Skyblivion Team Gifted Oblivion Remaster by Bethesda

The Elder Scrolls community is applauding Bethesda today after the developer provided complimentary game keys for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered to the entire team responsible for the popular Skyblivion mod.

In a recent BlueSky post, the Skyblivion team announced Bethesda's outreach to their community. "As huge admirers, we are incredibly thankful for the generous provision of Oblivion Remastered game keys for our entire modding team! This gesture is deeply meaningful to us. Thank you for all your support, Bethesda!"

Skyblivion is an upcoming community-driven recreation of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion developed by the TESRenewal volunteer modding collective. It utilizes Bethesda's Creation Engine to rebuild Oblivion using the framework of its sequel, Skyrim. The project has been in development for over ten years, originally starting as a straightforward port before evolving into a comprehensive remake featuring numerous enhancements and even new material. We spoke with one of its developers back in 2021. Skyblivion is anticipated to launch this year.

Reports indicate that Bethesda and the Skyblivion team have historically maintained "very positive relations," but as speculation about an official Oblivion remaster increased, some community members questioned whether Bethesda was attempting to preempt Skyblivion with its own version due to the coincidentally close release schedules. Several days prior to today's showcase, the Skyblivion team released a statement addressing these worries. They confirmed that Bethesda has "consistently supported community initiatives like ours" and emphasized that "there is no necessity for direct comparisons or a competitive mindset" between the two versions.

It's important to note that Oblivion Remastered does not include official mod support, though enthusiasts have already developed a variety of unofficial modifications mere hours after its release. Furthermore, each version of Oblivion presents distinct characteristics: Skyblivion, for example, is completely unavailable on gaming consoles. Conversely, Oblivion Remastered lacks the new and reimagined content promised by Skyblivion, though Deluxe Edition purchasers receive horse armor DLC at launch. Both iterations offer different visual styles and gameplay experiences, with varying interpretations of how much Skyrim influence should be integrated into the Oblivion framework. Naturally, players can experience Oblivion Remastered immediately, while those anticipating Skyblivion will need to exercise slightly more patience.

During this waiting period, you can explore why certain gamers consider the recent release more of a remake than a remaster and examine Bethesda's reasoning for applying the "Remastered" designation initially.

We have developed an extensive guide covering all content in Oblivion Remastered, featuring a detailed Interactive Map, complete Walkthroughs for the Main Storyline and all Guild Quests, instructions for Creating the Ideal Character, Essential First Steps, and much more.