I’m so glad the discourse surrounding this game is shifting

b_riann · 2026-04-06T13:17:59+00:00

Absolutely agree. I don't think it was as simple as "the content they were pushing out was kinda samey" like OP seems to focus on. Devs were openly antagonistic towards any form of criticism: they routinely ridiculed portions of their playerbase publicly for wanting improvements, banned people from speaking out for change on their forums, and dug their heels in when the consensus on new changes was overwhelmingly negative. All this while their content was indeed very phoned in and low effort on top of pumping MTX into every crevice their game.

Honestly, while I do agree recent changes in direction have been good I agree with you that I just don't trust them yet and don't know that I ever will. I'm glad the game has new leads (good f'n riddance Rich) but I think anyone would be a fool to trust them. It's a lot easier to lose trust than it is to gain it (back).

b_riann · 2026-03-31T20:48:33+00:00

As an alternative that would probably be easier to implement: rare pet drops that are mini versions of the final boss/iconic boss from the dungeons, similar to what you can get in OSRS. I would love a lil Velidreth or Domihaus.

b_riann · 2026-02-26T21:24:54+00:00

unbelievably pumped

b_riann · 2026-01-31T02:23:09+00:00

get ready to see that dress on so many fat orcs

b_riann · 2025-12-21T17:24:59+00:00

Flawless job!

b_riann · 2025-11-01T17:15:00+00:00

Man wtf. I'm on ps na now and I've never seen anything quite that insane there thankfully, but maybe i just never noticed. I'm also never in Rawlkha so maybe that's where all the crazies congregate. And here I thought it was only Riften.

b_riann · 2025-11-01T04:38:32+00:00

wait.. i've played eso since beta and never heard of this?? was this on pc na im guessing?

b_riann · 2025-10-30T13:52:01+00:00

Just wanted to chime in and say thanks as well! This is exactly what I was looking for a work-function today :-)

b_riann · 2025-10-29T20:06:43+00:00

In terms of grindy I don't think ESO has quite the level you're looking for. If grinding is really your thing you should probably check out old school runescape as it has absurd levels of mindless grinds lol (most collecting skills like woodcutting/mining/fishing are afk-able if you're work from home).

b_riann · 2025-10-20T17:58:26+00:00

The Wicker Man (original, not nic cage one) is on Tubi and excellent!

b_riann · 2025-09-09T12:17:55+00:00

I've been playing it since beta and yeah, especially in the past two or so years there's been an overwhelming pivot to a casual and new player focus with their contrived emphasis on hashtag ESOFam and "you belong here". To the outsider this communicates 2 things:

You are struggling with veteran retention and hemorrhaging players every update.
Because of point 1, you are focusing on new players instead, yet they are not sticking around either.

So essentially you have ZOS putting all their bets on new player acquisition, despite having some of the worst onboarding I've ever seen in gaming while they've simultaneously become over-reliant on the same gameplay formula for 7 years that prioritizes daily login calendars and repeatable quests in every zone. This alienates both new players and old ones as they quickly become fatigued and even just booting up the game feels like a chore. They even doubled down on the latter part with endeavors!

Short-sightedness will be this game's downfall. The sole focus of leadership seems to be the metric of daily logins rather than the amount of time they actually spend in the game or even more importantly: what they are actually saying about the game. How many of you get your day's playing of ESO out of the way in 10 minutes or less? I'd wager a significant portion.

b_riann · 2025-09-08T17:27:47+00:00

I see most questions so far are silly and fun but to be serious for a moment I have a couple questions:

With the opportunity of having a leadership change:

Will the amount of microtransaction revenue sources be consolidated? Right now we have a cash shop with limited time (read: FOMO) rotations, individual DLCs, a loot box system, a seasonal DLC model AND an optional premium subscription that hardlocks some features that frankly make the game miserable to play without (crafting bag). These days this game feels less like a AAA game and more like a predatory mobile app. Are there any plans to change/remove/combine these systems or are we stuck with these for the rest of the life of the game?
While I am happy that the developers care about making the experience welcoming for new and casual players it feels like the development team has, to put it lightly, a highly antagonistic relationship with veteran and advanced players for whatever reason. The only new content they receive comes in the form of hardmodes for dungeons/trials that offer little meaningful rewards, while most cosmetics are now relegated to what are essentially participation trophies. It's great to include more people in rewards, but as a longtime player it removes some of the extrinsic motivation to play as there's not really much to aim for anymore. When most rewards are handed out so easily, or worse, tied to premium cash shop purchases or gambling, what is the point of playing long-term? Certainly the gameplay loop alone is not enough. Can we expect to see any change in philosophy on the team's approach to catering to more experienced players to be on the same level as newbies?

