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The year-long roadmap of new gameplay content for "The Elder Scrolls Online" players is officially titled the "Gates of Oblivion." This will bring back gamers to a very familiar region in Tamriel, but it will also deliver new gameplay features such as the Companions system.
'The Elder Scrolls Online: Gates of Oblivion': What to expect from the new allies system
Companions, as the name suggests, is focused on giving players a non-playable character buddy that will join their return to Oblivion. But these NPCs are not just for show, as Bethesda confirmed they have unique stories and develops as a character. Developers also confirmed that players could have their characters share a more intimate relationship with their ally NPC.
"The Elder Scrolls Online: Gates of Oblivion" will launch with two new NPCs part of the Companions system – they are Bastian and Mirri. Bastian is described as a knight-in-shining-armor type of character who comes from a noble family but ended up serving a different family with the same status as theirs. Mirri is the polar opposite and survives off stealing. She is also not known for being loyal, but developers teased her story has a twist later on. Players will get to know these NPCs more as they complete missions with them.
In an interview with Game Informer, Bethesda developers confirm the players' relationship with Bastian and Mirri will also develop as they progress in their "The Elder Scrolls Online: Gates of Oblivion" moves forward. The players will develop a more meaningful relationship with them, but romance is not happening immediately. "Down the line, though, romance is definitely somewhere we want to get to," Creative Director Rich Lambert said. "We just want to make sure when we add it that we do it right."
Going by what Lambert said, it appears that the Companions system technically does not have the romantic aspect of a relationship in its early days in "The Elder Scrolls Online: Gates of Oblivion." The developers did not provide a window for when this will be added to the game.
'The Elder Scrolls Online: Gates of Oblivion' release dates
"The Elder Scrolls Online: Gates of Oblivion" will launch with its first DLC called "Flames of Ambition" on March 8, followed by the "Blackwood Chapter" on June 1. Both contents go live on PC/Mac and Stadia first, and console gamers will have to wait another week. A third DLC with new dungeons will be released in the third quarter of the year, followed by a fourth DLC with a new story zone in late 2021.
