Elder Scrolls Online Is the Latest MMORPG To Lean Into Single-Player, And I’m Here For It

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Many MMOs have begun to highlight the single-player-friendly elements of their titles, offering ways for players to engage without the time commitment and social dynamics of guilds. Some new titles, like Don’t Lose Aggro, are even focused on delivering an MMO-like experience within a fully single-player game. Soon, the long-running Elder Scrolls Online will join the trend of supporting solo play within its MMORPG world. When Season 1 arrives later this year, ESO will finally offer single-player dungeons. And I am here for it.

Who Are These Other People in My Elder Scrolls Game?

Image courtesy of Zenimax Studios and Bethesda

As someone with social anxiety, MMORPGs can make me pretty uncomfortable. I’ve played my fair share of them, because they often offer interesting worlds and stories I want to experience. But I tend to keep my mic muted and avoid the chat at all costs. And that means it took me longer than you might expect to give The Elder Scrolls Online a try. Despite being a longtime Elder Scrolls fan, I wasn’t sure I’d like its MMORPG. Games like Skyrim and Oblivion feel, to me, like perfect examples of what makes single-player RPGs great.

Indeed, stepping into ESO felt about how I thought it would. Like coming home to the familiar, comfortable world of Elder Scrolls, only to find a bunch of strangers in it. Seeing other people run around in a world that feels so much like the Tamriel I know and love felt very weird at first. Those usernames popping up were a bit like jump scares for me at first. Over the years, I’m sure many great communities have formed within ESO. Those friendships and connections are part of what keeps MMORPGs alive. And yet, if you came to Elder Scrolls through its single-player RPGs, it can be a bit of an adjustment to see other people running around alongside you.

Social anxiety aside, once I sank into it, I did fall in love with The Elder Scrolls Online. The game as it stands now offers a decent bit of gameplay for solo gamers like me. There are plenty of quests and storylines you can explore, no guild required. But like many MMORPGs, it does wall off certain content (and rewards) behind multiplayer dungeons. Thankfully, that’s about to change with the start of Season 1.

ESO‘s New Solo Dungeons Will Offer Balanced Play for Single-Players

Image courtesy of ZeniMax and Bethesda

Like many MMORPGs, Elder Scrolls Online is making moves to offer more content for solo gamers. Don’t get me wrong – big group events aren’t going anywhere any time soon, and neither are the dungeons that longtime players know and love. But with its shift to seasonal content, the game will also introduce new Solo Dungeons. And I can’t wait to check them out.

Today marks the start of Season 0 in Elder Scrolls Online, a sort of soft launch of the game’s new structure for adding new content. But further down the line in 2026, we’ll see Season 1 and the influx of new experimental content. That includes naval combat, and it also means we’re getting Solo Dungeons. These dungeons will be reimagined versions of existing ESO dungeons, rebalanced for solo play.

Specifically, players will be able to experience updated, single-player versions of Moon Hunter Keep and March of Sacrifices during Season 1. They will come with unique cosmetic rewards and will offer multiple difficulty settings. So, you can stick to the standard Overland difficulty or amp up that solo challenge to suit your ESO playstyle. And personally, I’m eager to dig into a good old-fashioned dungeon crawl on my own when the new content drops

Moves like this will, in theory, make MMORPGs accessible to a broader player base. The multiplayer content longtime fans know and love isn’t going anywhere. But those of us with limited time for scheduling in raids or who prefer to play alone will be able to engage with more of these games, too. Of course, it all comes down to implementation, so we’ll have to wait and see if ZeniMax sticks the landing with this one. But I’m hoping they do.

Are you excited for more single-player content in Elder Scrolls Online? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!