The Elder Scrolls Online is coming to next-gen consoles in June 2021, Bethesda has announced. The new version will be called “Console Enhanced” and will be available to download on the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Better still, the upgrade will be free to all existing owners of ESO.
The Console Enhanced version will come with a number of enhancements and improvements to make the most of the new consoles, including 60fps frame rate using “Performance Mode” and improved loading times thanks to the faster SSDs.
In addition to this, Console Enhanced introduces a host of visual improvements for PS5 players, including increased draw distance, fully unlocked high-resolution textures, improved reflections, improved ambient occlusion, improved shadows, and greater depth of field.
The full list of enhancements include:
- 60fps – You can experience the game running at 60 frames per second when in “Performance Mode”. The frame rate was previously capped at 30fps. Further details on the Performance and Fidelity Modes will be released closer to launch date.
- Increased Draw Distance – Thanks to Console Enhanced, the game’s draw distance has almost been doubled for the PS5, allowing you to see more than ever before when exploring the ever-growing world of Tamriel.
- Unlocked Textures – In addition to Draw Distance, high resolution textures have been unlocked, so that the game look even better on larger screens.
- Updated Antialiasing – Improved anti-aliasing is also in place to help smooth out the jagged edges of foliage, grass, and structures in game while also sharpening these elements when viewed up close.
- Improved Reflections – The visuals have been further improved with the addition of planar reflections, providing a massive boost to the game’s level of detail and realism. This is most noticeable in areas with water (such as Vivec City or Summerset). Note that when in Performance Mode, the boost to reflections might vary in water-heavy zones (such as Murkmire) or in areas where performance is most valued (such as in Cyrodiil or Trials).
- Improved Ambient Occlusion with Screen Space Global Illumination – Upgrades to the game’s ambient occlusion with SSGI creates more realistic and natural indirect lighting and broadly boosts the level of detail in the game’s shadows.
- Improved Shadows – Speaking of shadows, shadow resolution has been doubled and set to the PC equivalent of “Ultra”—the best possible setting for shadows in any version of ESO. This includes improvements to shadow distance.
- Improved Depth of Field – The upgrade enables circular depth of field (the highest possible setting), creating smoother and more realistic background views, particularly when interacting with NPCs.
- Improved Loading Times – Finally, loading times have been tuned to be much faster than previous generation consoles, with loading times being nearly cut in half on average.
The Console Enhanced version will be out on the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on 8th June 2021.