As someone with over 300 hours in Final Fantasy 14 in the last year thanks to the free trial, I can attest to how the right MMO can dig its claws in you. If you’re new to the genre like I was with FF14, you need a lot of time to understand the systems and mechanics these massive games are known for, and the dedication of a monthly subscription isn’t good for that. Elder Scrolls Online already doesn’t require a sub, but if you’re still hesitant to put down the asking price, a new QuakeCon event gives you some time to try the game for free.
Set before the events of Skyrim, Oblivion, and Morrowind, the Elder Scrolls Online is the ideal extension of Tamriel. You can still pick between races like Argonian, Breton, Nord, and Khajiit before venturing out on a spelunking and dungeon-diving adventure, but there’s even more to do than before.
Just like in Skyrim you can gather, craft, and enchant while completing quests, but there is also an array of PvE and PvP experiences like dungeons and large-scale battles to get involved with. This is an MMORPG after all, so you’ll see other players going about their business the same as you. You can even go fishing, so pull up a wooden stool, invite some friends around, and relax.
ESO also has a justice system, antiquities to find, and plenty more tasks to build your character around. Just like with the other Elder Scrolls games, ESO is a living and breathing world, the only difference here is that you’ll see plenty of other players doing their day-to-day tasks at the same time.
QuakeCon 2024’s free ESO event gives you access to four classes (Sorcerer, Nightblade, Templar, and Dragonknight), 24 zones, and the Battlegrounds and Alliance War PvP modes. If you’re a new player you also receive 500 Crowns to spend in the store, worth just under $8 / £6, and returning players can pick up exactly where they left off in previous free events.
The free Elder Scrolls Online event runs until Monday August 19 on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC platforms. You can sign up right here, and The full game is also 70% off on Steam until Wednesday August 21, so expect to pay $5.99 / £4.79 until then.
If you want to try even more of the genre but don’t fancy joining up with friends, there are plenty of great single-player MMOs and RPGs to play on top of ESO.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.
