Dear Ones,

if you play games for at least more than 5 years, you will surely give not a single damn anymore about promises from developers. We have been abused and this trend has ended. We want to see the improvements, try them out firsthand and if it’s not there, we move on. And over the long run, we do Not want to see ourselves in a sheer endless cycle of rerolling or re-subbing whenever bits of new content is available (see WoW). Lets be honest, this is not healthy. It makes you get old, mentally, in a detrimental way. Novelty is infinite, so there is no point in repetition with the misbelief of “there has to be more, I might have missed something” when the content is clearly and fully experienced.

And this being said ZENIMAX has surprised us with their statement that they are about to deliver a steady stream of large new content every 4-6weeks. Huge updates, I am quoting.

If they start this trend and continue to deliver, then I personally see myself keeping my sub active. And I am sure many others will do aswell. But I will not force myself to roll other characters just to bridge time between expansions. One tiny notion of boredom in the endgame, having all completed and almost feeling it again that the only ‘hope’ here to get some more juice out of this game is re-rolling, then I have to say sorry to my habitual processing unit in my brain: NOPE! Lesson learned. Unsub. And onward.

So do you have any idea, hopes or guesses what the next major update, right 4-6weeks after launch around 4.May will be about?

Will ZENIMAX surprise us positively over and over again?

It's a nice sentiment, but I am very skeptical. I can think of 2 mmo's that were available for PC and console who made the same claim and both completely missed the mark. Neither DCUO or FFXIV: ARR were able to put out new content within 3-4 months of launch. Maybe the PC servers could get new content out quickly, but I know for certain that microsoft and sony will both put up roadblocks due to their content approval process, which is slow as hell for both companies. If Zenimax can pull off content updates that quickly for console versions it would be a miracle.

I am hopeful, but skeptical. The way that Sony and Microsoft validate content is going to put the kibosh on that 4-6 week theory unless ZOS has no problems running a separate build on the PC than it does on consoles. If they do, consoles will probably run at 1 or 2 builds behind.

I would much rather see large expansions once a year than small 4-6 week stuff like GW2.

It really depends how they have set up their pipeline, what kind of tools they have inplace to make content generation a streamline as possible. Also it could mean that new content is rolled out on the PTS every 4-6 weeks not on the live server, which would make more sense. Besides it's likely that most of their team as already being moved to working on new content, probably has for the last few months.

I'd think the first piece of new content will appear in June (console release). Possibly the rest of Cyrodiil?

If by "content" they refer to buffs and nerfs.

This seems plausible. As for content updates after that? I doubt that the consoles will be able to keep to the timeline.

I think you are right about the first of the new content. That would definitely be the time to do it. Azarul brings up a good question. Which would you rather have, smaller bite-size content additions every 4-6 months, or larger meal-sized once a year? And is it a cop-out to say both?

Me either. Frankly I don't expect any content expansion in the first 6 weeks though. I think the first thing to come would be thief's guild or dark brotherhood.

This is why a subscription model is good- if the devs make a statement saying they will offer content updates and those updates either don't come or aren't as large as you'd like, you cancel the subscription. The company sees their revenue drop and it is a direct method of communication of what the customers want. They can then either step up to deliver what the customers want or face the consequences of not having subscribers.

Didn't SWTOR promise content every 4-6 weeks as well? Not that it was a problem for me...never made it to max level.

Wouldn't mind waiting a bit longer after release for first content updates, stable and bug-free performance of the content that's already existing should be priority.

Those with too much free time will rush through existing content and move on to the next MMO anyways...

I think SWTOR burned most of its resources with the writing, voice acting, etc. of the storylines, and when it released, it didn't have enough for the quick levelers to do after they poured through months of content in weeks. THose players are very vocal and ranted everywhere, and it caught fire.

Of course, I also firmly will claim the tin foil hat for this one, but I still believe that there was a concerted effort to bring that game down. It just doesn't sit well with me, but I cannot prove anything. Call me crazy if you will.

Theoretically possible, if they have 4 extensions already prepared, 4 in development and the dev team is be kept the same (so no sub drop after 6 months).

ANd I think that's the way to do it, but you have to be more complete upon release, unlike SWTOR. You don't have to have everything, but you better have enough, and that's a fine line tbh.

Hmmm, did the Illuminati bring down SWTOR, or the fact that it was a highly hyped, but mediocre game bring it down? I wonder.

hehe, I didn't say the Illuminati, but there is enough to make wonder about competitors getting their hands dirty.

Doesn't mean that the second half of the sentence isn't true, though.

Edit: although I would say "incomplete at launch" rather than "mediocre", although you can make the case for the latter. Even still.

regularly new content - one of their arguments for monthly fee. so they better deliver!

Are we talking content like new zones and dungeons, or are we talking new content as in seasonal story arcs. While I enjoy storylines and such, I do not consider them to be true content.

Then everybody's idea of 'true' content is arbitrary and subjective.

Myself, I hope they keep adding varying degrees of content: new adventure zones, dungeons (veteran modes as well), skill lines, Thieves Guild/justice system/dark brotherhood, new areas of the map with new quests and stories to embark on, the Imperial city opening up, other features such as housing that add longevity, daedric planes (as expansions?).

Hopefully they'll release content that targets all the audience at the same time, so with releasing an adventure zone (targeting the PvE crowd/MMO crowd) along with new stories and quest lines and areas to explore (targeting the TES players).

New zones will probably not be a part of the 4-6 week window. That's just too much content to realistically expect 1) for free, and 2) in that short of a time frame.

I would expect realistically that we'll receive things like this:

every 4-6 weeks: new gear added to drops and dungeons, a few new questlines/questgivers, new animations for attacks/spells, etc

every other 4-6 week update (so every 3 months): new dungeons, a new spell/overpower/skill, expansion of Cyrodiil pvp mechanics (such as new towns, quests, etc)

every 6 months: large, established questlines/givers/rewards such as the Dark Brotherhood

And larger things like zones and possibly new classes will be in expansions.

While I'm sure that will be an issue at times for ZOS, additional content doesn't necessarily have to include client-side updates.

That having been said, I too am skeptical that they'll manage to maintain an every 4-6 weeks cycle...

I think you have something there. No wishful thinking or unreasonable expectations.

Fact is there are some folk who you will never be able to deliver content fast enough, sub-fee or not. There will be folk who are at end-game "waiting" before early release is even finished.

The number of weeks isn't a big deal to me. My main interest, and the reason I'm willing to give the game a chance, is an expanded game world. As long as they keep adding dungeons and zones (no, I don't expect them to add these every 4 weeks), then I will remain relatively pleased.

Adding new items, quests, etc. is great but it doesn't really expand the actual game to me.