Elder Scrolls Online 2018: 6 Massive Additions Coming To ESO 2018 With The Summerset DLC

The Elder Scrolls Online will be launching it’s biggest DLC update ever in May, and here are some of the massive new changes and addition that will be coming with the update for ESO 2018.

#1 New Adventure Zone

In ancient myth, when the first Elves came to Tamriel, they colonized the Summerset archipelago, including the islands of Artaeum, Auridon, and the largest of the three, Summerset. Summerset is the home of the race now known as the High Elves, but in theory all of the Elven races of Tamriel, including the Wood Elves and Dark Elves, originated from this island. When you arrive in Summerset, you’ll begin to discover exactly how the proud history of the High Elves is reflected in almost every aspect of their lives.

The island inhabitants’ reaction to the newcomers is something you’ll experience firsthand upon your arrival, and it will be clear from the very start that the resident High Elves’ opinions of the decree are quite mixed. However the locals might feel about you and your fellow outsiders, change is coming, and you’ll play a big part in that transformation as you discover what is truly going on inside the home of the High Elves.

#2 Jewelry Crafting & Performance Improvements

With The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset, you can craft and improve your own rings and necklaces.Creating your own custom necklaces and rings is a very similar process to the other Crafting Skill Lines, and it should feel familiar to you if you enjoy crafting in The Elder Scrolls Online. However, in some respects, Jewelry Crafting is more complex with regards how you acquire materials and research Traits, meaning that you’ll need to put more effort into developing your craft than usual. This means that the traditional methods of acquiring legendary (gold) rings and necklaces will remain very important and become even more useful moving forward.

As for performance improvements, with Update 18, there are a host of performance improvements on both the server and client side. These improvements include refactoring the implementation of a number of ability passive effects so they are less taxing on the server. Update 18 also increases the amount of CPU cores used by the game client, meaning high-end PCs will enjoy a boost to framerate, and consoles will enjoy improvements to character load times and fewer framerate spikes overall.

# 3 Combat Changes

ESO is also making some significant changes to combat, items, and Abilities with Update 18. For starters, the game has changed how two-handed weapons (such as Restoration Staves, Destruction Staves, Two-handed Axes, etc.) work so that they count for two item set bonuses. This change dramatically improves the viability of two-handed weapons, and it should inspire players to express their creativity and find new ways to play.

Secondly, they’ve made broad updates to certain Abilities with the aim of improving the viability of tank and healer roles for all classes. For example, the Dragonknight’s “Ash Cloud” ability now heals you and your allies while also snaring enemies, and the Sorcerer’s “Bound Armor” ability now has an active component that improves Block Effectiveness. ESO has also updated many different Class Abilities, so if you’ve wanted to branch out and try different roles with one of your characters, take a look and give it a go.

ESO has also updated basic attacks to reinforce the idea that Light Attacks are for dealing damage and Heavy Attacks are for restoring resources. In addition to this, they also changed Light and Heavy Attacks so that they have stronger ties to your character’s Magicka and Stamina pools. This means that if you use a lot of basic attacks in your rotation, you should see a bump in your overall damage output.

#4 Daily Login Gifts and Store Gifting

With Update 18 and Daily Rewards, you are rewarded simply by entering the game! When you log into ESO, you’ll be able to claim a unique reward that can include different currencies (such as gold or Alliance Points) and consumables, and on specific milestones you can earn special rewards such as collectibles or Crown Crates from the very latest season. The first month even includes a new Psijic Mascot Guar Calf pet.

At the start of each month, the daily rewards will reset, with the amount of rewards you can claim varying month-to-month. If you can’t log in and happen to miss a day, don’t worry, the reward days are cumulative, meaning you won’t lose progress and you can continue where you left off within the month. However, all progress does reset at the end of the month, and if you don’t have enough days left to claim all of that month’s rewards, you might miss out on some.

