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Today we welcome guild leaders Sorries and Hachiko (from Tamriel Homes and Aetherius Art respectively), who both run regular in-game housing competitions for PC-NA/PC-EU that showcase the ingenuity and creativity of the ESO community.
Thank you so much for joining us today! Can you describe the process of organizing ESO housing competitions?
Hachiko: We have a Discord channel where members can leave their suggestions on contest themes and vote for their favorite entries. Most of our contests are open to all the housing community, not just guild members. We also like to get help from streamers across the ESO community. They often share the contest entries during their streams and give the creators the opportunity to show off their incredible builds.
Sorries: We are very community-focused from start to finish. Our guild members suggest the themes, they vote on the themes, they build their contest build, but they vote on the winners as well. This way we have a lot of involvement from our members, and everyone can feel part of the event whether they entered into the contest as a participant or not.
How long have you been putting together ESO housing competitions/showcases?
Sorries: Our guild has been organizing contests quite a while. We’re about as old as the housing system itself! Personally, I started organizing contests and events in March 2020, which was around the time I took over as Guild Leader.
Hachiko: Aetherius Art has been part of the housing community for five years. We usually hold guild activities like little housing contests and tours for people participating to show off their creations. And once per year, we like to put together a big event for our anniversary including awesome prizes for everyone. Because, let's be honest, who wouldn't like a big piece of cake full of gold and gifts?!
What do you think it is that drives ESO players to create such extraordinary builds?
Sorries: I think it’s a creative outlet for a lot of people. There are also a plenty of players who like to make houses for reasons other than just decoration, such as creating a house for roleplaying or an arena for PvP tournaments. Some folks have a competitive spirit when it comes to making houses while others are content to relax and make a happy space for themselves.
Hachiko: Housing is a constant challenge! Players can create beautiful landscapes, complex buildings, or just places to relax. Housing in ESO is a chance to dream up a new world, where the only limit is our creativity!
Yumij’s artwork
Do you have any housing projects of your own that you’re particularly proud of?
Sorries: My Erstwhile Sanctuary. I make a lot of 2D art, miniature houses, and sculptures, and this house is a combination of all three. I made a lot of creatures from stuff like mushrooms, wheat, crystals, and all kinds of other furnishings.
Sorries’ artwork
Hachiko: I love my new Cat Café in Forgemaster Falls. All my Japanese-styled houses have a special place in my heart. I am proud of all my projects, because they remind me how many people I’ve met thanks to housing.
Hachiko’s Cat Cafe
Do you have a personal favorite player-made creation you’ve come across while judging these sorts of competitions?
Hachiko: It is impossible for me to choose only one! There are so many talented people in this community that I could make a list several miles long. All of them deserve a spotlight!
But one person in particular has always inspired me with her work, encouraging me to think outside the box: Futerko. She is a brilliant creator and is always making something original and breathtaking. I mean look at this Mosasaur from Jurassic World, isn't it gorgeous?!
Futerko’s Mosasaur
Sorries: It’s really difficult for me as well … just from the contests we have organized alone, we are nearing 300 entries. On top of that are all the houses I see people showcase within the guild daily, not to mention all the amazing houses people make on other servers and platforms as well.
However, if I had to choose one, I really enjoyed CantStopThisF33ling's Scuttlebloom Village (Bouldertree) from our last contest because it was just so whimsical and quite different from what other people made. I also really appreciated the ones who dare to cram a village into just a staple home or an apartment with limited space and limited slots, because they took a risk.
CantStopThisF33ling's Village
What kind of reception from the wider ESO community have your housing competitions received?
Sorries: After a contest, we usually get a wave of new members. Afterward, I will also get messages from people who were inspired to make their own builds in the theme with their own twists on it. Lots of guild members will also tour them with friends from other guilds or share their homes on the forum and housing catalogs. The participants will set their contest home as their primary so that people from within and outside the guild can easily visit. Streamers will often also showcase the contest homes on stream to reach a broader audience.
Hachiko: We are always overjoyed to see how much this community has grown over time. Whenever we share our ideas and results, we get encouragement from players of different servers and platforms. Thanks to the streamers showcasing the amazing builds of our artists during the contests, a lot of new people get inspiration from them and join the housing community.
Can you give us a sneak peek of what the theme of the next competition is going to be?
Sorries: Next up will be a contest aimed at beginners, so it will be much more accessible and simpler. I am currently taking suggestions from our community for the content’s theme.
However, for our next big housing contest, we will let our community decide again! In my opinion our members are better at deciding what they want to make than what I could decide for them.
Hachiko: With the new High Isle Chapter incoming, everyone is getting really excited for all the new aspects of the game, especially Tales of Tribute. Don't you think it would be wonderful to see how our housing artists challenge this theme in their houses?!
We would like to thank Sorries and Hachiko for taking the time to sit down with us today to share their stories and builds. If you would like to see more from the two recent ESO housing competitions, head on over to Twitter and this Forum thread to check out at all the awesome work on display!
If you know an ESO content creator who you believe deserves to be celebrated with the rest of the #ESOFam, please share them with us via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
