete tale from start to finish, should you have already completed the Greymoor Chapter’s AND the Markarth DLC’s main storyline, you’ll unlock additional quests that bring the year-long Dark Heart of Skyrim adventure to its final epic conclusion.
Vateshran Hollows Arena
Test your mettle and discover if you’re strong enough to call the Reach home in Vateshran Hollows, a new solo arena designed to push even Skyrim’s strongest warriors to the limits of their skill and courage. Within this new single-player challenge, you’ll have the opportunity to choose your paths as you enter three realms touched by Oblivion and defeat the dangers within.
Choose your path in Vateshran Hollows
Filled with challenging boss battles and no shortage of secrets, you’ll earn rewards and honors for completing this new arena, including special item sets, Achievements, and collectibles. Get ready to claim the title of Spiritblood Champion—glory awaits!
The Reach’s Bounty
As you explore both the Reach and the world beneath, you’ll uncover and earn rewards unique to the new zone and DLC, such as powerful item sets (three zone sets and three crafted sets), exclusive collectibles, and Achievements. It won’t be easy, but the bounty of the Reach is there for those strong enough to take it.
Earn all-new rewards in Markarth
How Do I Get Markarth?
The Markarth DLC game pack is free for all ESO Plus members and available for purchase for 2,000 crowns from the in-game Crown Store (listed under DLC). Note that if your ESO Plus membership lapses, you will lose access to the DLC until you renew or purchase the DLC with crowns. You won’t lose any items or rewards you earned while you had access.
In addition to the base DLC, the Markarth Collector’s Bundle is also available for 4,000 crowns. This includes access to the DLC game pack, the Chaurus Egg Chaser’s Horse mount, the Teacup Chaurus Chitterling pet, and Crown Experience Scrolls. You can find and purchase the Markarth Collector’s Bundle from the Featured section of the in-game Crown Store.
The Markarth Collector’s Bundle
Getting Started in Markarth
With access to the Markarth DLC, you can venture into the wilds of the Reach by the following methods:
Once you’ve entered the Reach, you can explore the new zone, begin the DLC’s storyline, discover its many delves, world bosses, and Harrowstorm locations, or encounter any of the local Reachfolk—it’s up to you!
Finally, the first time you set foot in the Reach, you’ll receive the Arkthzand Anfractuosity Shroud completely free.
Get this unique hat when you first enter the Markarth DLC content
Update 28 Base-Game Patch
Releasing at the same time as the Markarth DLC game pack, the Update 28 base-game patch brings a host of new features and bug fixes for all ESO players, completely free.
Item Set Collection system
With Update 28, you can now add hundreds of ESO’s item sets to your Collections UI and reconstruct them at a cost of Transmutation Crystals from any Transmutation Station (such as the one found in Clockwork City). You can find your collected sets within your Collections UI under the new “Sets” section. This new system will allow you to free up much-needed inventory, bank, or coffer space since almost every set in Tamriel (with the exception of crafted ones) can now be safely “stored” in Collections.
Collect Tamriel’s item sets
Don’t go deconstructing everything yet! Check out our preview and FAQ for everything you need to know about this new system.
Crafting Writ UI improvements
Also included in this update are improvements to the way you complete Crafting Writs. With this patch, if you have any Crafting Writ “quests” relevant to a crafting station you’re currently using, it’ll display appropriate details, including what materials or selections need to be picked to complete the quest. No longer will you activate a crafting station only to discover that you’ve forgotten what you need to craft for your writs!
For everything coming as part of Update 28, check out the patch notes section on our official forums.
The Dark Heart of Skyrim Ends Here!
With the launch of the Markarth DLC, the year-long Dark Heart of Skyrim adventure comes to its thrilling conclusion. Explore the perilous Reach, challenge yourself in Vateshran Hollows, confront the Gray Host, and uncover the dread secrets found beneath the stone city of Markarth—all of Skyrim hangs in the balance! Tell us if you’re planning to venture into Skyrim’s dark heart and conclude your year-long epic via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
The Dark Heart of Skyrim epic concludes with the Markarth DLC game pack and Update 28, now available for PC/Mac and Stadia* and arriving November 10 for Xbox One and PlayStation®4.
