Elder Scrolls Online is ending paid expansions, switching to free seasonal updates for all players. Read on to learn more about how Seasons will work and what players can expect in Season Zero.
Elder Scrolls Online Reveals Shift from Annual to Seasonal Updates
ESO Ends Annual DLC in Favor of Free Seasons
Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) has revealed a switch from paid Chapters and DLC packs to free Seasons moving forward. On January 7, 2026, ZeniMax Online Studios revealed that starting with Season Zero, all new zones, storylines, mechanics, and improvements will be available at no extra cost. This applies to all base game owners, including players accessing ESO through Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus.
Elder Scrolls Online is a pay-to-play MMORPG that, for over a decade, has released yearly content updates and adventures that often required purchases. The shift to Seasons is intended to simplify entry for all players, significantly reducing the cost of entry and allowing participation in all current and future content without additional purchases. Update 49 launches on March 9, 2026, laying the foundation for the upcoming Season. The update will include the Orsinium, Thieves Guild, Dark Brotherhood, and Imperial City DLC into the base experience without charge.
Seasons will span roughly three months each, built around a central theme that might introduce new regions, questlines, class adjustments, or QoL enhancements. The first of many additions to the game would be the Tamriel Tomes, a battlepass-like system. Players earn points through weekly and seasonal missions. These advance a free progression path offering cosmetic appearances, Seals of Endeavor, and Trade Bars. There will be a paid premium tier that provides additional season-long unlocks.
Trade Bars, an in-game currency that is not available for direct purchase via Crowns, can be spent at the new Gold Coast Bazaar. This feature releases sometime after the update on March 25, 2026, and will stock uncommon mounts and limited goods previously tied to events. It will give new players easier access to rare mounts while allowing veterans to complete their collections.
Season Zero And What To Expect
Season Zero: Dawn and Dusk will officially launch on April 2, and will be live until July 8, 2026. Its current highlight is the Night Market, which is a PvE area in the Oblivion domain of Fargrave, active from April 29 for about seven weeks. Players can choose one of three factions to represent in a PvE gauntlet against powerful foes.
The devs also mentioned that this is the first of many upcoming experimental zones, but it will be available for free to all ESO players. This comes with the addition of a new in-game home earned via participating in the new zone.
Additional elements in Season Zero feature a Dragonknight revision with enhanced visuals and ability tweaks, an option to heighten overland foe toughness for improved drops, and a Vengeance PvP ladder granting exclusive abilities and items. Early usability boosts include direct menu-based free skill and stat reallocations, quicker mount skill advancement, and raised decor capacities in numerous residences.
ZeniMax Online Studios also revealed a tentative roadmap for upcoming Seasons (subject to change based on feedback), giving players a preview of what's ahead. Season One will feature new stories and quests for the Thieves Guild and Sheogorath, a new Sage's Vault system, multi-stage dynamic world events, a new trial called Crimson Veldt, a High Seas of Tamriel event, and a visual refresh plus balance updates for the Warden class.
Season Two lines up with solo dungeons for Moon Hunter Keep and March of Sacrifices, large-scale Dynamic Storms events in Skyrim, a visual refresh and balance pass for the Sorcerer class, the Night Market's return, and Greymoor added to the base game.
With Update 49 heading to the game’s Public Test Server soon and more details promised in upcoming streams, 2026 shapes up as a major reset for ESO as they focus on free access, player feedback-driven experiments, and steady improvements funded through cosmetics and optional extras. The Elder Scrolls Online is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Sources:
Elder Scrolls Online Official Season Announcement Post
