The Elder Scrolls Onlinehas had two tiers of membership for the majority of its lifetime: the quote-on-quote free tier, which requires players to make a one-time purchase of the base game only, and ESO Plus, where members are given a litany of benefits,including DLC access, for a monthly subscription. While many MMOs require a monthly subscription to access the game in the first place,ESOis much likeGuild Wars 2in that players technically only need to buy the base game to play forever.
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Every so often, though,Elder Scrolls Onlineoffers its free-to-play playerbase a temporary taste of the benefits of their monthly service. Unlike many free trials out there players don’t need to add credit card information or remember to cancel the subscription after preview is over – plus it’s pretty easy to set up in-game.
The ESO Plus Free Trial
TheElder Scrolls Onlinefree trial period typically onlylasts for one weekbeginning from a certain date every time it is offered. There have been afew in the last yearalready, and the current trial period will be ongoinguntil Monday October 25at10:00 a.m. ET.
Unfortunately, thefree trial is not offered year-round, only during specified dates throughout the year. It’s worth checking out ESO Plus during these times for the service’s variety of benefits, but it’s also worth noting that the game is perfectly playable without the service too.
Accesing The ESO Plus Free Trial
To access the ESO Plus free trialplayers must first make surethat they at leastown the Standard Editionof the base game. The free trial does not give access to the game itself, just ESO Plus membership, though it doesn’t require any commitment from the player, payment information or otherwise.
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It’sactivated in-game, so don’t go to theElder Scrolls Onlinewebsite to access the ESO Plus free trial. Instead, simplyopen the launcher and start the gameto begin the process.
ESO Plus Benefits And Trial Restrictions
The ESO Plus free trial gives players temporary access to a variety of benefits, though it does not provide everything that ESO Plus actuallygives its members.Almosteverything is included, such as access to a majority of the game’s extensive DLC, the Craft Bag that is so vital to ESO Professions, an increase to experience and gold, as well as double Bank and House space.
Two things are not provided by the ESO Plus free trial: free Crowns and special deals for ESO plus members only. Being an ESO Plus paid member gives a stipend of Crowns to use in the Crown Store every time the subscription is renewed (to the tune of about 1800 each month). ESO Plus members additionally are given discounts and even free Crown Store items regularly. These are both benefits that free trial members can’t take advantage of, but they will kick in immediately if players decide to start a regular subscription after the trial.
The Elder Scrolls Onlineis available for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S.
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