*Available only in limited territories.
Unlock Spooky Rewards during the Witches Festival Event
Tamriel’s most ghoulish gala returns! Put monsters to the sword to receive ghastly goodies and double XP during the Witches Festival in-game event!
A Frightful Fete
The Witches Festival begins next Thursday, October 22 at 10:00AM EDT/03:00PM BST, and will run until Tuesday, November 3 at 10:00AM EST/03:00PM GMT. Throughout this terror-filled term, you can receive repulsive rewards in the form of spoopy Plunder Skull containers, a 100% XP boost, Event Tickets, and collectibles.
To take part in this ghoulish gala:
<*>Use the whistle to receive a two-hour 100% XP buff and summon the “Witchmother's Cauldron.”<*>Use the Witchmother's Cauldron to transform your character into one of the undead.
#TamrielTogether—Promote Your Guild & Win Custom Collectibles!
Celebrate and showcase your guild by crafting a recruitment poster or video and you could win amazing in-game prizes for your whole guild, including a custom-made mount and furnishings.
#TamrielTogether is all about teaming up to do good in Tamriel, and one of the best ways to do that is to be a part of a Guild. To help showcase and celebrate some of ESO’s amazing guilds, we’re thrilled to announce the Tamriel Together Guild Contest.
Enter Now!
Does your guild run Veteran Trials? Or do you like to put on fashion shows or roleplaying events? Maybe you have an amazing guild house that you think deserves to be seen. Whatever makes your guild a unique and welcoming place for its members, we want to see it captured in a recruitment-styled poster or video.
Your entry should celebrate and promote your guild to the larger ESO community. Here’s what you need to do to enter:
<*>Enter your poster or video using this form by Friday, November 6 at 11:59PM EST Please review the official rules before submitting your entry. Your guild can submit an entry for each category, but you should only enter each category once, so be sure to submit your best entry for each category to have the greatest chance of winning. Once you’ve successfully submitted, feel free to share it with us on social (@TESOnline, Instagram, or Facebook) using the #TamrielTogether hashtag, too!
We need YOU to showcase your guild
Win for Your Guild
Once the entry period has closed, the ESO development team will review entries based on their quality, creativity, and adherence to the theme (guild recruitment), and select two grand and four runners-up prize winners.
Two Grand Prize Winners (one per category—poster or video)
Four Runners-up (two per category—poster or video)
Phew! That’s a lot of prizes for everybody in your guild. As mentioned above, only active guild members will receive these prizes should their guild win, which means they need to have logged into the game at least once from the contest start and be a member of the winning guild by Friday, November 6, 2020 at 11:59 PM EST. Please check the official rules for more information.
Note that winners will not receive all their prizes at once, and the ESO team will reach out to the submitters of the winning entries to discuss the creation of the custom collectibles and inform them as to when they can expect them in game.
#TamrielTogether Guild Contest
We can’t wait to see what kind of creative and wacky posters and videos the ESO community comes up with for this new contest. Don’t forget to share your entries with us using #TamrielTogether on social via @TESOnline, Instagram, and Facebook—we’d love to also share them with the rest of the community and maybe get you some new recruits in the process!
#TamrielTogether is ESO’s end-of-year promotion, celebrating all the ways the ESO community jointly experiences the world of Tamriel. During this period, you can participate in in-game events, share your stories of camaraderie using the #TamrielTogether hashtag on social, and sign up for our massive sweepstakes—have fun!
Access the Dark Heart of Skyrim DLCs & More with the ESO Plus Free Trial
You can check out ESO Plus membership during our free trial, running until October 19! No credit card info required; no strings attached–just activate it in the in-game Crown Store now!
