(Image credit: The Elder Scrolls Renewal Project / Bethesda Game Studios)
The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered has been released as an official remaster of the beloved 2006 RPG from Bethesda Game Studios. This sudden arrival, however, doesn’t hinder the progress of fan-made initiatives like Skyblivion.
The Elder Scrolls Renewal Project has significantly progressed from its early days of recreating Morrowind with Oblivion’s engine, known as Morroblivion. Released in 2010, this endeavor led to the ambitious ongoing efforts of Skyblivion and Skywind, projects focused on bringing back Bethesda’s pre-Skyrim classics with the sophistication of the Creation Engine.
Skyblivion and Skywind have been in development for over a decade. Nevertheless, the fruits of their labor are due soon, with a release for Skyblivion planned for 2025. Despite Bethesda and Virtuos Games launching their official remaster, the Skyblivion developers remain unfazed. Rebelzize, Skyblivion’s lead developer, recently shared with GamesRadar+ that the team felt a “very positive reaction” to the remaster reveal, an event they experienced together on Discord.
When addressing how Oblivion Remastered affects Skyblivion, Rebelzize states, “For now, it changes nothing about our plans. We intend to release it this year still.” Both Skyblivion and the remaster can comfortably coexist, delighting fans who long for more Elder Scrolls content. Rebelzize believes, “I think there is room for both a remake and a remaster.”
He elaborates on the significant time invested, the creative rethinking involved, and his satisfaction with their achievements. “The project has already paid off tenfold. I’ve learned a lot from working on it and made close friends. The release is just a bonus.”
The future appears bright beyond the launch of Skyblivion. Rebelzize promises further outcomes, stating, “We will keep working on bug fixes and the DLC after the release.” The anticipation of experiencing Knights of the Nine and The Shivering Isles in the updated engine echoes through the community.
Rebelzize sums it up aptly, “Only time will tell what’s happening.” There could be new developments utilizing Oblivion Remastered in the future, but as of now, everything seems possible. It’s encouraging to hear that Bethesda’s remaster hasn’t deterred the team’s momentum. Players, as suggested by the project developers, ultimately benefit from having both Skyblivion and Oblivion Remastered in the same year. Rebelzize proudly disclosed that Skyblivion, “always was a passion project and still is.”
The excitement for Bethesda’s remaster is shared among the Skyblivion team, who were generously provided with keys for the new RPG by Bethesda. Oblivion Remastered has emerged as much more than a simple remaster, prompting one ex-Bethesda developer to suggest it “almost needs its own word” and propose “Oblivion 2.0” as a fitting description.