2019 was a big year for Zenimax Online Studios and their popular MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online and 2020 is stacking up to be even bigger. We were treated to a teaser trailer during the Video Game Awards last month, hinting that the popular Skyrim would be coming to ESO. Today, Zenimax packed the HyperX Esports Arena in Las Vegas for their world reveal, heralding the coming of a new year-long story, The Dark Heart of Skyrim and highlighting their ESO roadmap for 2020. As expected, that road trip is taking us to a new zone, Western Skyrim, with all four of 2020’s content updates bringing us a year-long adventure in the frozen land we have spent so many hours visiting in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
Spotlighting two of the four upcoming DLC packs for 2020, the Harrowind dungeon pack and the Greymoor story pack, the new adventures will take place in Western Skyrim, the setting for the wildly popular single-player The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Coinciding with the announcement, pre-orders for the upcoming DLC packs have begun. The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor arrives May 18 for PC and Mac, with PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions releasing on June 2. Greymoor will also be available on Google Stadia but a release date hasn’t been announced yet.
The Dark Heart of Skyrim
The Dark Heart of Skyrim adventure will span two DLC dungeon packs, releasing in Q1 and Q3, as well as two new story chapters, landing in Q2 and Q4. Set over 900 years before the events we are so familiar with, the land is under siege by an ancient vampire lord and his vile army of vampires, witches, and werewolves. Some of the locations to explore may sound familiar – Solitude, Morthal, Labryinthian, Dragon Bridge, and an expanded and deadlier than ever Blackreach – but the land has been warped and twisted while in the grasp of the evil bubbling up from the depths below. Whether battling evil above ground or below, players will have to stave off the darkness before it can spread to all of Tamriel.
The Elder Scrolls: Harrowstorm
Our first taste of The Dark Heart of Skyrim begins with the Harrowstorm DLC dungeon pack releasing this February, where players will have their hands full as they explore two new dungeons. In Icereach, players will head to the Sea of Ghosts to investigate the cause of mysterious storms appearing in the region. Then it’s off to Unhallowed Grave, an ancient burial site where a recent excavation has dug up long dead inhabitants that will need to be put back to rest. All of this will be followed up by a free prologue quest to give players a taste of what’s in store for the remainder of the year.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor
In Q2 2020 (May 18 for PC/Mac, June 2 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One) we will get our first DLC story chapter of the year, Greymoor. Promising to be one of the darkest chapters yet, Greymoor will feature a Gothic main story and side quests. Players won’t be alone in the frozen homeland of the Nord, with Lyris Titanborn and House Ravenwatch aiding those brave enough to fight the creatures of the night. The Greymoor chapter will bring around 30 hours of new story content for veterans and new players alike.
Harrowstorms and Antiquities
Greymoor isn’t just questing, though. Along with new public dungeons, delves, and a massive 12-player trial, Kyne’s Aegis, the new chapter will usher in new world events and gameplay systems. With Harrowstorms (world events similar to Dark Anchors), players will have to band together to snuff out the supernatural storms wreaking havoc across the land. With the more peaceful Antiquities system, collectors will be able to recover ancient relics strewn across all of Tamriel. Players must scry the location of these lost artifacts, then excavate them to uncover the hidden history of Tamriel, earning powerful and fun rewards for their effort.
Though the Q3 and Q4 content updates weren’t revealed today all four content drops will be interconnected, ensuring a fun and cohesive tale spanning all of 2020. Zenimax isn’t stopping with just the new story additions. The team has committed to using 2020 to improve the player experience in ESO and are already hard at work optimizing code to further improve game performance and add quality of life enhancements. With the main antagonist of the Dark Heart of Skyrim being a Vampire Lord, it was right in theme for Zenimax to announce they are revamping the Vampire skill line, available to all players for free. The Elder Scrolls Online has only gotten better with age, and it appears that 2020 will follow suit.
Pre-Purchase Rewards
As one would expect, there are several offerings available for pre-order, each one bringing its own set of digital and physical goodies. With 5 versions available, veteran players are able to add Greymoor to their ESO collection with several upgrade options, and anyone looking to take their first steps in Tamriel will have digital and physical choices to choose from.The Elder Scrolls: Greymoor is already available for pre-order through select digital storefronts, including the ESO Store, Steam, and Microsoft Store. Pre-purchasing Greymoor grants access to exclusive rewards:
- Pre-Purchase Mount: Holdbreaker Warhorse
- Even the stoutest castle gates splinter under the thundering hooves of the exclusive Holdbreaker Warhorse! Astride this hardy steed, victory on the battlefield is assured.
The Holdbreaker Warhorse is available immediately for anyone who pre-purchases a digital copy. All other pre-order rewards unlock upon release of Greymoor for your platform:
- Pre-Order Costume: Jarl Finery
- This rugged but stylish raiment is typically reserved for northern nobility—just more proof of your heroic stature!