Try ESO Plus Free
The ESO Plus Free Trial is live and will run until Monday, October 19, at 10:00AM EDT/03:00PM BST. During the trial period, you gain access to the following ESO Plus benefits:
· Full access to DLC game packs—new zones, quests, dungeons, and more
o Includes Orsinium, Thieves Guild, Dark Brotherhood, Shadows of the Hist, Morrowind (zone and story), Horns of the Reach, Clockwork City, Dragon Bones, Summerset (zone and story), Wolfhunter, Murkmire, Wrathstone, Elsweyr (zone and story), Scalebreaker, Dragonhold, Harrowstorm, and Stonethorn (our most-recent DLC!)
· A Craft Bag offering you unlimited storage for all your crafting materials
· Double Bank space for all characters on your account
· 10% increase to Experience and Gold acquisition, Crafting Inspiration, and Trait Research rates
· Double Furnishings and Collectibles space in player housing
If you haven’t had a chance to check out the Dark Heart of Skyrim’s dungeon DLCs, Harrowstorm and Stonethorn, now you can, completely free! For more on the above benefits, check out our ESO Plus guide.
Note: The monthly crown stipend and ESO Plus deals are available only to paid members (not free trial members). Review everything that comes with ESO Plus on our website.
Here’s how you can get started:
1. Log into The Elder Scrolls Online.
2. Navigate to the Crown Store.
3. Select the ESO Plus tab.
4. Select “Free Trial!”
No credit card info is required to try out ESO Plus. Just visit the in-game Crown Store and activate it.
Membership Has Its Benefits
Make the most out of boosts to XP, gold, crafting inspiration, plus venture out on new adventures and stuff your Craft Bag full of all the materials it can carry with the ESO Plus Free Trial. If you’re planning to make the most out of this new trial period, let us know via @TESOnline, Instagram, or Facebook.
The ESO Plus Free Trial begins today and will run until Monday, October 19, at 10:00AM EDT/03:00PM BST.
Save on Greymoor during the Lost Treasures of Skyrim Sale
Pick up the Greymoor Chapter at up to 50% off during the Lost Treasures of Skyrim sale.
Save on Greymoor & Base Game
The Lost Treasures of Skyrim sale is now live, giving you the opportunity to pick up ESO’s latest Chapter, The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor, at up to 50% off and the ESO base game at up to 60% off.
In Greymoor, you can explore the region of Western Skyrim and help the besieged Nords in their struggle against an ancient darkness that rises from the depths of Blackreach. Part of the Dark Heart of Skyrim year-long adventure, Greymoor is an important chapter of a story that began in February of this year and will conclude with the upcoming Markarth DLC.
Even better, the Lost Treasures of Skyrim in-game event also began today, giving you and your fellow players the opportunity to unlock bonus collectibles (including cosmetics, a pet, a massive house, and a houseguest) free for all Greymoor players, simply by playing the new Antiquities system. This event (and its rewards) is available only to people who own Greymoor. Find out more in our announcement article and page.
Dig up Bonus Rewards during the Lost Treasures of Skyrim Event
Uncover antiquities and unlock bonus collectibles (including an incredible new house) for ALL Greymoor players during the Lost Treasures of Skyrim event!
The Lost Treasures of Skyrim event begins Wednesday, September 23 at 10:00AM EDT, and will run until October 5 at 10:00AM EDT. During the event period, you can earn bonus rewards for completing Western Skyrim daily quests and unlock unique collectibles for all Greymoor players with the Antiquities system.
Antiquarians Unite!
During the Lost Treasures of Skyrim event, you can earn unique collectibles for ALL Greymoor players by digging up antiquities throughout the entirety of Tamriel. As you and your fellow players seek out, excavate, and discover Tamriel’s hidden histories, you’ll slowly unlock up to three tiers of rewards:
Unlock these rewards by completing antiquities
What are Houseguests? Houseguests are a new type of collectible character you can add to your home in much the same way you add any other collectible. Each Houseguest is unique with a distinct appearance and can be interacted with, adding more life to your home. You can unlock this first Houseguest, Antiquarian Phedre, for free as part of this event, but look for additional Houseguests in the Crown Store in the future.