Update 18 also introduces the all-new Crown Store Gifting system. With this new system, you’re able to purchase and send most Crown Store items to your friends and guildmates.

#5 New Summerset Organizations

• Psijic Order: Masters of magic and mysticism, the Psijic Order’s aversion to sharing their knowledge reportedly led to the self-imposed exile of Vanus Galerion and the eventual founding of the Mages Guild. Whatever their intentions and however secretive, the Psijic Order has had an undeniable impact on Tamriel, and as you begin your adventures in this new land, you’ll discover first-hand what their return means for the people of Summerset and beyond.
• The Sapiarchs: Sages and academics, the Sapiarchs are the keepers of knowledge in Summerset and custodians of the Crystal Tower. Based in the city of Lillandril, the College of Sapiarchs is currently led by the sage known as Larnatille, and the group forms an essential part of the administration of High Elf society
• The House of Reveries: A performing troupe based in Rellenthil, the House of Reveries entertains and delights their audiences with live performances in the heart of Summerset. Surprisingly secretive and mysterious, members of the House of Reveries cover their faces while performing with colorful and exotic masks

#6 Overhaul To ESO’s PvP

If you love the fast-paced action of the Battlegrounds, Update 18 will gives you even more reasons to take part in the 4v4v4 arena game mode. For starters, Zenimax is moving Battlegrounds to the ESO base game, meaning everybody who owns The Elder Scrolls Online will now be able to play this PvP game mode.

In addition to opening it up to all, when you queue for a random Battleground match and place first or second, you will receive a Battlemaster Rivyn’s Reward Box. These new reward boxes will always contain Soul Gems, a Transmutation geode, a PvP area style item, and a Battlegrounds set weapon. However, they also have a rare chance to include bind-on-pickup Outfit Style Pages for the brand-new Fang Lair Victor and Horned Dragon styles, too. These new styles can only be obtained from the Battlegrounds.

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Bless Online 2018: Three Reasons To Be Excited For Bless Online Launching In May 2018

There’s plenty of hype surrounding Bless Online. We’re only weeks away from Bless Online’s early access release on Steam, and I for one cannot wait to jump in. It is the first of a new lineup of MMORPGs that’s releasing in 2018, and it does look very promising. It didn’t have a great start to life however in Korea, as developers Neowiz delayed the game’s Western release a few times due to issues with the game.

Now that things are fixed and with launch world wide imminent, let’s explore the prospect of Bless Online. If you haven’t heard of this MMORPG before, why should you?

#1 New Ideas and Fresh Systems For an Asian MMORPG

Bless is a Korean MMORPG, and make no mistake about that. It has all the hallmarks of an Asian title, like the fancy graphics and  a panache for flashy. That will largely be reflected in the Bless’s combat system, character models and environments. But what makes it stand out from it’s other Korean brethren like Black Desert Online and ArcheAge?

The biggest difference here is that Bless leans more toward a traditional Western themepark MMORPG rather than sandbox, which is what Pearl Abyss and XL Games have done with their titles. Bless will feature a more traditional form of questing and progression that will appeal to Western audiences. It also brings some great ideas to the MMO genre, mainly with it’s non-linear PvE progression. Sure there will be main stories, dungeons and raids, but I’m more excited with the new systems. These includes the ability to tame creatures for companions and mounts out in the wild. I also appreciate that there will be 7 races to choose from, and each will have it’s own unique character story ala Guild Wars 2. That gives it a huge amount of replayability.

On the PvP front, expect Realm vs Realm, 100 vs. 100 player battles that pits the game’s two factions against each other, in addition to the arena PvP modes. In short, Bless Online appears to be covering all bases to give players enough to do regardless of one’s play style.

#2 Bold Payment Model: Bless Online Is Buy To Play

And unlike its initial launch a few years ago in Asia, Bless Online will be taking a bold step by charging for the game up front. Bless will be Buy to Play on Steam, so expect no monthly fees or any Pay to Win shenanigans that other Asian MMORPGs that are free to play might have. It’s a strong stance by the development team, and the correct decision to listen to its Western audiences in doing so.

