By Azura, by Azura, by Azura – the rumors were true. Yesterday, Bethesda set the internet ablaze by finally unveiling Virtuos' remaster of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. In a surprise shadow-drop during an 'Elder Scrolls Direct', the game instantly attracted hundreds of thousands of concurrent players. This moment of global excitement feels like a much-needed respite for Bethesda Game Studios, which has been navigating turbulent waters in recent years. From the fallout of Fallout 76's troubled launch to the lukewarm reception of Starfield, fans have been questioning whether Bethesda has lost its touch. The RPG market has grown more competitive, with titles like Larian Studios' Baldur's Gate 3 and Obsidian's The Outer Worlds gaining acclaim as spiritual successors to Elder Scrolls and Fallout. While Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5 remain distant dreams, this re-release of Oblivion might be the step forward Bethesda needs, albeit not in the way one might expect.
At its zenith, Bethesda Game Studios was a powerhouse in the RPG genre. Microsoft's leaked FTC documents in 2020 revealed that Fallout 4 had sold 25 million copies 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, boosted by multiple re-releases. In contrast, Starfield has only sold an estimated three million units a year-and-a-half after its launch. Despite Game Pass boosting player numbers and the absence of a PlayStation version, this must be a disappointment for Bethesda. Even Starfield's fanbase, smaller than those of The Elder Scrolls or Fallout, has expressed dissatisfaction with the game's first expansion, Shattered Space.
This presents a significant challenge for Bethesda. With The Elder Scrolls 6 still "years away" and Fallout 5 merely a whisper in the studio's corridors, how can this iconic RPG developer recapture its fanbase's hearts? The solution may lie in revisiting its storied past.
Rumors of the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remaster surfaced in September 2023, sparked by leaked Microsoft documents that hinted at several unannounced Bethesda projects, including a remaster of the 2006 classic. Speculation continued until January 2025, when a former Virtuos employee leaked more details, sparking debate among Elder Scrolls fans. Finally, last week, the long-awaited announcement was made, triggering a surge in online activity – over 6.4 million Google searches for 'The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion' in the last week alone, a 713% increase. Bethesda's reveal livestream peaked at over half a million viewers, and despite the leaks, over 600,000 tuned in to witness the re-reveal of a 19-year-old game. The demand was so high that discount game key websites like CDKeys crashed, while Fanatical and Green Man Gaming struggled to keep up. As of yesterday, Steam reported 125,000 concurrent players, with the game topping the best-seller charts. The fervor for Oblivion among Bethesda fans is as intense as the flames pouring 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 waits for new releases than to invite them back to beloved worlds like Morrowind or the post-apocalyptic landscapes of the East Coast? From a business perspective, it's a smart move. While Bethesda's main team focuses on new, long-term projects, trusted partners like Virtuos can quickly remaster beloved classics. These remasters tap into existing fanbases and introduce new generations to the rich worlds of Tamriel and beyond.
Bethesda has previously leveraged 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. As a result, Fallout 4 sales soared by over 7,500% in Europe alone, despite the game being nearly a decade old.
Looking back at Microsoft's leaked Bethesda roadmap, many noted a planned Fallout 3 remaster slated to follow Oblivion two years later. Although the original timelines have shifted – Oblivion was initially slated for fiscal year 2022 – if the intervals remain consistent, a Fallout 3 remake might be on the horizon for 2026, conveniently aligning with the second season of the Fallout TV series. Given the synergy between the first season and Fallout 4, could Bethesda be planning a surprise New Vegas remake to coincide with the show's second season, which focuses on New Vegas? The shadow-drop of Oblivion suggests that anything is possible, including a New Vegas Remastered trailer waiting at the end of the Fallout Season 2 finale.
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. For years, fans have been clamoring for a Morrowind remake, with some even using Skyrim's tools to create fan projects like Skyblivion. Yet, remaking Morrowind is no easy feat. It straddles the line between Bethesda's past and present – its unique systems, such as partial voice acting, text-based storytelling, lack of quest markers, and simplistic combat, set it apart from modern RPGs. While Virtuos managed to update Oblivion's mechanics, Morrowind's core is inherently quirky. Remaking it is a delicate balancing act: modernize too much, and you risk losing its unique charm; retain too many old systems, and it might feel outdated.
When a studio becomes synonymous with a gaming sub-genre, the challenge is to innovate while retaining its audience. Rockstar Games has kept Grand Theft Auto fans engaged for over a decade through GTA Online, which supports the rumored hefty budget for GTA 6. Bethesda's strength lies in its richly detailed, expansive single-player worlds, which differ from the multiplayer-focused Elder Scrolls Online and Fallout 76. The overwhelming response to Virtuos' Oblivion remaster shows that gamers are eager to revisit Bethesda's past. While not every remaster guarantees success – as seen with Rockstar's GTA Definitive Editions – a well-executed remaster like Oblivion's could be the key for Bethesda to regain its footing in the modern RPG landscape by breathing new life into its classics.
