"Remakes Key to Bethesda's Revival, Oblivion Shows"

By Azura, by Azura, by Azura – the rumors were true. Yesterday, Bethesda ignited the gaming community by finally unveiling Virtuos' remaster (or is it a remake?) of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. An 'Elder Scrolls Direct' event concluded with a surprise shadow-drop, instantly drawing in hundreds of thousands of concurrent players. This moment of global excitement feels like a much-needed respite for Bethesda Game Studios, which has faced challenges in recent years. From managing the fallout of Fallout 76's rocky launch to the lukewarm reception of their new sci-fi venture, Starfield, fans have been questioning whether Bethesda has lost its magic touch. With fierce competition from titles like Larian Studios' Baldur's Gate 3 and Obsidian's The Outer Worlds, both of which have been hailed as spiritual successors to Elder Scrolls and Fallout, Bethesda's upcoming titles, Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5, are years away. However, the re-release of Oblivion might be a step in the right direction, albeit an unexpected one.

At its zenith, Bethesda Game Studios was a titan in the RPG genre. According to Microsoft's leaked FTC documents from 2020, Fallout 4 had sold 25 million units, with over 5 million units sold in its first week alone as reported by VGChartz. In 2023, Todd Howard announced that Skyrim had surpassed 60 million sales, though multiple re-releases certainly played a role in this figure. In contrast, Starfield has reportedly sold just over three million units a year and a half after its launch. Despite the boost from Game Pass subscribers and the absence of a PlayStation version, this number is likely a disappointment for Bethesda. Even Starfield's dedicated fanbase has expressed dissatisfaction with its first expansion, Shattered Space.

This situation poses a significant challenge for Bethesda. With The Elder Scrolls 6 years away and Fallout 5 still a distant prospect, how can this once-iconic RPG developer rekindle its fanbase's enthusiasm? The solution might be found in revisiting its past.

Rumors about the remaster of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion surfaced in September 2023, following leaks from Microsoft documents about unannounced Bethesda projects, including a remaster of the 2006 classic. The buzz grew until January 2025, when a former Virtuos employee leaked more details, sparking debates among fans. The anticipation reached a boiling point last week when the internet was set ablaze by the official reveal – Google searches for 'The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion' surged by 713% to over 6.4 million in the last week. Bethesda's reveal livestream peaked at over half a million viewers. Despite the leaks, over 600,000 people tuned in to see the remaster unveiled. The demand was so high that it caused websites like CDKeys to crash, while Fanatical and Green Man Gaming experienced slowdowns. As of yesterday, Oblivion had 125,000 concurrent players on Steam and was the #1 best seller. The fervor for this remaster is as intense as the flames from the Oblivion gates.

The message from players is clear: if you (re)build it, they will come. What better way to keep fans engaged during the long development periods than by inviting them back to the enchanting worlds of Morrowind or the post-apocalyptic landscapes of the East Coast? From a commercial perspective, this strategy is sound. While Bethesda's main team works on new projects, partners like Virtuos can leverage existing blueprints to create remasters in shorter time frames. These remasters have built-in audiences and can introduce new generations to the rich lore of Tamriel and the Fallout universe.

Bethesda has previously boosted its catalog effectively. During the first season of the Fallout TV show on Prime Video, Fallout 4 was discounted by up to 75%, accompanied by a timely next-gen update that included homages to the show. This led to a 7,500% increase in Fallout 4 sales in Europe, despite the game being nearly a decade old.

Oblivion Remastered offers a nostalgic journey with a modern twist. Image credit: Bethesda / Virtuos

Looking back at Microsoft's leaked Bethesda roadmap, many noted a planned Fallout 3 remaster to follow Oblivion two years later. Though timelines have shifted – Oblivion was originally slated for fiscal year 2022 – a Fallout 3 remake could be on the horizon for 2026, aligning with the second season of the Fallout series, which shifts focus to New Vegas. Given the first season's synergy with Fallout 4, could Bethesda be planning a surprise New Vegas remake to coincide with the show's second season? The shadow-drop of Oblivion suggests that anything is possible.

The message from players is clear: if you (re)build it, they will come. However, if there's one game in Bethesda's catalog that truly deserves a remake, it's The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Fans have long clamored for this, with some even remaking it using Skyrim's tools, as seen in projects like Skyblivion. Yet, Morrowind presents unique challenges. It stands at the crossroads of Bethesda's evolution, with a structure that differs significantly from modern Elder Scrolls games. It's partially voiced, relies heavily on text for storytelling, lacks quest markers, and has simplistic combat physics. While Virtuos managed to update some of Oblivion's systems, Morrowind's core mechanics are inherently more complex. Remaking it is a delicate balance: too much modernization risks losing its original charm, while retaining too many old systems could alienate new players.

When a studio becomes an icon in its genre, the challenge is to innovate while retaining its audience. Rockstar Games has kept Grand Theft Auto players engaged through the expansive world of GTA Online, funding the rumored hefty budget for GTA 6. Bethesda, known for its richly detailed single-player worlds, has seen mixed results with Elder Scrolls Online and Fallout 76. However, the overwhelming response to the Oblivion remaster demonstrates that gamers are eager to revisit Bethesda's storied past. While not every remaster guarantees success – as seen with Rockstar's GTA Definitive Editions – the careful craftsmanship behind this Oblivion remaster suggests that breathing new life into old classics could be Bethesda's path back to glory.