In a surprising turn of events, rumors are circulating that there could be a remake ofThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionin the works, aiming for a 2025 release. This is largely shocking because of how busy Bethesda is likely to be with the production ofTheElder Scrolls 6, and the studio also isn’t known for making remakes. Re-releases and light remasters, as is the case withSkyrimandFallout 4’s next-gen update, are not uncommon, but a full remake seems like a strange move, especially if it is coming in 2025 without much lead-up beforehand.
Oblivionitself is nineteen years old now, releasing in the early stages of the Xbox 360 and PS3 era. Games far younger have received remakes, andThe Elder Scrollsseries hasn’t had a Bethesda-made entry since that console generation (aside from re-releases ofSkyrim), so it isn’t like this move doesn’t make sense.It simply seems odd for Bethesda, a company not known for its remakes, and it could face some fan-made competition thanks to a remake ofOblivion inSkyrim’s engine that’s been in the works for years.
There Are Rumors That Oblivion Will Get A Remake In 2025
But Almost Nothing Is Known About It
Although I am a bigElder Scrollsfan from a lore perspective and have played ultra-moddedSkyrimmore times than I care to count, I have never visitedOblivion,Morrowind, or any otherElder Scrollsgames, largely experiencing the games through memes and watching my friends play through them.They look like great games, but they’re also products of their time,and Bethesda’s approach to graphics and game design shifted significantly withSkyrim. Therumors around anOblivionremakeshould be right up my street, especially since it already feels more tangible thanES6.
Oblivionis named after the realm of the same name, which the Daedra call home, but the game largely takes place in Cyrodil.
UnlikeES6, a lot more is known aboutOblivion, andseeing the Imperial City with modern graphics would be a sight to behold. All the same, I do have some fears regarding the remake, largely due toStarfield.Starfieldwas made using the Creation Engine 2, a new engine that hasn’t exactly impressed with its visuals. Remakes are often scrutinized for their graphical fidelity, considering how good some can look, like theResident EvilorFinal Fantasy 7remakes, and Bethesda doesn’t seem like it can deliver on that front, even if the engine has wacky physics that players love.
IfBethesda is the one remakingOblivion, it will presumably use the Creation Engine 2, butStarfieldmakes it seem like theOblivionremake could fall below expectations from a graphical standpoint. Bethesda likewise isn’t known for great gameplay mechanics, and while literally anything it puts out now will play better than using the weightless paddlesOblivioncalls swords, mediocrity is less accepted, especially sinceSkyrim’s combat can be modded into something quite exceptional. This wouldn’t be a problem if fans weren’t already trying to bringObliviontoSkyrim.
Fan Project Skyblivion Might Eclipse Bethesda’s Work
And Fan Projects Have Already Wowed Players More Than Bethesda Has Recently
It’s probably not too far-fetched to say thatSkyrimhas one of the best modding communities around, andSkyblivionis a great example of this. As detailed on the officialSkyblivionwebsite, the remake ofOblivionin theSkyrimenginehas been in the works for thirteen years, but it’s finally eyeing a release in 2025. As someone who has been following the project since 2017, I’m very excited about this project. I would argue that it is more exciting than the official remake for several reasons.
Fallout: Londonis a total conversion mod forFallout 4, and is just as big as the base game.
For one,Skybliviononly requiresSkyrim SEandOblivion GOTY Edition Deluxe, making it considerably cheaper than the $70 that Bethesda could easily charge for its remake. Bethesda’s remake will probably end up on Xbox Game Pass, but as someone who doesn’t bother with Game Pass, I prefer just paying forOblivionwhen a Steam sale rolls around. Another advantage is the sheer work that has been put into improvingSkyrimby the modding community to help it keep up with modern games, and a lot of this infrastructure can be used to improveSkybliviontoo.
The Elder Scrolls 6 Leaks Offer New Info, But Fans Are Skeptical Of A Few Key Details
New leaks could prove to be big for Elder Scrolls 6, however, fans are a bit skeptical over the “improbable” release date given the lack of updates.
Using the ENB series or community shaders will help the game look better, and after some time, Lux patches could be made to improve lighting.Other mod authors will probably come in with mesh improvements and texture updates, although that’s not to say thatSkybliviondoesn’t already look great. As seen in the latest gameplay demo, available fromRebelzizeon YouTube, it looks far better thanSkyrimdoes, and experienced modders will be able to implement something like MCO and Nemesis to improve the combat.
I Know What I’m Getting With Skyblivion
There’s a lot that’s still unknown regarding the rumored Bethesda remake ofOblivion,including what it plans to do with combat, character creation, and the magic systems. It could be streamlined like withSkyrimor kept true to the source, but because Bethesda hasn’t made anElder Scrollsgame since 2011, we don’t know what direction it will go in and whetherOblivionwill follow that direction. Frustratingly,ES6still only has one trailer seven yearson, and while I have theories regarding its setting, it remains officially unconfirmed.
Elder Scrolls Online was developed by ZeniMax Online Studios, a subsidiary of Bethesda’s parent company, rather than Bethesda Game Studios itself.
Bethesda is in a bit of a lull at the moment, andI find it hard to trust its quality afterStarfield. Meanwhile,Skyblivionis a project that fans have poured love into for thirteen years. Gameplay has been shown extensively, the development process has been well documented, and it’s a reality that I can trust more than anOblivionremake that’s full of unknowns. As someone who loves moddingSkyrimtoo, I’m confident that I can further customizeSkyblivionto my preferences in a way that I might not be able to with theBethesdaOblivionremake.
If You’re Sick Of Waiting For Elder Scrolls 6, One Skyrim Mod Is The Perfect 2025 Alternative
The long wait for The Elder Scrolls 6 never seems to end, but Skyrim mods are always there to make this wait feel just a little more bearable.
Either way, it looks likeThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionis making a big comeback in 2025, something that was not on my bingo card at the start of the year. The official remake is likely something better for more mainstream fans, especially because it will be available on consoles.Skyblivionwill be PC only, but as someone accustomed to modding and has followed the development for a long time,Skyblivionpersonally suits me better. Having a choice between twoOblivionremakes does feel strange, and at any rate, it givesElder Scrollsfans more than the crumbs they’ve had for seven years.
Source:Skyblivion.com,YouTube: Rebelzize - SKYBLIVION Live Gameplay Demo and Q&A
