While I do think the year should have more content - I think we need to understand the content model of the year before we go to making our own proposed adjustments.
Does this game have "Expansions"?
Not exactly, or not the traditional model you are used to.
In a game like World of Warcraft you have an expansion with lots of land and new features. Then you have the quarterly updates that include more areas, events, dungeons, and raids to continue the story for two years before they conclude the story and release another expansion.
This model works for them because you have to pay a subscription to play. There are other avenues but you have to have something of an active subscription. This allows them to provide a linear narrative for the year.
Expansions in Elder Scrolls Online are split across the year instead of being released in one pack. They are split into Chapters, Dungeons and Story Zone DLCs
The only content that really matters when it concerns the story is the Chapter and the Story dlc.
- The Chapter is 2/3 of the expansion which includes the exclusive paid features like classes and skill lines, as well as a Trial (Raid)
- Story Zone DLCs are the final 1/3 of content but do not include any new paid features or systems
- Dungeons are more like optional side adventures that add more to the story but are not required to play. This is the case for the Trials as well.
the Chapter and Story DLC are basically the Expansion just split - so it goes from a $60 expansion -> to a $40 chapter ($50 for digital collectors edition) and a $20 Story dlc at the end of the year to finish it... OR you can have access to all dungeon and story dlc for a subscription.
Chapters are only $60 if you are buying the chapter AND the base game.
So in essence the "Chapter" alone is not an expansion but rather a greater piece of it.
Was it always this way?
Not exactly, at first the Chapter model was used to tell a story across two years. Morrowind was Chapter 1 and Summerset was Chapter 2, and Clockwork City was the piece in the middle that connected the two. This made it feel like a complete narrative with a Beginning, Middle, and End.
However, they changed their model in 2019 with a stronger focus on the themes of a Chapter. This was made apparent with Elsweyr.
How did they Change?
The 2019 Expansion was really "Season of the Dragon" -> but it was split into Northern & Southern Elsweyr + Dungeons. The Chapter had new zones & quests and the exclusive paid features (necromancer) while the dlcs have only paid quests and adventures. This is why you have to have both to complete the story.
Same goes for 2020
The Expansion was "Dark Heart of Skyrim" but it was split into Greymoor & Markarth
What are the pros and cons of this system?
While the year has a stronger theme and therefore a more coherent story it also feels too small for what we think an Expansion should have. Zones feel too small because they are split in two different quarters.
Secondly most of us are under the misconception that a Chapter is an Expansion because ZOS has done a poor job communicating this.
Thirdly, because you can buy the story dlc separate of the Chapter you have two stories that feel too dis-connected from eachother that then have a quick tie-in & wrap-up in Q4. This conclusion is only possible if you buy both the Chapter and DLC. Essentially the Year has a strong first and second act but the third act is very weak because instead of gettin an entire dedicated zone or quest line its just one quest that finishes the story. This leaves weaker narratives as was the case for 2019 and 2020.
It has also been a source of complaint because some people feel that the Chapter should just be the Expansion and any DLCs should be unrelated, isolated, and self contained stories - like Orsinium and Murkmire.
Chapters essentially became incomplete expansions and people feel cheated, even if the prices add up to be the same as a traditional expansion people want it all in a single purchase.
What could improve this system
I think there is a way to give an Expansion, a year with a concentrated theme, an isolated story, AND overall more content for the year.
I think this could be accomplished by
1) Have the Q2 Chapter and Q4 Story DLC as a single purchase that is still released in two different times of the year
2) including a third zone in the year that is a separate purchase and a self contained story which is un-reliant on the Chapter's Main Story.
Let's use "Season of the Dragon" as an example
You make a single purchase for "Season of the Dragon" Expansion which is split into two Chapters in Q2 and Q4. So a total of $40-$60.
Chapter 1 in Q2 would have a zone(s), the exclusive systems, and a Trial -> while Chapter 2 in Q4 would have a zone and either an Arena or another Trial.
By making Q4 a directly connected purchase to Chapter 1 ZOS can tell a more complete and cohesive narrative in Chapter 2 that gives the year a beginning, middle, and end.
The DLCs in Q1 & Q3 are optional stories which tie into the main theme of the year but are self contained.
Q1 would be mainly Dungeons while Q3 would include both a zone and dungeons.
So what would this look like?
Season of the Dragon
Q1: Prologue + Dungeons
Q2: Chapter I + Features + Trial
Q3: Zone DLC + Dungeons
Q4: Chapter II + Arena or Trial
Q3 would have been the zone in the middle between Northern & Southern Elsweyr with Maarselok as the Primary Antagonist who is infesting the Jungle with his Azure Blight. Maarselok was not part of Kaalgrontiid's Rage of Dragons and was an independent acting agent and thus Q3 would be a self contained story dealing with Maarselok.
Q4 would be the epic conclusion to the "Season of the Dragon" in Chapter 2 with the defeat of Kaalgrontiid. Typing up the Main Narrative & Theme of the Year.
What about PvP?
At the minimum, all Zones in the year will come with 1 battleground, adding a total of three battlegrounds for the year.
Story Bosses
and Finally as a way to add more content and to make the all the DLCs Stories worthwhile for all players of all play-styles --> there would be an optional hard/group mode for the Main Story Bosses of each each Zone. Essentially giving them a "Dungeon Makeover". They would have their own earn-able sets and cosmetics.
Because now, with the Sets Collection Feature in the game, you don't have to worry about unlocking these bosses through a long quest-line for every single character. You only have to get the gear with one character and rest of your account has access to them.
This better satisfies solo, endgame, and PvP play-styles as now all three get a more equal distribution of content throughout the year.
Final Note
With this content model players get more content AND ZOS can not only have an Expansion but also other content in the year that they can provide as single purchase or for those with Subscriptions.
Thank You for taking the time to read the whole post if you did and I hope you have a good day
- Iccotak