New ZeniMax Online Studios co-head Nick Giacomini says that despite deep cuts at the studio as part of the most recent round of Xbox layoffs, The Elder Scrolls Online “is here to stay.” But those layoffs, which saw more than 200 people let go including Giacomini’s predecessor Joseph Burba, mean that previously announced timelines are no longer workable, and things are being moved.
“Instead of rushing to hit a previously announced deadline, we are giving our teams the runway they need to do things right,” Giacomini wrote in today’s update, invoking the same term—”runway”—Xbox used when it dumped Compulsion and Double Fine. “Some of our upcoming additions, like the Class and Combat Refresh and our new Trial, are highly complex, and we want to ensure they hit the mark before we put them in your hands.”
What this means in practical terms is that Update 52, which had been scheduled for Q4 of 2026, will instead arrive in January of 2027, and season 1’s new Crimson Veldt trial is also being bumped to ’27. Less certainly, from the sounds of it, ZeniMax is now “targeting 2027” for TESO’s promised class and combat refresh, although it is “discussing some interim options for the classes still awaiting their full refresh to improve your player experience in the meantime.”
As for 2026, Update 51 will launch on September 27, one week later than planned, with a new challenge, “Rumors” game system, and “player experience improvements,” while TESO season 2 will debut on October 21.