To check the community’s overall progress and see which rewards players have unlocked so far, visit the Lost Treasures of Skyrim page and review the meter. Each day, we’ll update the meter based on the community’s progress. The faster you dig, the faster the reward will be unlocked!
After the community has unlocked all three rewards (or the time runs out), all Greymoor players can claim the unlocked items from the in-game Crown Store for free. Note that only players who own the Greymoor Chapter can claim the rewards.
Lost Treasures
As you explore, quest, and battle throughout Western Skyrim during the Lost Treasures of Skyrim event, you’ll also have the opportunity to earn bonus rewards and new collectibles.
For starters, all Western Skyrim resource nodes will provide double rewards (not including fishing holes or crafting materials obtained from monsters). Also, all Western Skyrim world bosses, delve bosses, and Kyne’s Aegis trial bosses will have a chance to drop additional loot when defeated, and all Western Skyrim daily quests will award double reward boxes when completed.
In addition to these, the first time you complete a Western Skyrim daily quest each day, you’ll receive a Bulging Box of Gray Host Pillage reward box. These well-stuffed containers have a chance to hold the following items:
Phew! Once you’ve earned your Bulging Box each day, you will then have a chance to earn regular Boxes of Gray Host Pillage from subsequent daily quests or by completing various activities around Western Skyrim or Blackreach (such as defeating delve and world bosses, completing Harrowstorms, opening chests, and much more).
While a regular Box of Gray Host Pillage might not contain as many rewards as a Bulging one, they still have a chance to hold any of the above items, including the Sovngarde style pages, so keep adventuring!
Impresario & Event Tickets
To earn Event Tickets during the Lost Treasures of Skyrim event, simply turn in either a Western Skyrim daily quest or a Kyne’s Aegis weekly quest—you’ll receive three Event Tickets for doing so each day of the event.
The Impresario will stock the following goods during the event:
Dig Up Tamriel Together
Explore Western Skyrim, complete quests, and acquire ancient relics of a bygone age during the Lost Treasures of Skyrim event and you’ll earn bonus rewards and unlock prizes for all Greymoor players. Don’t forget to check the community’s progress on our tracking page—get digging! This event is part of our massive end-of-year promotion, Tamriel Together, so be sure to keep an eye on our social channels at @TESOnline, Instagram, or Facebook for more information on how you can create a community and win amazing in-game prizes.
The Lost Treasures of Skyrim in-game event begins Wednesday, September 23 at 10:00AM EDT, and will end on Monday, October 5 at 10:00AM EDT.
Watch the Dark Heart of Skyrim Year-End Preview on Twitch
Discover what adventures await in the finale of the Dark Heart of Skyrim epic as we preview the new DLC game pack, outline the upcoming in-game events, and share our end-of-year promotion, all in one amazing digital event!
Tune in to Twitch.tv/Bethesda on Saturday, September 19 at 3PM EDT, to watch a special digital event and ESO Live from the Elder Scrolls Online team that showcases everything coming to ESO in the final months of 2020. This includes the latest DLC, which we’re happy to announce has a new name: The Elder Scrolls Online: Markarth*!
We’ll preview the Markarth DLC game pack and talk about its zone, storyline, and place in the Dark Heart of Skyrim year-long epic. In addition to this, the team will outline 2020’s remaining in-game events and share information on the exciting end-of-year promotion we’ll be running throughout. After the digital event, we’ll host a special ESO Live to talk about the recent announcements and dive deep into some of the new DLC’s features.
We’ll have Twitch Drops enabled throughout the show, and anybody who watches the digital event with a linked account will also receive a free Purple Torchbug pet (to be delivered by Monday, September 21).