It will still have an in-game cash shop, but in today’s MMO world that’s a given. Within it, players will find cosmetic equipment, skins, mounts, pets, services and boosts. Really, that’s no different than what some of the top MMORPGs of 2018 are currently doing, so cut it some slack. Let’s just hope it remains that way, and no advantage makes its way to the store in the future.

# 3 Accessibility: Bless Online Is On Steam With No Region Locks

Another huge pro is that Bless will be on Steam right from the get go, with some exclusive Bless Founder’s Packs available near launch. Some Eastern MMORPGs go through a period of staged launches, where the game makes its rounds in several regions before being available globally. Bless will do none of that, and instead have it’s global release in May available for everyone immediately. This will do wonders for the early population of Bless Online. If you haven’t already followed Bless on Steam or added it to your wish list, do it now.

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There isn’t much going on in the ARPG world come 2018 in terms of releases that we know of. Therefore, here are 5 of what we consider to be the most fun ARPGs from 2017 that will have a better year (we hope!) ahead. These are MMOs, Co-ops and MOBAS thrown in all together.

#1 Path of Exile

Path of Exile remains of the best ARPGs out there in terms of gameplay. It stands toe to toe with Blizzard’s Diablo 3, but with more to offer considering it’s buy-in price. The combat is satisfying, and there’s so many good updates added to the game that makes it all the more worthwhile. Somehow, deep down I really wished PoE was an MMO. Not meaning a grindier game, but the ability to play with more friends and do larger group content. Either way, for a single player game, Path of Exile is a must play if you love ARPGs.

#2 MU Legend

While PoE might not be an ARPG MMO, MU Legend certainly is. The follow up to MU Online is a vast, open MU world with lots of hack and slashing to be done. It takes plenty of inspiration from Diablo 3 aesthetically, but could not be farther from it when it comes to content. You can expect a decent lighthearted story, lots of Rift dungeons to do either solo or with a guild and more. The MMO layer is pretty prevalent, which also means there’s a cash shop. Worry not, the best items still only drops in-game, so everyone has a fair shot. The PvP is also pretty fun, so if you want a free to play ARPG MMO, check out MU Legend.

#3 Albion Online

Albion Online only released in July of 2017, and it’s one of the most talked about sandbox games of the year. This MMO ARPG offers a lot of nostalgia for players coming from games such as Runescape and Everquest. It probably has the worst graphics out of all on this list, but makes up for it with its huge online community in a persistent world. Guild vs Guild PvP is the main attraction, as is the required grind. Players are penalized upon death with their loot being taken in PvP zones, so there’s a real risk and reward element to the gameplay. You can either be a bandit, or farm and craft your way to riches. If PvP and domination is your thing, then get a guild and rule in Albion Online.

#4 Master X Master (MXM)

Representing the MOBA genre is MXM. NCSOFT’s Master X Master is fun, fast paced and offers lots of fan service for players familiar with NCSOFT games. In true MOBA fashion, you can select a ton of hero characters from NCSOFT games to use in any of the PvP and PvE modes. There’s Rytlock from Guild Wars 2 for example, and hanging out in the main lobby you’ll hear themes such as Blade and Soul’s soundtrack emitting from the jukebox. MXM offers a decent single player experience, but it’s all about the PvP modes. The learning curve is decent, and the crafting system ensures that progression is fair for all.

#5 Legends of Aria

For a more wholesome online experience, Legends of Aria could be your choice. Formerly known as Shards of Aria, the game has gone through a major overhaul. It’s got a living virtual world in which players can build the land around them with homes in addition to taming animals. There’s dungeon romps, PvP and open ended character development which makes this a top sandbox ARPG MMO. Legends of Aria is still in development, and to play the alpha you will need to pledge. Fortunately, the game is doing pretty OK so at least you know you’re investing in a decent game. Hopefully, 2018 will see its full release.

