Bethesda has announced this year’s Elder Scrolls Online expansion titled “Blackwood“. The next chapter in the MMO will launch for PC on 1 June and PS4 and Xbox One on 8 June. The Elder Scrolls Online Blackwood is part of this year’s Gates of Oblivion year-long adventure. This means players can look forward to an ever-evolving story starting in March with a new dungeon DLC, the expansion in June and two more dungeon DLCs to end it off later this year.
READ MORE
Battleborn Gets Laid to Rest This Weekend as Servers Close Down
Bethesda and Zenimax say that the new The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood expansion will revolve around the ambitions and scheme of the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon and is set 800 years before the events of the original Elder Scrolls Online IV: Oblivion.
Throughout the year, players will unravel the story behind the realm, the prince and more starting off with the Flames of Ambition Dungeon in March. The rollout of the content is as follows:
- Flames of Ambition (March 8 for PC, Mac, and Stadia, and March 16 for Xbox One and PlayStation 4)
- Blackwood (June 1 for PC, Mac, and Stadia, and June 8 for Xbox One and PlayStation 4)
- Unannounced Q3 DLC dungeon pack (date TBD)
- Unannounced Q4 DLC story zone (date TBD)
The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood Details
As for the main expansion content, Blackwood, this content will feature over 30 hours of new story content allowing players to explore a colourful part of Tamriel where the culture of the Argonians meets with Imperial ambitions. The new location called Blackwood stretches from southern Cyrodiil towards the far end of Shadowfen. Plyers will also be able to visit the Deadlands.
Caught between the Argonian homeland and Imperial province of Cyrodiil, the region of Blackwood is beset by Daedric influence, and its people struggle to survive would-be tyrants and Oblivion-spawned evils alike.
Including the Imperial City of Leyawiin (first featured in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion), the Niben Forest, and open wetlands of the Blackwood Bog, you’ll have the opportunity to explore a diverse land in strife, investigate the emerging Daedric threat, and discover all-new stories, challenges, and rewards not found anywhere else in Tamriel.
In Blackwood’s main storyline, you investigate a conspiracy involving the deposed Longhouse Emperors and uncover a deadly pact that spells doom for the people of Blackwood. Behind it, all, of course, is the Prince of Destruction, Mehrunes Dagon himself, but what exactly are his plans are for Blackwood and Tamriel?
While a stand-alone tale that can be enjoyed in and of itself, the events of the Blackwood Chapter’s story progresses the larger Gates of Oblivion narrative that begins with the Flames of Ambition DLC and will continue throughout the rest of the year.
Share your adventures with fresh allies thanks to Blackwood’s new Companions system, allowing you to recruit, travel, and fight with an ally NPC complete with their own stories and character.
These unique warriors can join you in almost all of your adventures, level up their skills, and use the customizable gear and combat abilities and behaviours—with this new system, you’ll never have to explore Tamriel alone again!
- A new zone: Blackwood
- A fiendish main storyline that ties into the Gates of Oblivion adventure
- The new Companions system
- A new 12-player Trial: Rockgrove
- New world events: Oblivion Portals
- New delves, public dungeons, world bosses, and stand-alone quests
- Updates and quality-of-life improvements
The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood Special Editions
As a tradition, Bethesda and ZeniMax will release a handful of different versions of The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood Gates of Oblivion. Ths includes an upgrade pack for existing owners and full content packs for new players. This means players can jump into the entire Elder Scrolls Online experience in time for Blackwood.
- The Elder Scrolls Online Collection: Blackwood
- The Elder Scrolls Online Collection: Blackwood Collector’s Edition
- The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood Upgrade
- The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood Upgrade Collector’s Edition
Check out the awesome cinematic trailer
