by theygamesGames are messy things and games that are the size of MMOs like The Elder Scrolls Online tend to be extremely complicated to keep running smoothly. Tinkering with one part of the game can have unexpected effects in a completely separate area, causing problems that no-one can predict. One unexpected issue that’s recently cropped up around access to ESO’s test server has seen a raft of players locked out of their accounts for over a week, with compensation incoming for those affected.
On April 15, The Elder Scrolls Online Public Test Server was pushed live to test out the next chapter in the long-running MMORPG.
This seems to have caused a severe problem which not only impacted characters on the test server but also those on the North American live server. Developer Zenimax Online Studios swiftly brought everything offline before turning both the test and North American servers back on the following day.
Unfortunately for eager testers who popped onto the server before it was taken down, their characters remain affected by this issue. As a result, ESO’s developer has locked down these accounts, meaning some players have been unable to log into their characters since the issue first occurred. In order to resolve this issue and return access to players, these accounts will be rolled back to the condition they were in at 9:30am EDT on April 15. At the time of writing, the current estimate to get players back into their accounts is Thursday, April 25.
Due to this occurring in a middle of the ongoing Anniversary Jubilee event, Zenimax Online Studios has extended it by two days as well as granting all PC North American players an extra 200 Seals of Endeavour. In addition, to compensate players for their lost time, locked accounts will receive the following items once they’re able to log in again:
- 16,000 Seals of Endeavor
- 5 Glorious Anniversary Jubilee Gift Boxes
- Trueflame Replica Style Page
- Staff of Worms Replica Style Page
- Barbas Helmet Replica Style Page
- Sunna’rah Replica Style Page
- Ul’Vor Staff Replica Style Page
- 25 Jubilee Confetti Packs
- The Cumberland Anniversary Attire costume
These players should also have already received an extra Elder Scrolls Online key, enabling them to play on a fresh account for the period they’re unable to get into their main accounts. They will also have had their subscriptions set to not automatically renew for this month, ensuring that no extra money is taken for time they cannot play.
The amount of items and free game codes being given away only highlight how severe this issue must be, with the full solution for those unable to log in taking an estimated 10 days to fully implement. MMORPGs are a messy business and issues like this show just how precarious and difficult running a game of this size can be.
If you’d like to check out the full Public Test Server notes ahead of the upcoming Gold Road expansion, you can see what’s new over on the ESO forum.
Should you instead want to head to a different world filled with magic, monsters, and mighty warriors, our best fantasy games guide will send you off in style. For those wanting more roleplaying in their lives, our best RPG games guide should put you in the boots of someone else in no time.
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