The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivionis one of the most beloved RPGs of all time, managing to both encapsulate the challenging difficulty and unique progression systems of Bethesda’s earlier RPG efforts and the slew of accessible mechanics that now dominate the genre. It’s no surprise then that a remake has been rumored to be in the works, one that will bring the gorgeous and richly detailed world of Cyrodiil to life through the power of the now go-to game engine, Unreal Engine 5.
Fans have alreadyrecreatedOblivionin UE5, or at least parts of it, but this is set to be an official remake, one that brings the entire game and all of its iconic quests to a modern audience. However,while it is absolutely exciting thatOblivionis allegedly getting a remake, it could also be a bad sign for fans. An officialOblivionremake could end up stepping on the toes of a far more ambitious project and see it canceled should it end up becoming a reality.
The Oblivion Remake Is Exciting For Fans
It Will Revitalize One Of The Best RPGs
TheOblivionremake was first revealed back in 2020 in leaked FTC documents from Xbox during thecontroversial Activision Blizzard buyout. Back then, the documents stated that both aFallout 3andOblivionremaster were due to be released in 2022, something that later never transpired. However,it is believed that these remasters - or at least theOblivionone - were delayed to become full remakes, with the intention of releasing them in 2025. Since then, more and more evidence pointing to anOblivionremake being real has come out.
Most notably, Oleksii Moskovchenko, the technical art director at the support studio Virtuos, which has been rumored to be behind theOblivionremake, posted about working on a UE5 remake on his LinkedIn profile. Of course, this remake is great news forOblivionfans, as, while the original game is regarded as one ofthe greatest RPGsof all time, it can feel a little dated now.The remake will likely not only feature better visuals but offer improvements to the general gameplayto update it for those who have grown accustomed to more complex combat and quest design.
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It also finally gives Nintendo fans a chance to try it out, as the remake is rumored to be coming to the Switch 2 after the originalOblivionskipped the Switchentirely. No matter how fans look at it,anOblivionremake on next-gen consoles is no-brainer and a great way for Bethesda to win back fansafter many have found itsrecent releases a little underwhelming. However, there is another project in the works that this remake could threaten, and it has every chance of not just releasing before Bethesda’s attempt, but also beating it in every way.
Skyblivion Is A Free Mod That’s Remaking Oblivion
It Has Almost Finished Production
Skyblivionis a fan-made recreation ofOblivionwithinSkyrim- hence the name. It has been in production for over a decade, withvolunteers and fans coming together to literally recreate every asset, location, quest, enemy, and more fromOblivionwhile adding a slew of new features. Throughout its development, a plethora of gameplay footage and progress videos have been released, giving fans a look at what they can expect and when they can expect it, while also showcasing the many ways it isbetter thanOblivion.
There is a lot of new content coming toSkyblivionthat never appeared inOblivion, including new music, expanded cities, and pieces of cut content from the original game. This will make it the definitive version ofOblivion, as it will offer a more expansive experience while still retaining all the quests and mechanics that madeOblivionso great in the first place. All players will need to install and playSkyblivionis a legitimate copy ofOblivion GOTY Deluxe EditionandSkyrim: Special Edition, both of which are either frequently on sale or already sold for a reduced price.
The mod itself, like all mods, is completely free, meaning that people who want to experience its expanded version of Cyrodil with improved visuals that are even better than vanillaSkyrimwon’t have a small, if any, entry cost. This is in stark contrast to an officially produced AAA UE5 remake ofOblivion, which, at the very least, will cost around $40, although it is far more likely to cost upwards of $70. So,it is hard to imagine that, should the remake be real and release after or even slightly beforeSkyblivion, Bethesda would be happy.
Bethesda’s Oblivion Remake Could Come At The Cost Of Skyblivion
It Might Shut The Mod Down To Avoid Hurting Sales
If theOblivionremake ends up being real and Bethesda charge a lot of money for it, then there’s a possibility that the entirely freeSkyblivionmod could be shut down in order to avoid potential competition. Of course,there are a lot of reasons to feel reassured that Bethesda would do the right thing and keepSkyblivionup. For example, a lot of players aren’t aware ofSkyblivionor may not be well-versed in the modding scene and would rather invest money in the official remake to avoid having to deal with downloading and installing a mod.
Additionally, Bethesda has always been encouraging of its modding community and has acknowledged just how important it is to its games.Skyrimhas only remained in the zeitgeist this long thanks to the hard work of its modders. However, while Bethesda may leaveSkyblivionalone, should it become successful, then it would have a good reason to put an end to it. Mods likeFallout Londondon’t pose as big of an issue, despitebeing better than Bethesda’s gamesand ones that completely change the game, because Bethesda has no plans to release its own version of them.
However, ifSkyblivionbegins taking sales away from Bethesda, as it’s a free alternative, then it may consider having it removed. This would, naturally, be a huge blow to fans, especially if the remake fails to add the many innovative changes thatSkyblivionhas promised fans. Of course, it’s worth noting that,from a completely legal perspective,Skyblivionhas every right to exist. The developers have purposefully rebuilt everything from scratch so that it doesn’t infringe on any copyright issues. Furthermore, Bethesda doesn’t have a track record of taking down mods, even when they’re more popular than the base game.
The Elder Scrolls 6 Needs To Learn This Important Lesson From 2024’s Best RPG
There are a lot of important lessons that The Elder Scrolls 6 can learn from 2024’s best RPG, especially when it comes to immersive world design.
That doesn’t mean it’s above removing it if it deems it a threat, but it is likely that Bethesda will simply leave it alone and just avoid promoting it. Ultimately, this is an issue of poor timing more than anything. The team behindSkyblivionhas taken a long time to develop it thanks to a lack of funding and volunteers, and Bethesda’s rumoredOblivionremake is gearing up for a launch when hype for its games is at a low point. However, should both games find a way to coexist, thenOblivionfans will be happy in 2025 and beyond.