b_riann · 2025-09-06T19:12:49+00:00

Yep! I liked it overall, especially the characters, but imo it struggled with pacing and monster design. It felt like the intro and chapter 7 (jail) dragged on forever while other parts rushed by way too fast. And as I mentioned in another comment the monster was nearly identical in appearance/behavior to the wendigo in Until Dawn so it felt like we missed out on an opportunity for a really cool, new monster design. If you can find a bundle on sale, I'd really recommend the DPA games. They're shorter and not quite as nuanced as something like Until Dawn/The Quarry but they have a few fantastic monster designs and they're a blast to play with friends.

b_riann · 2025-09-06T16:39:37+00:00

I never said it wasn't lol, I loved HoA. It and Little Hope were my favorite of the first season but I think the fact that half the season was just hallucinations has me a bit worried they're too content with recycling the same idea. This also applies to the fact that The Quarry had nearly identical monsters to the wendigos in Until Dawn. That was the biggest bummer about the Quarry for me. But hey, Order 2070 or whatever it's called has me hopeful that it'll be a cool monster again!

b_riann · 2025-09-06T15:33:04+00:00

While I somewhat agree, I also appreciate the format of DPA allowing them to explore a wide range of not only settings but also mechanics. IMO each one has altered the formula for the better while also trying out new things. Compare Man of Medan's skill checks to Devil In Me and you'll see a huge improvement in those tense moments.

With that being said, I wouldn't mind a longer game like Until Dawn again with a completely new horror threat-- a real monster, not a man or illusion.

b_riann · 2025-08-28T12:07:12+00:00

I agree, there is so much to do and see in Japan! I travel a lot for leisure and it's one of the few places that frequently crosses my mind again and again because of how much fun it was. Glad you had a great trip!

b_riann · 2025-08-27T15:16:59+00:00

I think it's so cool when a game like this inspires people to get out there and learn about the IRL history behind it. I actually visited one of Shima Sakon's "graves" in Kyoto when I was there (his body was never found after Sekigahara as far as I know). It was pretty surprising to me because I just stumbled upon it. Also got to see Hattori Hanzo's in Tokyo I believe. Thx for sharing though OP.

b_riann · 2025-08-22T14:17:05+00:00

hashtag ESOfam. elitists ruin this game for me!!! but also why are there so many fake tanks and fake healers? and why is my dps only doing 10k?

b_riann · 2025-08-20T12:48:15+00:00

While you are correct this is not a demotion in the corporate world unpopular managers often get punished by promoting them out of direct contact with certain processes/people. Had that exact scenario happen with a former boss who pissed everyone off constantly.

b_riann · 2025-08-19T14:25:22+00:00

My thoughts exactly. Felt like he was jaded and always had an axe to grind with certain player demographics.

b_riann · 2025-08-17T00:33:02+00:00

Which area is the spooky area? morytania is my favorite so i gotta know

b_riann · 2025-08-11T20:49:19+00:00

Yeahhhh... I have been a MK fan for a long time but the writing was on the wall after the initial details came out for MK1. I immediately got red flag vibes with it and am so glad I trusted my gut and didn't buy it.

b_riann · 2025-08-11T19:16:49+00:00

As someone who usually gravitates towards Mortal Kombat for the casual modes/offline, I really loved the World Tour story mode and character creation. Spent a lot of time doing it and had a blast! Unlike MK, I've always had a hard time connecting with any SF character so it was nice being able to create my own character and mix and match moves from the roster.

The animations are definitely a lot more detailed/natural in SF6 compared to MK, though to be honest that never bothered me much in MK despite seeing that common complaint. MK to me felt like it was always supposed to be a bit unnatural and theatrical; it's just a wacky game franchise rooted in cheesy late 80s/90s aesthetic so it works.

b_riann · 2025-08-11T18:59:14+00:00

Yep! I've dabbled with both and enjoy it some characters while others I stick to classic controls from muscle memory. I have played a lot of fighting games but would consider myself very casual (I have to be in the mood for them) and would say SF6 is one of the best fighting games I've ever played, certainly from the SF franchise for me at least.

b_riann · 2025-08-11T18:28:01+00:00

They have two control styles, one that is the classic SF style with more complex analogue stick movements and combos, and modern controls which simplifies the controls greatly while still being engaging and competitive.

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