While Microsoft’s Xbox Games Showcase that runs annually every Summer Game Fest is primarily a time for its game publishing wing to show off all the new games and projects coming to Xbox platforms across console and PC, the firm also uses the presentation to announce content updates for its existing titles as well.
During this year’s show, it did exactly that with a sweet new trailer for The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO), ZeniMax Online Studios’ long-running 2014 MMO set in Bethesda’s grand RPG universe. Specifically, the trailer reveals that the focus of the upcoming Season 1 will be on the Thieves Guild — one of my favorite The Elder Scrolls factions, and one that’s been out of the spotlight for quite some time, too.
Indeed, there hasn’t been new Thieves Guild content in ESO since 2016, so it’s nice to see that the scoundrel and vagabonds out there are finally getting some love after a decade-long period on the backburner. You can watch the trailer below; Season 1 is slated to go live on July 8, 2026, and will be available on ESO’s Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC (Steam, Epic Games), Mac, PS5, and PS4 platforms.
Though the content in Season 1 “builds on the original narrative” for the Thieves Guild, ESO’s developers say that it will also feature “a new story and cast” of characters that make this more than a simple extension of what was already there. The storyline will largely be centered around a conflict between the guild and the Koldane Cartel — a shady clan of merchants suspected to be a front for organized crime.
It’s also worth noting the presence of Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of Madness, at the end of this teaser; he loves causing chaos, so I’m sure we’ll be dealing with plenty of it when he shows up.
The narrative’s quests will no doubt challenge players to sneak, steal, and assassinate, though the trailer also makes it clear you can take a more direct combat-forward approach to your objectives too — a good option for those roleplaying more of a swashbuckling rogue. It’s also been said that the story will expand into the High Rock kingdom of Daggerfall.
Outside of the Thieves Guild content, ZeniMax noted that “Season 1 will bring many new adventures and evergreen systems to add new ways for players to engage with the characters, guilds and environments around them.” So all-in-all, whether you’re a fan of the Thieves Guild or not, Season 1 should bring plenty for all players to enjoy.
Season 1 is ESO’s first full season after “Season 0,” the period that kicked off after the developers announced the move to a seasonal content model earlier this year. The MMO is shifting away from paid expansions, and will instead release most forms of new content for free across three-month long seasons reminiscent of those in other live-service multiplayer titles.
Will you play The Elder Scrolls Online to check out Season 1 and the new Thieves Guild story content? Let me know below. Remember that it’s on Xbox Game Pass, so if you have a membership you can jump in for no extra cost!
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