- Pre-Order Pet: Sacrificial Pocket Mammoth
- Though the arcane markings indicate its status as a sacrificial offering, these creatures often end up trundling along after soft-hearted souls like yourself.
- Pre-Order Reward: Nightfall Preview Crown Crate
- A select collection of Nightfall-themed items!
- Pre-Order Reward: Western Skyrim Treasure Maps
- A collection of three Western Skyrim Treasure Maps.
- Pre-Order Adornment: Jarl Crown
- Crafted from horker leather and metal reworked from weapons, this circlet marks your lofty status among the Nords.
- Pre-Order Reward: Two XP Scrolls
- 50% XP scrolls, created by a Priestess of Meridia, to help you get started on your adventures.
Finally, should you pre-purchase The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor Standard Edition or Digital Collector’s Edition, you’ll also receive instant access to the ESO base game and ALL previous Chapter releases, including the Morrowind, Summerset, and Elsweyr Chapters. Immediately begin your adventures in Tamriel!
Greymoor Editions
The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor Physical Collector’s Edition
The Greymoor Physical Collector’s Edition is available ONLY as a physical version and includes the brand-new Greymoor Chapter (note: NOT the base game or previous Chapters). In addition to the pre-order rewards above this version packs in a selection of unique physical and digital items, including:
Digital Items (unlocked at launch)
- Exclusive Pet: Death Hound
- “I grew tired of the crush of humanity, so I got a Death Hound. Now I can’t enter most taverns, but I also don’t have people crowding my space.”—Theldyn Faden
- Exclusive Memento: Orb of Magnus
- Hide from the oppressive light of Magnus with this memento.
- Exclusive Mount: Crypt Warden Death Hound
- Once these death hounds served crypt wardens exclusively, stalking the gloomy barrows of Skyrim in search of prey.
- Exclusive Outfit Style Conversions: Swordthane
- Claim a highly respected role among the Nords, the swordthane, and convert your gear to this distinctive style.
- Exclusive Emote Pack: Skyrim
- Skyrim-themed pack that includes the emotes Arrow to the Knee, Missing Sweetroll, and Ragnar the Red.
Physical Items
- Vampire Lord Statue
- A menacing sculpture of a great Vampire Lord.
- Set of Four Collector’s Coins
- Based on each of the realms found in ESO’s Chapters, including Morrowind, Summerset, Elsweyr, and Western Skyrim.
- Exclusive Steelbook
- Hardy as a Nord’s ass (donkey!).
- Map of Western Skyrim
- Plan your adventures into the home of the Nords.
- One Month of ESO Plus
- Enjoy access to select ESO Plus benefits, including the Craft Bag, DLC access, and more!
The Physical Collector’s Edition will be available in stores for all platforms on May 18. While PlayStation 4 or Xbox One copies will also be available on this date, you won’t be able to play the new content until the console launch date of June 2.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor Digital Collector’s Edition Upgrade
The Greymoor Digital Collector’s Edition Upgrade includes the new Greymoor Chapter and a selection of unique digital items, including:
Digital Items (unlocked at launch)
- Exclusive Pet: Death Hound
- “I grew tired of the crush of humanity, so I got a Death Hound. Now I can’t enter most taverns, but I also don’t have people crowding my space.”—Theldyn Faden
- Exclusive Memento: Orb of Magnus
- Vampirism and sunlight just don’t mix. Hide from the oppressive light of Magnus with this memento.
- Exclusive Mount: Crypt Warden Death Hound
- Once these death hounds served crypt wardens exclusively, stalking the gloomy barrows of Skyrim in search of prey.
- Exclusive Outfit Style Conversions: Swordthane
- Allows you to convert your gear to the Swordthane style.
- Exclusive Emote Pack: Skyrim
- Skyrim-themed pack that includes the emotes Arrow to the Knee, Missing Sweetroll, and Ragnar the Red.
If you pre-purchase this edition of Greymoor, you also receive all pre-order rewards at launch and immediate access to the pre-purchase exclusive mount.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor Digital Upgrade
The Greymoor Digital Upgrade includes the new Greymoor Chapter. If you pre-purchase this edition of Greymoor, you also receive all pre-order rewards at launch and immediate access to the pre-purchase exclusive mount.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor Standard Edition
The Greymoor Standard Edition includes instant access to the ESO base game and the Morrowind, Summerset, and Elsweyr Chapters in addition to the brand-new Greymoor Chapter at launch. If you pre-purchase this edition of Greymoor, you also receive all pre-order rewards at launch and immediate access to the pre-purchase exclusive mount.
Suzie Ford
As always, this looks great. Elsweyr was their best expansion and I can’t wait for this one. June can’t come fast enough! 🙂
Kevin Chick
Looking forward to the new story content and performance improvements. I have a couple of concerns about the vampire skill line changes but overall it looks like it will be a good addition to ESO that will bring me back to the game for at least for a couple of months if not longer.