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#1 Marvel Heroes – Sink or Swim

Superhero MMO-ARPG Marvel Heroes is in quite some trouble. Amid reports of Gazillion employees leaving, a controversial CEO at the helm and no new content in 2017, the next year could be crucial for the game’s survival. What’s gone so wrong? The studio has been tremendously silent on all fronts recently, which is not a good sign for any game. They’ve missed their usual Halloween event, and players are starting to wonder if this is the beginning of the end.

Hence, 2018 will be a huge year for Marvel Heroes, if they want to bounce back. Better communication between studio, community and players need to happen. On top of that and more importantly, the content needs to roll out fast and early next year, or it’s time shut shop and let Disney figure out something new.

#2 World of Warcraft – New Expansion/Classic Server

2018 will also be a huge year for Blizzard’s dearest title, World of Warcraft. The online world of Azeroth turns 14, and thanks to this year’s Blizzcon we have a very good idea of what to expect. Firstly, a brand new expansion is coming and it sounds great. Battle of Azeroth will be the seventh expansion, bringing with it a new level cap of 120. In addition, there’s going to be two new continents for both factions, 10 initial dungeons at release and plenty of changes to the gameplay.

Traditionally, a big expansion release would have been good enough for Blizzard to kick back and enjoy the rest of the year. Not 2018 though, as they have raised the bar higher. The studio also announced that they are working on World of Warcraft: Classic. Players will be able to experience the MMO as it was in 2004, before any of the expansions. If Classic comes out in 2018 alongside the expansion, this could be Blizzard’s best year ever.

#3 Secret World Legends – Brand New Content After 5 years

This year we said goodbye to The Secret World, and welcomed its successor in Secret World Legends. Its essentially the same game on the same engine telling the same story, albeit with new combat mechanics and stuff. And that’s one reason to keep your eyes peeled on Funcom’s cult thrilling MMORPG.

Since its launch in 2012 to the relaunch this year, its been using rehashed content. The stories and quests have all been done before, which is why 2018 will be exciting for SWL players. There’s a promise of Season 2, which will feature an entirely brand new continent to explore on top of new stories. And considering how good the story actually is, we hope the new content arrives early in the year.

#4 Guild Wars 2 – Living World Season 4

Guild Wars 2 has had a great 2017. This year so the wrap up of its Living World Season 3, which introduced a bunch of story content. It also set up the game’s main villain, the fiery god Balthazaar for the Path of Fire expansion that was released in September. What an expansion it was too – it’s got everything from new huge maps to explore, in addition to mounts which drastically changes the way players enjoyed the gameplay.

Guild Wars 2 will now have to follow that up in 2018 by keeping the ball rolling. One of the game’s criticisms is that developers ArenaNet takes too long to put out new content. However, whenever Living World Season 4 arrives, it will be worth the wait. It will continue the story of the Hero now facing a graver danger in the form of the dragon Kralkatoric, and who knows, what other new content awaits that makes use of new systems such as mounts? Only 2018 has the answers.

#5 The Elder Scrolls Online – Expect the unexpected

The last pick was between Star Wars the Old Republic and The Elder Scrolls Online, and after some consideration, we’re going with the latter. ESO has had a much better 2017 – Homesteads, Morrowind, Horns of the Reach and The Clockwork City – all excellent updates that added so much to the MMORPG for PvE and PvP. In contrast, SWTOR just can’t keep up.

In light of that, ESO’s 2018 looks incredibly promising. There’s talk of adventures taking place in more historic locations within the Elder Scrolls catalog for the next DLC. What’s more is that we don’t exactly know how many content updates Zenimax has in store for players. And that unpredictability makes ESO a super exciting prospect to keep an eye on in 2018.

