Table of Contents
Introduction
Elder Scrolls Online is an MMORPG published by Zenimax Online Studios. Released in 2014, Elder Scrolls Online is set in the same universe as Bethesda’s best-selling “The Elder Scrolls” series, including such well-known titles as Morrowind and Skyrim.
Which platforms are ESO available on?
Elder Scrolls Online is available to play on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.
Cross-platform Functionality and Servers
ESO is divided both by platform and location into several different servers, with the two location servers being the North American and European Union mega-servers.
There is both an EU and an American server for Xbox One for PlayStation 4 and for PC players. In addition to this, there is a Public Test Server available only to PC players, where patches and downloadable content can be play-tested before the full release.
There is no cross-over or cross-functionality between the different platforms. An Xbox One player will only ever be on their server with other Xbox One players, and the same goes for those on the other platforms as well. To be able to play on another platform, if you already have an account on one, would mean buying a second ESO account for the platform in question. So for example, if our Xbox One player had friends who owned the PC version of the game, they would need to buy it on PC to play with them.
However, the same is not true of the location servers, these can be swapped between so long as the servers are on the same platform. So, for example, a PC player who is on the EU mega-server can quite easily switch to the North American mega-server. This can be done by logging out to the main screen and selecting which server they want to log in on. This was also possible to do on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, through the server select option.
Characters, Collections, DLC and expansions.
However, not all information is shared between servers, even if they are on the same platform. Characters are not shared between servers, a character created on the North American server will only ever exist there. It cannot ever be played on or transferred to the European server.
Equally, items cannot be transferred from one server to another, even though, for example, the in-game banking and guild trader systems.
This also applies to any items or upgrades that may be bought from the Crown Store, ESO’s in-game shop. The Crown Store contains a vast array of upgrades, everything from the purely cosmetic, such as mounts and costumes, to unlocking furnishing, player homes, and extra character slots. This also applies to the smaller DLC content, those such as Orsinium, the Clockwork City, or Dark Brotherhood. All of these are both account and server bound, so long as they are purchased via the Crown Store.
The only exception to this is if DLC content is purchased outside of the game, for example, if buying the “Gold Edition.” This allows for that DLC content and that only to be available on both servers.
However, this does not apply to the various “chapters” for the game, the more substantial expansions of Morrowind, Summerset, and Elsweyr. This content continues to be accessible, regardless of which server you use.
As with the platforms themselves, chapter access is account bound. If you had ESO on both PlayStation 4 and PC, you would still need to buy the Elsweyr chapter on PlayStation, despite if you have already done so on your PC account.
ESO Plus
ESO Plus is a subscription service for ESO, which provides specific bonuses for those willing to pay for it on an ongoing basis. Most notably, ESO Plus offers free access to all downloadable content, which are not expansions for free. As it is bound to the account and works on either server, the subscriber can then access all DLC on both accounts. If they are using ESO Plus, giving them a workaround to avoid the problems of them being account bound.
Also, the bonuses from ESO Plus, such as improved bank capacity and experience gain, apply to your account regardless of which server you are playing on.
The in-game currency provided by an ESO Plus subscription, the “crowns,” which are spent in the Crown Store, are also shared between both servers. So if you have 10,000 crowns on the NA server, it will also be 10,000 crowns on the EU server. And if you were to spend 5,000 crowns on the EU server, you would have 5,000 crowns left on both servers.
ESO Plus is also bound to your platform, if you have ESO Plus on PC, you would have to subscribe again for your Xbox One account. The “craft bag” provided by ESO Plus, giving you infinite storage space for all crafting materials, will not share materials from both servers. In effect, you get two craft bags, depending on which server you are playing on at that time.
Summary
So, it’s a little complex, all in all, looking at how cross-platform and server functionality works!
The main thing to keep in mind is that the platforms are hard separations. There is absolutely no crossover at all between them – while the location servers have more differences. In general, everything purchased through the in-game Crown Store is only available on the server it’s purchased on. Still, anything purchased outside of the store, such as the chapter expansions and ESO Plus, will apply to your entire account on that platform.
Sources:
www.elderscollsonline.com
https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/438109/eso-plus-and-eu-na-question