ESO Community Spotlight – Malacath Makeover Competition

TL;DR

  • A creative ESO player transformed the Malacath head statue into a community-wide makeover competition
  • The contest featured minimal rules but six creative categories to encourage diverse artistic expression
  • Community response was overwhelmingly positive with participants creating surprisingly inventive designs
  • Housing Editor proved to be an incredibly powerful tool for creative expression and item combination
  • The competition demonstrated how simple concepts can inspire deep community engagement

Jonathan transformed the intimidating Malacath head statue from ESO‘s luxury furnishings into a platform for community creativity through his innovative Malacath Makeover contest. This unique event showcased how players could reimagine familiar game assets.

The competition centered around the “Orsinium Statue, Head” furnishing, challenging participants to completely transform Malacath’s appearance using the Housing Editor system.

One remarkable aspect was the minimal rule structure—organizers trusted the community’s creative judgment without extensive restrictions. The primary guideline focused contestants on decorating the existing head structure rather than constructing additional body elements.

Based on community feedback, six distinct categories were established to encourage diverse creative approaches:

•Craziest hairdo

•Most terrifying

•Goofiest

•Least Malacathy

•Best facial hair

•Most creative

What inspired you to run such a wonderfully weird competition with your ESO community?

As a dedicated Guild Leader, I constantly seek engaging events that can involve broad community participation. My co-leader Stormahawk, who also happens to be my real-life partner, had been showcasing her Pariah’s Pinnacle residence, which featured extensive orc-themed decorations including the distinctive “Orsinium Statue, Head” from the luxury furnisher.

Her creative placement of glowstalks and crystals on Malacath’s head to create an amusing hairstyle sparked the idea. I began wondering what other imaginative transformations players could achieve using the massive statue head as their artistic canvas.

How did your ESO community react to the competition?

The overwhelming community sentiment was enthusiastic amusement—participants found the contest delightfully absurd and therefore irresistible. We received numerous submissions from my guild networks as well as broader ESO community members. Even non-participants eagerly anticipated viewing the creative entries.

Final feedback highlighted how the event provided both entertainment and inspiration, with many expressing astonishment at the quality and diversity of submissions.

Do you have a favorite entry?

The diversity of artistic styles and technical approaches truly impressed me. With so many inventive interpretations, selecting a single favorite proved challenging.

JusticePlague’s sea-themed “Aquaman” creation demonstrated exceptional execution quality. This build featured masterful lighting techniques, precise item positioning, and innovative facial hair usage that completely altered Malacath’s expression from fearsome to contemplative. The unexpected addition of starfish attached to the head’s rear perfectly complemented the aquatic theme.

Malacath is the Daedric Prince of outsiders and is closely associated with Tamriel’s Orcs. Were you concerned about angering the powerful god and his followers by running this competition?

Definitely. Malacath’s reputation for vengeance is well-documented, making his potential displeasure a genuine concern. Certain followers actively oppose “beautiful people,” so enhancing Malacath’s appearance could indeed pose risks.

However, participants could take comfort knowing that regardless of external decorations, Malacath’s fundamental nature remained unchanged internally.

Best Facial Hair

Most Terrifying Winners

What other Daedric Princes do you think could do with a makeover?

While most Daedric Princes maintain distinctive styles, Molag Bal’s aesthetic could benefit from enhancement—his horns present excellent opportunities for decorative additions.

Hermaeus Mora also emerges as a prime candidate for transformation, potentially sporting elegant headwear or creatively manipulating furnishings with his numerous tentacles.

Goofiest & Craziest Hairdo Winners

How long have you been playing ESO? Do you have a favorite character you enjoy playing the most?

I’ve been immersed in ESO since 2015, accumulating over 300 days of active gameplay. The world offers endless exploration opportunities, and Guild Traders consistently provide compelling deals requiring regular monitoring.

My preferred character remains my Nord Stamina Templar, who has successfully completed most veteran content and provides valuable support in PvP scenarios.

However, equipped with an elaborate golden Minotaur helmet, I primarily communicate through bovine sounds and employ the /bullhorns emote toward other players. The distinctive cow headpiece symbolizes my optimistic perspective on the in-game economic systems.

Least Malacathy & Most Creative Winners

Is the Housing Editor and Homestead system a big part of your daily ESO experience?

Absolutely—I’m deeply passionate about housing systems. I’ve mastered nearly all furnishing blueprints and actively collect distinctive decorations from guild merchants. The purpose of accumulating 500+ trout remains an intriguing mystery.

My ability to host this Malacath transformation event stemmed from strategic preparation—I acquired multiple heads last October during their limited weekend availability from Zanil Theran, the luxury furnishing vendor.

The Housing Editor represents an extraordinarily versatile creative instrument. Beyond enabling personalized home decoration that reflects individual aesthetics or creates realistic living spaces, it facilitates item combination to generate entirely new imaginative constructions.

Special appreciation goes to Jonathan for sharing his entertaining competition with our community.

Action Checklist

  • Acquire Malacath head statues during limited availability windows from luxury furnishers
  • Study Housing Editor mechanics and practice item placement techniques
  • Establish clear but minimal competition guidelines focusing on creative freedom
  • Create diverse categories to encourage various artistic approaches and skill levels
  • Promote across multiple guilds and community channels for maximum participation

No reproduction without permission:OnLineGames Guides » ESO Community Spotlight – Malacath Makeover Competition Discover how one player transformed ESO's Malacath statue into a creative community competition with surprising results