We never thought we’d be saying this about something from under Bethesda’s umbrella, but Nintendo and Sony, take notes. Yesterday, the Skyrim-maker announced – and then released – The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, only days after the game ‘leaked’ online. And yes, the original sin, the microtransaction that started it all, has returned. Don’t worry. It’s all a part of the base game, no additional purchase required.
Riding into Oblivion (in style)
Unless, of course, you’re looking to drop an extra $20 for some new horse armour. No, seriously. Bethesda, likely grinning from ear to ear when it dreamed up this idea, confirmed that Oblivion Remastered would sell for $50 (R1,050) and include all the original game’s DLC. Considering the original game’s two story DLCs plus the original horse armour, it’s an easy win. Pick up the deluxe edition, and you’ll get even more threads for your little pony.
While the name implies nothing more than a ‘simple’ remaster, this isn’t technically the case. Virtuos, the company handling the remaster, remade the title in Unreal Engine 5, giving it that golden 4K sheen seen in the trailer. More realistic shadows can be seen in and around Cyrodiil, while every asset was remade from scratch. Hell, even the dodgy lip-syncs of the original have seen a buff, with new voice lines recorded.
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Oblivion Remastered is officially out on PS5, Xbox Series X/S (including Game Pass), and PC – although according to leaker eXtas1stv, the company is working to bring it to Nintendo’s next-gen hardware ASAP. Here’s hoping it’s ready by the time the console launches in June, though it’ll likely have to make do with weaker graphics and performance.
After the catastrophe that was Starfield, it’s clear that Bethesda was looking for a safe bet to hold its fanbase over ’til it’s finally ready to show off The Elder Scrolls VI, whenever that is. If a true Skyrim sequel truly is still years away, we might see the return of the Fallout franchise, at least judging by Todd Howard’s teasing comments on the subject of more remasters.
