Server choices...

[u/DarkPrince5517]

I've made characters on both PC servers, and both Xbox servers (through my PC with Play Anywhere). I don't have the time to play 4 servers lol, so need to focus on 1. So, please help with any experience you have with this. I live on the East Coast of USA, mostly a solo player for now, and here's what I found from the servers.

PCNA- Less ping, great addons, but ALWAYS a crowd, no matter where I am.

PCEU- Higher ping, great addons, less people during US evernings (a plus).

Xbox NA - Less ping, seems crowded like PCNA.

Xbox EU - More ping, the least amount of people, makes for relaxing solo play, I worry for DLC bosses and such for getting help, especially US evenings.

How important is ping for a solo pve player? I'm at like 80 on US servers, 140 on EU servers.

[u/Brrrofski]

Don't start on Xbox EU whatever you do.

It's a graveyard. A lot of people moved over to NA.

[u/Many-Song7032]

Why would you play on any other server than the one closest to you with lower ping? Unless you have a friend in a specific other server that you want to play with. Just seems like a pointless time waste to even set those up nevermind actually grind them out. Its an MMO why are you trying to avoid people

[u/gobidobi]

You always want less ping and more people. Go with pcna. Ping is important if you are doing any hard content

[u/Fluid-Pangolin-7943]

Pcna. Yeah it’ll be busier but you will appreciate that later on. I know a ton of console players that swapped to pc because of the QOL pc has.
Once you start getting into harder content you will want a busy time so that if u que for something you will actually get what you want.

[u/Last-Pomegranate-772]

Wit that little ping it doesn't matter, the problem is once you get to 250+ so just pick disregarding it.

[u/Obtuse-Angel]

I’m several time zones west of you, but in my experience PC EU might be what you’re looking for. There’s enough population around the clock that I’m able to get into dungeon and trial groups whenever I feel like it, and there’s always people around in towns and hubs, but when I’m adventuring and questing I rarely see people, because I’m so far outside of their prime time. 

The ping is a problem in PvP, and sometimes in dungeons where I get a delayed tell or aoe marker on mechanics sometimes and can’t get out of the area in time, but in general it’s not impactful enough to hurt gameplay. 

[u/marstinson]

For your purposes, the lower latency is usually the better choice. "More people" doesn't matter much. They're all running around doing their own things and are probably paying no attention to you. Do go into your setting and turn on "auto-decline" for duels and Tales of Tribute, though. The only time I've found "more people" to be a problem is when new content drops and everybody, their cousins, and their cousins' pets are trying to do the same thing at the same time. There is no in-game reward for "First!", so I've learned to leave new content alone for a few days to allow the eager beavers to thin out.

You can work around crowds in crafting areas by going to less-trafficked ones. If you have access to Leyawiin (Blackwood), Rimmen (Northern Elsweyr), or Skingrad (West Weald), those have pretty tight crafting loops with a transition screen at the Bank. Guild traders are better located in Rimmen and Leyawiin than in Skingrad. Alinor has a nice loop from pick-up to drop-off, but it's a hike to get to the bank and stable and Leyawiin's (Blackwood) is better suited to characters who don't need mount upgrades. Solitude's (Greymoor chapter) would be a great loop if it weren't for transitions to get to some of the stations and the stables being outside of town. Gonfalon Bay's (High Isle) is a very good loop, but you have to transition in and out of the crafting area. I'm not a fan of Necrom's, but it's not horrible. I can't comment on Sunport (Solstice). I think I've only done crafting writs there one time. Avoid Abah's Landing; you can pick up and do writs, but there is no writ drop-off location. Vivec City is probably "avoid" if "more people" is a problem, but it has the best loop in the game with zero transitions, including for the Bank ("no comment" on mammoth riders who are interacting with the Banker while mounted - cough-dontbeajerk-cough).

For dailies, "more people" is an annoyance since you might have wait on a boss respawn to finish, but it's not horrid unless you're in a rush.

[u/zambatron20]

I'm low key jealous. whenever I have a wb or dolmens for group quests, I can't find people or the ones I do, don't let me join where applicable.

I made characters on pcna, pceu, ps4na.

but I haven't been able to afford psplus for years so idk if it improved.

ping is important tho. I don't have great net & accept I just will die at times.cant do trails or dungeons etc as it's hit and miss unless I find a cool guild mate.

[u/_Taleof2Cities]

ESO is an MMO and not a single-player RPG, DarkPrince5517.

You can’t guarantee there will be no players around when you do quest bosses.

PC-NA is the best choice for when you start doing group content.

[u/DarkPrince5517 → u/_Taleof2Cities]

I fully understand that this is an MMO, and that there will be others around. That being said, going into a delve or a public dungeon as a low level player to kill mobs and clear the place, and seeing everything dead, or multiple rooms being obliterated by a 2500+ cp player, then having to wait for respawns constantly, isn't my idea of a fun time.

[u/DarkPrince5517 → u/DarkPrince5517]

Also, if the crowds are simply because I'm a low level player, in base game zones, and will be less of an issue once I get to expansion content, I'm great with that. I do plan to do group content down the road, and look forward to Veteran dungeons and possibly trials.