By Azura, by Azura, by Azura – the rumors were true. Yesterday, Bethesda set the internet ablaze by finally unveiling Virtuos' remaster (or is it really a remake?) of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. An 'Elder Scrolls Direct' event culminated in a surprise shadow-drop, which instantly attracted hundreds of thousands of concurrent players. This moment of global excitement and celebration feels like a much-needed respite amidst the recent challenges faced by Bethesda Game Studios. From years of damage control following the rocky launch of Fallout 76 to the lukewarm reception of their new sci-fi universe, Starfield, the studio's recent releases have left many fans wondering: Has Bethesda lost its magic touch? With fierce competition from RPGs 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 still years away. However, this re-release of Oblivion might be a step in the right direction – albeit an unexpected one.
At its peak, Bethesda Game Studios was a powerhouse in the RPG genre. In 2020, leaked Microsoft FTC documents revealed that Fallout 4 had sold 25 million units to date, with over 5 million units sold in its first week alone, according to VGChartz. In 2023, Todd Howard announced that Skyrim had surpassed 60 million sales, though multiple re-releases certainly contributed to this figure. In contrast, Starfield's sales are estimated at just over three million units a year and a half after its launch. While Game Pass subscribers and the absence of a PlayStation version are factors to consider, this must still be a disappointment for Bethesda. Even Starfield's dedicated fanbase, smaller than those of The Elder Scrolls or Fallout, has expressed dissatisfaction with the game's first expansion, Shattered Space.
This situation presents a significant challenge for the developer. With The Elder Scrolls 6 "years away" and Fallout 5 merely a whisper in the studio's corridors, how can this once-iconic RPG developer rekindle its fanbase's enthusiasm? The answer lies in revisiting its past.
Rumors of the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remaster surfaced in September 2023, when leaked Microsoft documents hinted at several unannounced Bethesda titles, including a remaster of the 2006 classic. The buzz continued until January 2025, when a former Virtuos employee leaked more details, sparking debates among Elder Scrolls fans about their authenticity. Finally, last week, the dam broke (albeit prematurely), igniting the internet – there were over 6.4 million Google searches for 'The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion', a 713% increase in the last week alone. At its peak, Bethesda's reveal livestream attracted over half a million viewers. Despite the leaks (or perhaps because of them), over 600,000 people tuned in to see a 19-year-old game re-revealed. The intense demand to play the remaster caused discount game key websites like CDKeys to crash, and slowed Fanatical and Green Man Gaming to a crawl. As of yesterday, Steam's concurrent players for the game stood at 125,000, and it is firmly the #1 best seller. The enthusiasm Bethesda fans have for Oblivion burns as brightly as the flames that spill from the Oblivion gates themselves.
The message from players is clear: if you (re)build it, they will come. What better way to keep fans engaged and invested during these long development periods than to invite them to revisit the mysterious isles of Morrowind or the post-apocalyptic landscapes of the East Coast? From a commercial perspective, this strategy makes perfect sense. While Bethesda's main development team works on long-gestating new projects, trusted partners like Virtuos can use historic blueprints to craft remasters in shorter time frames. These remasters are based on games with built-in audiences, and for many, they represent the first RPGs they ever played. Restoring these classics also introduces a new generation to the intricate world of Tamriel or the post-apocalyptic adventures in Las Vegas and D.C.
Bethesda has already successfully leveraged its catalog in the past. 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 from the show. As a result, Fallout 4 sales surged over 7,500% in Europe alone, despite being nearly a decade old.
Oblivion Remastered offers a visit to the past that looks like the future. Image credit: Bethesda / Virtuos
Looking back at Microsoft's leaked Bethesda roadmap, many noted that a Fallout 3 remaster was slated to follow Oblivion two years later. Although the timelines from the original presentation have shifted – Oblivion was initially slated for fiscal year 2022 – if the original gaps remain true, a Fallout 3 remake could be on the horizon for 2026, coinciding with the second season of the Fallout TV show. Given the show's shift to New Vegas in its second season, could Bethesda's early discussions with showrunners Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet hint at a surprise New Vegas remake? Considering the synergy between the first season of the show and Fallout 4's vibe and aesthetic, could Bethesda elevate its strategy even further for the New Vegas-centric second season? After shadow-dropping Oblivion, it's not out of the realm of possibility that a New Vegas Remastered trailer awaits us at the end of Fallout Season 2's finale.
The message from players is clear: if you (re)build it, they will come. However, if there's one game in Bethesda's back catalog that truly deserves a remake, it's The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Many Elder Scrolls fans have been clamoring for this for years, with some even remaking Morrowind using Skyrim's tools, as seen in projects like Skyblivion. Yet, Morrowind poses a unique challenge for remaking. It stands at the crossroads of Bethesda's evolution as a studio – its structure is fundamentally different from what we now recognize as an Elder Scrolls game. It's only partially voiced, with most of the story conveyed through text, no quest markers (players must manually note directions given by NPCs), and combat physics that are virtually non-existent. While Virtuos managed to overhaul some of Oblivion's more cumbersome systems, Morrowind itself is a complex system. This is why it's beloved by many, but also why it's difficult to remake. Remaking Morrowind is a delicate balancing act. Modernize it too much, and you risk losing the essence that made it special. Retain too many outdated mechanics, and it might feel worse than a severe skooma hangover.
When a studio becomes synonymous with a gaming sub-genre, the challenge is to innovate and evolve while retaining its audience. Rockstar Games has kept Grand Theft Auto players engaged for over a decade through the ever-expanding world of GTA Online, which in turn supports the rumored hefty budget for GTA 6. Bethesda's core strength lies in its richly detailed, expansive single-player worlds – Elder Scrolls Online and Fallout 76 simply don't capture the same magic. However, the overwhelming response to Virtuos' Oblivion remaster demonstrates that gamers are eager to dive back into the historic worlds of Elder Scrolls. That's not to say any remaster is guaranteed success – this particular one is a testament to careful planning and skilled development. A lesser game might have received a different reception, as seen with Rockstar's GTA Definitive Editions. But what better way for the former king of the modern RPG to regain its footing than by breathing new life into some of its classic titles?
