ZeniMax, the studio behind Elder Scrolls Online, is working on a brand new IP

A brand new title from ZeniMax Online Studios has been in development since 2018. Here’s all the information currently surrounding the project, following a podcast appearance from the studio’s Creative Director Ben Jones.

The details:

• ZeniMax’s Creative Director, Ben Jones, joined Mark Garcia of Majestyk on his ‘Product Builders’ podcast in October 2022 (as spotted by @bogorad222 on Twitter) to discuss product development in the gaming industry. During the podcast, Jones shared some rather minor—but interesting—details on the production of ZeniMax’s new IP, such as the size of its development team.
• According to Jones, the project’s staff are located worldwide and number just under 200 people — 50 of whom fall under his leadership on the design team. He added that around 100 of the game’s staff work remotely.
• Jones also stated that the title is a "considerable investment and a very large-scope project,” which matches up with what we’ve seen in past mentions and job listings posted by ZeniMax over the last few years.
• Whilst development marches on for this new IP, ZeniMax continues to support its popular MMORPG, The Elder Scrolls Online, which recently received its most recent DLC offering called ‘Firesong,’ where the game’s ‘Legacy of the Bretons’ storyline will reach its climax.

A new engine:

• In June 2019, the Game Director for The Elder Scrolls Online, Matt Firor, provided some information about ZeniMax’s upcoming IP during an interview with Official Xbox Magazine — the game will be powered by a new in-house engine.
• "Not a lot of people have picked up on this, but if you look on our job site you'll see that we are accepting applications for people to work on a new engine for a new AAA game,” Firor said. “So yes, we have ideas, but we're committed to ESO for as long as it takes.”
• It’s expected that this new title will eventually find its way onto current-gen Xbox consoles, as well as Windows PCs due to Microsoft’s $7.5 billion acquisition of ZeniMax that was finalized in March 2021.

With a large-scale project on the way and an active MMO to maintain, ZeniMax has multiple job openings in Maryland, remotely, and at satellite studios across the US. You can check out all of the company’s active listings here on Hitmarker.