The Elder Scrolls Online

VS

Dune: Awakening

The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) is a major MMORPG developed by ZeniMax Online Studios and published by Bethesda. Released in 2014, it has maintained a strong player base through regular major expansions and updates. Although its peak concurrent userbase was higher after launch and at key expansion drops, it remains one of the top MMORPGs with a healthy, active population across PC and consoles. Based on industry knowledge and typical MMO retention with major publisher support, a current estimate of 120,000 daily players is reasonable.

As of late August 2025, Dune: Awakening had approximately 14,000 concurrent players, reflecting a significant decline from its peak of over 189,000 concurrent players shortly after launch in June 2025. This decrease is attributed to factors such as player burnout, game design issues, and technical problems. Despite these challenges, the developers remain optimistic, citing strong player retention and a 10-year development roadmap that includes plans to explore new planets and regions within the Dune universe. ([gamesradar.com](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/mmo/dune-awakening-dev-says-player-retention-has-been-extremely-good-and-the-mmos-10-year-plan-still-has-so-much-to-pull-from-in-the-lore-well-go-to-new-planets-eventually/?utm_source=openai))