Summary
The Elder Scrolls: Oblivionis 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 ofThe Elder Scrolls: Oblivioncould 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 anticipatedThe Elder Scrolls 6.
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The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion Remake Rumors
Recent rumors for anOblivionremakehave offered a break from the longstanding discourse surroundingThe 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 ofThe Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. It has also been indicated that the project will bebuilt 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 rumoredOblivionremake, with the studio of course being currently busy inthe development of the upcomingStarfield. With Bethesda being involved in other large-scale projects such asThe Elder Scrolls 6, it is hard to ignore the potential impacts that anOblivionremake may have on the future of the franchise.
The Rumored Oblivion Remake is a Double-Edged Sword
The potential benefits of anOblivionremake are clear to see. The title has fallen to the wayside in recent years despite its positive overall reception, withSkyrimgetting the brunt of the franchise’s attention. A running joke has formed regarding the number ofre-releasesSkyrimhas experienced since its original 2011 launch, withOblivionnever having the time to experience any form of post-launch attention beyond a few DLCs.
AnOblivionremake could be the perfect way to introduce a new generation of fans to a belovedElder Scrollstitle, 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 theOblivionremaster could come as soon as 2024 or 2025, meaning the release would likely come beforeThe Elder Scrolls 6. With the current consensus being thatTES 6could release closer to 2030, the rumors may confirm that the next mainline release is further away than expected. If theOblivionrumors are true, then the near future ofThe Elder Scrollsas 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 ofTES 6, anOblivionremake 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-experienceOblivionthrough 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 forThe Elder Scrolls 6.
The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionis available now for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.
MORE:Skyrim Had One Major Impact That The Elder Scrolls 6, Starfield May Not Be Able to Replicate
