Highlights
- The potential remake of The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion is gaining traction, offering a fascinating opportunity to experience the game on modern hardware.
- However, the remake rumors raise concerns about potential delays for the highly anticipated The Elder Scrolls 6.
- An Oblivion remake could introduce a new generation of fans to the beloved title, but it may feel like a step backward for those eagerly awaiting The Elder Scrolls 6.
The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion is a title that is remembered fondly by the franchise's community, despite having inevitably aged since its original 2006 release date. This is why recent strong rumors regarding a full remake of the game are gaining traction so fast, with the prospect of experiencing the title built for modern hardware being quite fascinating.
Of course, it is still important to acknowledge the potential pitfalls that a full remake of The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion could bring. While the experience has already captured the attention of many fans, it could mark a significant hold-up to the development and release of the hugely anticipated The Elder Scrolls 6.
The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion Remake Rumors
Recent rumors for an Oblivion remake have offered a break from the longstanding discourse surrounding The Elder Scrolls 6. This news comes from a supposedly leaked development roadmap from the Singapore-based company Virtuos, whose French branch is rumored to be spearheading the project.
The project is currently codenamed Altar, with rumors indicating that it will either concern a remaster or full remake of The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. It has also been indicated that the project will be built within the powerful Unreal Engine 5, indicating the kind of high-fidelity experience that the release is attempting to produce.
The involvement of Virtuos means that Bethesda itself will be largely uninvolved with the rumored Oblivion remake, with the studio of course being currently busy in the development of the upcoming Starfield. With Bethesda being involved in other large-scale projects such as The Elder Scrolls 6, it is hard to ignore the potential impacts that an Oblivion remake may have on the future of the franchise.
The Rumored Oblivion Remake is a Double-Edged Sword
The potential benefits of an Oblivion remake are clear to see. The title has fallen to the wayside in recent years despite its positive overall reception, with Skyrim getting the brunt of the franchise's attention. A running joke has formed regarding the number of re-releases Skyrim has experienced since its original 2011 launch, with Oblivion never having the time to experience any form of post-launch attention beyond a few DLCs.
An Oblivion remake could be the perfect way to introduce a new generation of fans to a beloved Elder Scrolls title, while of course allowing older fans to see the game in a new light on modern hardware. With that being said, there is a more worrying aspect to the remake rumors that needs to be considered.
The rumors indicate that the release of the Oblivion remaster could come as soon as 2024 or 2025, meaning the release would likely come before The Elder Scrolls 6. With the current consensus being that TES 6 could release closer to 2030, the rumors may confirm that the next mainline release is further away than expected. If the Oblivion rumors are true, then the near future of The Elder Scrolls as a franchise would be dominated by the release.
While the involvement of Virtuos means that Bethesda would have more resources to still maintain the development of TES 6, an Oblivion remake would mean Bethesda is confident that a new mainline release is not coming any time soon. It would of course be a joy to re-experience Oblivion through a more modern lens on Unreal Engine 5, yet it may feel like a bittersweet step backwards for fans who have been recently engrossed in anticipation for The Elder Scrolls 6.
The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion is available now for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.