"Oblivion Remastered Reintroduces Paid Horse Armor DLC"

In 2006, Bethesda was basking in the success of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. To keep the fans engaged and returning to Cyrodiil, the developer began releasing small paid DLC packages. However, their first venture into this territory in April of that year—the horse armor DLC—stirred up unexpected controversy. Priced at 200 Microsoft Points on the Xbox 360 Marketplace, which equated to roughly $2.50, the Horse Armor Pack was seen as essentially useless, causing a significant uproar in the gaming community.

Fast forward to 2025, and cosmetic upgrades like the infamous horse armor have become a staple in the industry. Bethesda has playfully revisited this concept with the release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. Announced alongside a surprise launch, the remaster offers both a base and a deluxe edition. For an additional $10, the deluxe edition includes new quests for unique armors, extra weapon options, a digital artbook, a soundtrack app, and, of course, two sets of horse armor.

Fan reactions have been largely positive, with many finding humor in Bethesda's willingness to poke fun at what was once a major scandal. The gaming landscape has evolved significantly since 2006, and players are now accustomed to spending money on cosmetic enhancements. As Circana analyst Mat Piscatella noted on BlueSky, U.S. consumers spent over $10.4 billion on digital add-ons for PC and console games in 2024. "Horse Armor walked so Battle Passes could run," he remarked, highlighting the evolution of in-game purchases.

PAID HORSE ARMOR DLC. OBLIVION IS TRULY BACK. pic.twitter.com/1DJFIPzHB0

— Many A True Nerd (@ManyATrueNerd) April 22, 2025

Honestly I have to respect it. New players won't know this, but releasing the horse armor as paid DLC again is a subtle reference to when they singlehandedly ruined the industry by selling it the first time around. I kneel, Todd. https://t.co/BGwBwL3VYX

— UGS | Ajay (@AJ34_SSB) April 22, 2025

£10 for Horse Armor in #OblivionRemastered ??? There's no way that's gonna catch on pic.twitter.com/E1jqpPZFYr

— Olive_Meister (@Olive_Meisterr) April 22, 2025

Oblivion Remastered isn't just about revisiting old controversies; it's also embracing the modding community. Just hours after the game's launch, a handful of community mods appeared on Nexus Mods, offering minor customization options. As we await more mods, you can explore why some players believe today's release is more of a remake than a remaster and Bethesda's reasoning for labeling it as "Remastered."

For a deep dive into what Oblivion Remastered offers, check out our comprehensive guide. It includes an expansive Interactive Map, complete Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and every Guild Quest, tips on How to Build the Perfect Character, Things to Do First, and much more.