Which one of the titles on our list of 2018 Top 5 Best MMORPGs do you think will be the best? please share your thoughts

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November has arrived, and in no time at all, some of the most anticipated MMORPGs for 2018 will be stealing all the headlines. It’s only reasonable that we get started on our list now – things can change real fast in the industry and who knows what other news we might get! We’ve put together a bunch of titles that are established in addition to those that will have alphas and betas in 2018. Of course, we also have a few (hopefully) 2018 releases in here as well. We’ve categorized them accordingly for your reading pleasure. Without further a due, let’s get the ball rolling!

2018 Potential Releases

Bless Online

A lot of us in the office are excited about Bless, because we’ve followed it closely when it came up in Korea. Its struggled a lot, and Neowiz has to be given some credit for keeping the ship afloat. The decision to delay any potential NA/EU release to re-work the game is very bold. At the same time, the game isn’t doing too well in its home country, Japan and Russia. So why are they adamant about bringing it to the west? Because from what we’ve seen, Bless was made for the west. Everything from its combat system, graphics and gameplay simply screams Western market, and we finally get the news last month that we will see it on Steam sometime in 2018. Let’s hope it sticks to that timeline.

Wild West Online

Wild West Online took everyone by surprised when it announced itself earlier this year. It showed us the Red Dead Redemption MMO we never knew we wanted, until now. Pre-orders are already going up, and we’ve also seen a couple of alpha tests that shows us the potential. While we know it isn’t set in stone that WWO will be out anytime 2018, we have a feeling that work the team is putting in right now, it definitely can be ready. If you’re a founder/backer, hold on to your horse. 2018 will be a wild ride for this cowboy MMO.

Dauntless

This monster hunting MMO is currently playable in alpha early access as a founder, but that will all change come the new year. Dauntless to the surprise of many will be going free to play. The caveat of that is of course, there will probably in-game microtransactions of some sort to get players to cough up some moolah. Regardless, from what we’ve seen, the game looks like a blast and F2P will bring in a lot more players. This could be the title to finally bury Evolved.

2018 Most Anticipated Early Access Hands On

Ashes of Creation

Do we really need to elaborate? AoC is one of the most hyped MMORPG of our generation – the last time that happened would have probably been either ESO or SWTOR’s announcements, which was ages ago. With a very successful Kickstarter campaign in the bag, the team behind AoC have all the funding they need to release a massive, industry busting MMORPG for the ages. The official website is always being updated with upcoming ideas and content, and the alpha 0 tests are only a month or so away. We are very much anticipating seeing this game being played, or playing it for ourselves. As for a release date? We don’t think it’ll be ready for 2018. It’s more likely to be out late 2019 or early 2020.

Crowfall

“We don’t expect or actually want 50% of the WoW players to come. All they would do is torture us to change the game to make it like WoW and we would not like that.” – CrowfallWhen a game sets a statement like that as a precursor, you can immediately tell that they mean business. Crowfall is so different to World of Warcraft in every way imaginable. For starters, there’s permanent death and dying worlds. The game centers around PVP among players, and they get to age their characters. You can even die from old age, or watch your world burn from death and destruction. The awesome part is how when that happens, you start all over again on a brand new world with a brand new character. The game is about 70% done and we’re hoping to see this one open up a lot more come 2018.

Camelot Unchained

Up next is an MMORPG that needs no introduction. Well, at least its spiritual predecessor doesn’t. Dark Age of Camelot is a classic MMO that is still around. I’ve had so many great memories playing and will remember it forever. The brutal difficulty, the amount of sandbox adventures my friends and I went on, they were all awesome. So when Camelot Unchained was announced I followed its campaign closely. The promise of huge realm versus realm PVP is mouth watering. The developers have also reiterated that it’s a core of the game, not just some mechanic added in just for the sake of having PVP. But what else is there to expect? Player driven-economies and races based on history too, such as the Vikings, Celts and the Arthurs.2018 could see more important updates and a closer step to a full release.

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