Exploring the Success of a Popular MMO: Over 2 Billion Dollars Raised in a Decade

During the Game Developers Conference 2024 in San Francisco, the team in charge of The Elder Scrolls Online announced that they had achieved more than $2 billion in customer spending. The studio director then said he put this number forward to reaffirm the continued success of his game.

Communication stunt

In an interview with GamesRadar+, Matt Firor, director of Zenimax Online, explained that the announcement of 2 billion dollars was “mainly to highlight the game”. According to him, The Elder Scrolls Online “is not often considered a successful live-service game, although it is and at all levels.” Beyond a simple marketing stunt, this ad was for him the way to show that your game existsdespite the fact that it operates in an environment where a handful of titles seem to have control over the genre.

Aware that making headlines isn't really the thing that matters to the gaming community, Firor explains that he “I think the 2 billion just shows the players' commitment to the game. But also to Zenimax Online. It's a huge success and we love working on it, we really do”.

An insider question

While it is undeniable that the game is doing very well with its 200 million dollars brought in each yearthe title does not appear in the list of the most played titles of 2023. Indeed, a report from Newzoo explains that majority of 2023 playtime was taken up by older games, including the powerful Fortnite, League of Legends and Roblox. These games as a service (or GaaS), if they have been installed for a long time, do not lose their splendor in the eyes of players, to the detriment of various AAA titles offering solo adventures.

Even if he is not in the spotlight, The Elder Scrolls Online continues on its merry way, preparing its new extension: Gold Road. This will take players on an adventure to preserve the threads of destiny, at the edge of reality. 'What to wait patiently before the release of The Elder Scrolls 6.''