Rumors of an Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remake, slated for a 2025 release, have surfaced online, accompanied by a purported leak of details.
Gaming news outlet Mp1st reported that a former employee of Virtuos, a video game support studio, inadvertently disclosed information about the unannounced title. Microsoft declined to comment when questioned by IGN.
According to Mp1st's report, Virtuos utilized Unreal Engine 5 to rebuild Bethesda's acclaimed open-world RPG, suggesting a substantial overhaul rather than a simple remaster. The leak allegedly detailed gameplay adjustments, including modifications to Stamina, Sneak, Blocking, Archery, Hit Reactions, and the Heads-Up Display (HUD).
Mp1st claims the Blocking system was redesigned with action and Soulslike games in mind, addressing criticisms of the original's "boring" and "frustrating" mechanics. Sneak icons are reportedly enhanced, damage calculations revised, and Stamina depletion-induced knockdowns made less frequent. The HUD received a redesign for improved clarity. Hit reactions were added for more responsive feedback, and Archery mechanics were allegedly modernized for both first-person and third-person perspectives.
Hints of an Oblivion remaster emerged in 2023 during the FTC vs. Microsoft trial concerning the Activision Blizzard acquisition. Documents revealed several unannounced Bethesda games, including an Oblivion remaster, scheduled for release in subsequent years. This list, compiled in July 2020 before Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax Media in March 2021, included:
Fiscal Year 2022:
- Oblivion Remaster
- Indiana Jones game
Fiscal Year 2023:
- Doom Year Zero and DLC
- Project Kestrel
- Project Platinum
Fiscal Year 2024:
- The Elder Scrolls VI
- Project Kestrel: Expansion
- Licensed IP Game
- Fallout 3 Remaster
- Ghostwire: Tokyo Sequel
- Dishonored 3
- DOOM Year Zero DLC
Many of these titles faced delays or cancellation. Doom Year Zero became Doom: The Dark Ages, launching this year. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle debuted in December 2024, and The Elder Scrolls VI significantly missed its projected release window.
The Oblivion remake, initially listed as a remaster, is now the focus. The project's scope may have expanded from a remaster to a full-fledged remake. The official unveiling of this highly anticipated title is imminent.
Platform speculation is rife. Given Microsoft's current multiplatform strategy and the anticipated launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, Oblivion could potentially release on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Leakers suggest a June release date for the Oblivion remake, potentially coinciding with the reported Nintendo Switch 2 reveal.
Microsoft's upcoming Xbox Developer Direct next week will feature id Software showcasing Doom: The Dark Ages. A new game from an undisclosed Japanese developer is also teased, but it's unlikely to be Oblivion. Windows Central's Jez Corden hints at a "legendary Japanese IP" with decades of history.
