Coming as part of the next Blackwood Chapter (out June 8 on PS4 and PS5 alongside ESO’s next-gen optimization Improved console upgrade, free for ESO players), the companion system will allow you to recruit a new combat ally to take on Tamriel. For the development team, the goal of this new system was to provide a new way to experience ESO’s open world and its many dangers.
“With the companion system, we wanted to offer our players a new ally that they can face in their adventures to offer them accompaniment and support in combat ”, explains Rich Lambert, Creative Director of ESO. “When venturing out with a companion, we want our players to have more confidence in them to experience all that Tamriel has to offer while getting to know unique and interesting characters.”
Mirri Elendis, a Dark Elf “Expert Daedra”
Blackwood will introduce two unique companions at launch, Mirri Elendis and Bastian Hallix, each with their own unique personality and characteristics.
“Bastian has a strong sense of duty and honor, but he’s also a bit socially awkward and appreciates your friendship,” Lambert explains. “Mirri, on the other hand, is lively and intelligent, but she can also be a bit stubborn and impatient, which can get her into trouble. The more you venture out with your companions, the more you will discover what makes them special, including their very different journeys. “
Of course, Tamriel is a dangerous place, and whatever role you need your new allies will be able to help you take on that particularly difficult boss or world quest.
“Companions are designed to be able to perform the game’s various combat roles, such as damage, healing, or tanking, and while they won’t be as powerful as regular players, they will still be allies.” effective combat combatants in the heat of the moment. », Explains Lambert. “Players may find that some enemies who have challenged them solo in the past can be defeated with the help of a trusted companion.”
Customizable comrades
Just like your own ESO characters, you will be able to customize many aspects of your companions.
When designing the Companion System, it was important to us to allow players to fully customize the way their new allies fight and present themselves, ”says Lambert. “They will be able to select the combat skills their companions use in battle, the equipment they wear and even customize their appearance by applying costumes or outfit styles.”
Bastian Hallix, an Imperial War Mage
Additionally, as you gain experience and upgrade your characters, so will your companions, and as you research and explore together you will need to manage your relationships with these new characters as well.
“As players gain experience fighting monsters, their companions will also gain their own experience and level up, improving their base stats and unlocking more combat abilities. Additionally, as players and companions venture together, the actions the player takes in the world of Tamriel will also impact their relationship with their active companion. Report levels can go up and down, depending on the activities, and players should talk to their companions to get an idea of what kind of activities will be viewed favorably or negatively by their new allies.
Never adventure alone
For the team, the hope is that this new system will open the game up to more of its players and allow them to take on challenges that might have seemed out of reach before.
“We know a lot of our players enjoy playing ESO solo, and it’s a perfectly viable way to experience the game,” Lambert says. “However, there is a lot of content that solo players might not be able to experience this way, and the Companions system helps open those doors by giving players a trusted ally to explore more group-oriented content on their own. pace.”
Chat with your companion to learn more about them
Of course, how you choose to use your companions is entirely up to you, and the perilous region of Blackwood (and even the more dangerous realms beyond Nirn) await with the next chapter. No matter how you play The Elder Scrolls Online, with the new companion system, you’ll never have to venture out alone again!
The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood is coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on June 8 and is now available for pre-order from PlayStation Store.
