Is Elder Scrolls Online Set After Skyrim?

No, The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) is set about 950-1000 years before the events of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. ESO takes place in the Second Era in the year 2E 582, while Skyrim takes place in the Fourth Era in the year 4E 201. So ESO serves as a prequel to Skyrim and other more recent Elder Scrolls games.

The Elder Scrolls Timeline Explained

To understand how ESO and Skyrim relate, we need to break down the complex Elder Scrolls timeline spread across various eras:

As we can see, ESO is set in 2E 582, towards the end of the Second Era, approximately 950 years before Skyrim, which starts in 4E 201.

Morrowind and Oblivion serve as sequels to ESO while also being set before Skyrim, in the Third Era. So the timeline flows ESO > Morrowind/Oblivion > Skyrim.

How Does ESO Gameplay Compare to Skyrim?

While all set in the fantasy world of Tamriel, ESO and Skyrim differ quite a bit when it comes to actual gameplay:

As an MMORPG, ESO offers a very different style of gameplay focused on persistent online world, social interaction, expansive lore, and large group content.

Meanwhile, Skyrim delivers on the classic open-ended single-player Elder Scrolls experience with freeform exploration and character building.

Both serve different purposes for different gamers – ESO for online multiplayer, Skyrim for offline immersion.

Is ESO Worth Playing in 2023?

With consistent expansions and updates, ESO remains incredibly popular even in 2023, 9 years after its initial release:

• Over 20 million players have played ESO since launch
• Average daily players in Q3 2022 was over 15% higher year-over-year
• The 2022 High Isle expansion drew over 1 million new players
• Major content updates still arriving like 2023‘s Necrom DLC and Chapter

So based on the statistics, ESO seems to only be growing stronger with age. Gamers praise ESO for its immersive Elder Scrolls world, regularly updated end-game content, and thriving social environment.

As a long-time MMORPG gamer myself, I highly recommend ESO in 2023, especially for fans of Elder Scrolls lore and world building. The online Elder Scrolls experience is quite unique and worth diving into.

How Has Tamriel Changed Between ESO and Skyrim Eras?

Having played hundreds of hours in both ESO and Skyrim across a thousand years of Tamriel history, the changes to this fantasy world are fascinating to analyze from a lore perspective.

Some examples of how Tamriel has transformed:

• Morrowind goes from exotic foreign land to volcano ravaged province
• Cyrodiil transitions from medieval human kingdom to seat of Empire
• Technology advances rapidly – even common items like books scarce in ESO
• Imperial reign collapses after Oblivion crisis, leaving fractured nations in Skyrim era
• Gods like Tribunal and Talos emerge, altering religious landscape

Additionally, choices we make as heroes in ESO could have subtle impacts on the events and power balances playing out in future games. For example, decisions that strengthen or undermine certain factions may trace consequences far into the future according to Elder Scrolls metaphysics!

As a lore scholar, investigating these effects spanning eras of history makes journeying across both games incredibly rewarding.

Conclusion: ESO Greatly Expands the Elder Scrolls Experience

In summary – ESO and Skyrim deliver two distinct, complementary Elder Scrolls journeys united by a common deep fantasy universe. ESO brings this world into the online multiplayer space for continued shared adventures, while retaining the signature lore and feel fans expect.

And with consistent content updates and a thriving 2023 player population, now remains a perfect time to explore the Second Era for yourself if you haven‘t already – trust me, it‘s worth it fellow gamer! Let me know if you have any other questions.