In a surprising turn of events, rumors are circulating that there could be a remake of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion in the works, aiming for a 2025 release. This is largely shocking because of how busy Bethesda is likely to be with the production of The Elder Scrolls 6, and the studio also isn't known for making remakes. Re-releases and light remasters, as is the case with Skyrim and Fallout 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.

Oblivion itself is nineteen years old now, releasing in the early stages of the Xbox 360 and PS3 era. Games far younger have received remakes, and The Elder Scrolls series hasn't had a Bethesda-made entry since that console generation (aside from re-releases of Skyrim), 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 of Oblivion in Skyrim'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 big Elder Scrolls fan from a lore perspective and have played ultra-modded Skyrim more times than I care to count, I have never visited Oblivion, Morrowind, or any other Elder Scrolls games, 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 with Skyrim. The rumors around an Oblivion remake should be right up my street, especially since it already feels more tangible than ES6.

Oblivion is named after the realm of the same name, which the Daedra call home, but the game largely takes place in Cyrodil.

Unlike ES6, a lot more is known about Oblivion, and seeing 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 to Starfield. Starfield was 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 the Resident Evil or Final Fantasy 7 remakes, and Bethesda doesn't seem like it can deliver on that front, even if the engine has wacky physics that players love.

If Bethesda is the one remaking Oblivion, it will presumably use the Creation Engine 2, but Starfield makes it seem like the Oblivion remake 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 paddles Oblivion calls swords, mediocrity is less accepted, especially since Skyrim's combat can be modded into something quite exceptional. This wouldn't be a problem if fans weren't already trying to bring Oblivion to Skyrim.

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 that Skyrim has one of the best modding communities around, and Skyblivion is a great example of this. As detailed on the official Skyblivion website, the remake of Oblivion in the Skyrim engine has 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: London is a total conversion mod for Fallout 4, and is just as big as the base game.

For one, Skyblivion only requires Skyrim SE and Oblivion 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 , but as someone who doesn't bother with Game , I prefer just paying for Oblivion when a Steam sale rolls around. Another advantage is the sheer work that has been put into improving Skyrim by the modding community to help it keep up with modern games, and a lot of this infrastructure can be used to improve Skyblivion too.

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 that Skyblivion doesn't already look great. As seen in the latest gameplay demo, available from Rebelzize on YouTube, it looks far better than Skyrim does, and experienced modders will be able to implement something like MCO and Nemesis to improve the combat.

There Are Advantages To Playing Skyblivion Instead Of The Oblivion Official Remake

I Know What I'm Getting With Skyblivion

There's a lot that's still unknown regarding the rumored Bethesda remake of Oblivion, including what it plans to do with combat, character creation, and the magic systems. It could be streamlined like with Skyrim or kept true to the source, but because Bethesda hasn't made an Elder Scrolls game since 2011, we don't know what direction it will go in and whether Oblivion will follow that direction. Frustratingly, ES6 still only has one trailer seven years on, 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, and I find it hard to trust its quality after Starfield. Meanwhile, Skyblivion is 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 an Oblivion remake that's full of unknowns. As someone who loves modding Skyrim too, I'm confident that I can further customize Skyblivion to my preferences in a way that I might not be able to with the Bethesda Oblivion remake.

Either way, it looks like The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion is 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. Skyblivion will be PC only, but as someone accustomed to modding and has followed the development for a long time, Skyblivion personally suits me better. Having a choice between two Oblivion remakes does feel strange, and at any rate, it gives Elder Scrolls fans more than the crumbs they've had for seven years.

Source: Skyblivion.com, YouTube: Rebelzize - SKYBLIVION Live Gameplay Demo and Q&A