While years of waiting have passed since the initial announcement ofThe Elder Scrolls 6, fans of the series may soon be greeted with news of an entirely different entry instead. It seemed that Bethesda had largely moved on fromThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, but recent rumors have suggested that the beloved RPG receiving a remaster could be the current priority of the studio. Although a return to the trailblazing open-world experience ofThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionwould be a welcome celebration of the franchise’s legacy, news of its development might not be the most promising sign forTES6’s release timeline.
The gap between AAA game entries from major studios has grown in the industry as a whole, but the thirteen years that have passed sinceSkyrimfirst launched have left fans without a new mainline entry for an exceptionally long time. In the face of rumors of an upcoming reveal for aremaster ofThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionat the January 2025 Xbox Developer Direct, the series' community may find itself torn between new and old titles due to the split in resources required from Bethesda.
An Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remaster Could Build Up Two Pillars of the Franchise
Bringing the Land of Cyrodiil Up to Modern Technical Standards
Even though the2006 release ofThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionwas an impressive leap forward in several key areas of technical fidelity for its time, it can hardly be said that the title’s visuals and AI have aged well. A dated art style, stiff animations, and the compromises necessary for the hardware of its era all hold this title back, regardless of the rich depth of its quests and role-playing potential. By allowing it to live up to the current line-up of Bethesda’s catalog, however, a new generation could exploreOblivionwith a similar sense of wonder.
Depending on the engine that the studio chooses to focus on moving forward, anOblivionremaster could serve as a project that emphasizes technical progress over designing original areas and art. This would be ideal for setting the stage for the next numbered title, but it would also requireThe Elder Scrolls 6’s long development cycleto come to an end within a relatively short timeframe, something Bethesda is far from known for, in order to fully capitalize on these advancements.
A Focus on Remasters Has the Potential to Push The Elder Scrolls 6’s Release Even Further Forward
Yet Another Project in the Way of Bethesda’s Long-Awaited Continuation
It’s become clear that the company has its hands full between recent ongoing support forFallout 76andStarfield, both of which have likely consumed significant resources despite the presence of multiple teams at the studio. Frustration after more than2300 days sinceThe Elder Scrolls 6’s announcementis practically guaranteed to keep building if the game doesn’t come sooner than later, with the reveal of anOblivionremaster potentially adding more fuel to the fire. With multiple rereleases ofSkyrimessentially carrying the IP for more than a decade, the revitalization that a brand-new entry could bring to the table is becoming increasingly necessary.
It’s worth noting that a remaster may not require many resources from Bethesda, assuming it’s not giving the remaster to a third-party studio, and so there may not be an impact on the timeline for TES 6’s launch.
While the temptation to revisit a title as legendary asOblivionis understandable, the risk of stagnation needs to be acknowledged ahead of possibly disregarding a faster production for the next game. There’s no doubt that an update to an older title could still be a vehicle for fresh ideas, but fully delving into a new province likeHammerfell or High Rock inThe Elder Scrolls 6is far more primed to live up to the hopes of longtime fans. Despite its clear value in preserving the series, a return to Cyrodiil may be better suited for the time period that followsTES6.
