Elder Scrolls Online Lead PvP Designer on Update 44 Battlegrounds Overhaul

In 2017, The Elder Scrolls Online introduced a new PvP mode called Battlegrounds. Three teams of four will battle each other in intense, no-holds-barred arena matches in signature modes like Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag.

The idea was to present the Three Banners War of Cyrodiil as a microcosm, reducing the larger-scale siege to a more focused bout than the actual siege itself. But seven years later, ZeniMax Online has completely revamped the mode, reducing the number of teams to just two with 4v4 and 8v8 queues.

“If you really break down an arena match, it's just a few people beating each other up,” says lead combat and PvP designer Brian Wheeler. “That's where we started, but we know there's another crowd that likes to play PvP and be more relaxed. And some of the feedback we've received internally and externally about Battlegrounds is that it's an adrenaline rush for 15 minutes. Go, go, go! “I wanted to present a more relaxed approach.”

I'm not good at PvP, will I be able to enjoy Battlegrounds?

I'm really weak at PvP. I'm a quest-oriented player who enjoys dungeons, so you rarely see me holding a Chaos Ball. That said, I spent weeks as a kid trying to become emperor in Cyrodiil (I didn't actually succeed), played countless matches in Battlegrounds (losing most of them), and attempted duels with strangers in Auridon (guessing Try it). It doesn't seem to be getting any better, and it's hard to stay motivated, let alone relax. So I had to sit down with Wheeler and ask him some questions. What would you say to those of us who blatantly dislike PvP?

“I’m definitely going to jump into the 8v8 queue,” he says. “We have solo queue and group queue, but you can’t enter in large groups. Only you and 3 other people can enter. But what 8v8 does offer people is the opportunity to sit back and watch a bit. Cyrodiil and Imperial City allow you to run around and have great fights, and you don't have to be too tight. And because there are more people, your actions don't escalate as much.

“If you think about it as PvE content, where you're running through dungeons and doing hard mode and vetting, if you miss a heal, someone dies. The same pressure exists in 4v4v4 matches. What we’ve seen is that when you start adding more people, the pressure on individual behavior starts to decrease, so you don’t have as many thoughts of, ‘I have to be on my toes all the time!’ for 15 minutes.”

Another key feature that makes Battlegrounds more casual is the power-ups found in 8v8. This deals bonus damage, makes you run faster, boosts your defenses, and improves your ultimate ability. So even if your build isn't suited to dominating your opponents, there are ways to level the playing field.

“Initially in the Morrowind chapter we had a quad damage power-up. And it was a little bit controversial,” Wheeler says. “Some of our competitive teams said, ‘This ruins the sanctity of PvP matches!’ We've found that adding these power-ups back to 8v8 matches only reduces the pressure of 'always being in the right place'.

“A prime example of this is my current build. I've completed all builds: ganker, healer, tank, frontline fighter, siege runner. What I'm doing now is this selfish healer and objective player. You move from target to target and are difficult to kill. It won't necessarily cause a lot of damage, but in matches with power-ups it can actually kill people again. So it gives us flexibility.”

New battlefield, new map

For the first time since 2018, ESO has introduced a variety of new battlefield maps. However, with two teams now involved instead of three, a complete overhaul of how ZeniMax approaches map design for the mode was needed.

“We were tied to a specific format because we had three teams and needed the same execution time from three different locations to reach pivot points or different objectives,” Wheeler explains. “We strayed from that mold a little bit with Istirus and Eld Angavar. When looking at both sides, we manned the Poyada Quarry and moved the spawn locations around.

“We saw that it didn’t really go over well. There was a lot of dead space on the side, so people just walked straight at each other. We believe this is suitable for 4v4 arena matches. This is because we want a small and compact space. However, 4v4 battles were not possible in Foyada Quarry or any other existing maps. So we thought, 'Okay, we need to make a smaller map, and we need to be very clear between you and me.' So the maps are very simple in layout.”

4v4 Competitive Leaderboards

One of the other major changes in the new update is the leaderboard. Battlegrounds matches previously had three leaderboards, one per team, but have now been streamlined to one. And there are also competitive leaderboards that lend to the higher octane nature of 4v4. This leaderboard does more than just show you how many kills you've achieved.

“We have a number of changes to the reward system we are implementing with this update to PvP that extends to the Imperial City. But for the battlefield itself, playing 4v4 competitive matches gives you access to the leaderboards, and that's the only way to get up there.

“These leaderboards have specific rewards. At the end of each Battlegrounds match, you receive rewards based on whether you came in first or second and how well you did in earning medals,” says Wheeler. “Participating in 4v4 will give you access to leaderboards. Participating in 8v8 will earn you gear at the end of the match at a slightly lower rate, just like 4v4.

“We're trying to encourage the competitive side of the crew that wants to jump around and say, 'Look, I'm a PvPer.' I can show off my gear and show off who I am.’”

4v4v4 can always come back

In announcing the revamped battlefield, ZeniMax teased that 4v4v4 may return in a limited-time event, so the original version of the mode won't be gone forever. But what about it coming back as a permanent necessity?

“There is always a future for everything,” Wheeler said. “We don’t have a crystal ball and we want to see how player feedback on the two-sided game plays out. [mode]. We also wanted to give both sides the best opportunity to give players a chance to play this game over a full patch cycle. We have already decided to bring back three sides. [Battlegrounds] The weekend event that is already underway is 'Deathmatch Weekend!' or 'It's the weekend of domination.'

“Now in this cycle, we’ve converted our holidays to continue using double-sided maps. So from update 44 until at least update 45 it will be a double-sided holiday. But after 45 we'll look at bringing back three sides. [Battlegrounds] To holidays. You can also bring it back with the persistent queue option. “We’re keeping that option open in the future, but for now it’s good to have both sides in the spotlight.”

One of the most interesting things about The Elder Scrolls Online is its willingness to adapt. Stagnation isn't the type of MMO. When something doesn't work, radical changes are made. We've seen this since ESO launched in 2016, when ZeniMax took the bold step of opening up the entire map to all players regardless of their level or alliance with One Tamriel. From the infamous launch.

We're talking about 10 years later, so we can see how it turned out. The Battlegrounds update is another in a line of massive changes that breathe new life into the game and revitalize the PvP scene. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out over the next patch cycle, but the move to accommodate casual players already feels like a big step forward.