KEY POINTS

  • "Elder Scrolls Online" will be free to play until Aug. 30.
  • Previous F2P players will be able to continue their progress
  • All progress made with a free account will be carried over to the purchased game

Bethesda’s “Elder Scrolls Online” is once again going free-to-play for a limited time, granting interested MMO fans as much access to the base game before the free play period ends.

This comes as part of the celebration for QuakeCon 2021, a yearly convention dedicated to games owned by ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Bethesda. From Aug. 19 until Aug. 30, players across all platforms that support “ESO” will be able to play the game for free. To join, simply head to the Free Play sign-up page and follow the on-screen instructions.

Free players will have access to the entire “ESO” base game, including the “Morrowind” expansion that has since become part of the base package. This includes 23 unique zones, dozens of quests, world activities and four of the game’s character classes: the Templar, Dragon Knight, Nightblade and Sorcerer.

Blackmoor will introduce a new Companions system to the Elder Scrolls Online
Blackmoor will introduce a new Companions system to the Elder Scrolls Online. Bethesda

Thr event also gives players access to the Gates of Oblivion adventure and the prologue to the Blackwood questline, which will set the tone for the game’s latest expansion pack of the same name. The Gates of Oblivion event will run for the entire year and will dictate the general direction of “ESO’s” story as it progresses, affecting future content like raids, quests, dungeons and other activities.

Those who have participated in the previous free play events can pick up where they left off, giving players another shot at enjoying everything that the game offers without spending money. Likewise, players can continue their existing free characters once they decide to buy “ESO” as progress is tied to their accounts.

Players on Xbox One X|S and PlayStation 5 will get free access to the next-gen version of “Elder Scrolls Online” upon their purchase along with the progress they made with their free accounts. The next-gen edition offers increased graphical fidelity and higher performance that takes full advantage of the latest consoles’ hardware.

Additionally, new accounts created during the free play period will receive a generous sum of 500 Crowns that can be used in the in-game Crown Store. This currency can be spent on in-game items like cosmetics, starter kits, booster packs, resources and even DLC.

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