5 Dying Games Saved by Hail Mary Publisher Moves
Elder Scrolls Online
When it first released in the summer of 2014, Elder Scrolls Online was poorly received and player counts were low. You needed a subscription to play and the world was more restricted than players hoped it would be.
The move away from a subscription model to one time fee to play helped, but it was the release of the One Tamriel update that changed ESO’s fortunes for the better.
It made the game far more welcoming, allowing players to play quests and explore the world with any group of players, without the previous restrictions. It opened up the world, giving fans more opportunities and generally making it a more enjoyable experience.
In October 2016, when the update released, the Steam concurrent player figures almost tripled and it has only continued to climb since then, hitting an average of more than 12,000 players at the time of writing. The One Tamriel update completely changed how players experienced the game, seemingly changing its fortunes forever.
