The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remaster is finally here and despite its shadow-drop strategy and absolute lack of marketing, it’s all everyone can talk about. The Oblivion remaster live reveal on April 22, 2025, was the first time Bethesda actively confirmed that the game was coming and simultaneously launched it much to the delight of waiting fans. Despite the fears that the Elder Scrolls IV remaster would obliterate everything uniquely quirky about the game in favor of mass appeal, we let out a sigh of relief seeing that a lot of the oddities from the original have been preserved.

From Oblivion’s first look in 2025, it’s quite apparent that trusting Virtuos studio to handle the remaster was a good call considering their experience with reviving games. Considering the Elder Scrolls IV remaster was built on Unreal Engine 5, there are some distinct upgrades in the quality and visuals and a promise of 4K resolution at 60fps, but the heart of the game remains intact.

Oblivion remake launch

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remaster has been released immediately upon its reveal—the strategy is impeccable.

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remaster Released—Does It Preserve the Original?

Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion was originally released all the way back in 2006 on PC and Xbox, and it soon arrived on PlayStation 3 a year later. The game was a hit among fans, gaining a cult-like status among those who dared to give the game a shot. Since then, the game has been surpassed by others like Skyrim which offered more updated graphics and storytelling, but Oblivion has remained a bring spot in publisher Bethesda’s legacy.

Now that the Oblivion remaster has been released in April 2025 fans only want to know one thing—does it respect the original enough to preserve its most defining features? The answer feels like a resounding yes.

The Oblivion Gameplay Reveal Is a Nod to “Bethesda Jank”

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion game is fondly remembered for its many quirks like its awkward NPC animations, repetitive voice actors and dialogues, and clunky mechanics. Over the years, these imperfections have been referred to as “Bethesda Jank,” giving the game a unique identity and trademark style among a slew of games that looked and felt the same. 

With the Oblivion remaster now released, we can see that some mechanics like lockpicking and persuasion have been updated, but the core eccentricities of the minigame remain. A lot of the music score and the dialogues echo the original, and the character designs are uncanny as ever. Interacting with NPCs and embarking on side quests is just as gimmicky and relevant to the Oblivion gameplay, designed to reveal the next step in your journey or just keep you there entertained.

“Take your time. Don’t be afraid to stray off the path. There’s so much to explore and so much to find. Dig into all the nooks and crannies. Stop and talk to people. You’ll probably find something that will carry your story in a new direction.”

—Al Nanes, Design Director, Bethesda Game Studios

Certain aspects like the leveling system have been updated similar to Skyrim to suit more modern standards, but it does detract from the experience of how you level those skills. There are some disappointments, such as the redesigned Adoring Fan whose absurd original form has been abandoned for something more demure. But hey, you can now sprint in the game so don’t ruminate too long over the loss.

Elder Scroll IV Oblivion gameplay

The Oblivion remaster live reveal and follow-up posts reassure gamers that the core concepts and story remain unchanged.

Does the Story Change in the Elder Scrolls IV Remaster?

The story and content in-game remains undisturbed. You still embark on an adventure-filled journey across the lands of Cyrodiil with a mission to stop the Daedric invasion from succeeding in ruling the lands. Exploration remains central to the mission and the cluttered, interactive environments bring in the same sense of involvement as the original. 

All of the downloadable content from the 2009 Game of The Year Edition is also accessible, for example, the Shivering Isles and Knights of the Nine story expansions, so even if you haven’t played the original, you’ll still be able to indulge in the experiences that the original players did. 

Oblivion remaster live reveal

To bribe or not to bribe—that is the question.

The Visuals Get the Biggest Upgrade in the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remaster

If it wasn’t already obvious from the Oblivion remaster trailer or the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 2025 stream, the biggest changes in the new game are the visuals. The game looks exactly like what you’d expect from a fresh new game release in 2025, with impeccable lighting systems and landscape that you really need to pause to take in. 

Some of the janky charm is lost, it cannot be denied, but that does not mean the Oblivion remake launch has fully compromised on color and detail to settle for a subdued, minimalistic design. For returning fans, it will still be easy to identify location and spot who is who, although there are some new, unfamiliar NPCs to expect as well. 

Aspects like lip syncing, third-person view, and combat animations have been upgraded as well, to make it more immersive. The biggest factor to get used to will be the UI details and menus as things have certainly been moved around in that regard. The game will run at 60fps with 4K support, and it requires a whole 125 GB of space to work now, thanks to its more demanding graphics and features. You win some, you lose very little.

“Thanks Todd,” We Say In Unison 

When the Elder Scrolls 2025 livestream was announced, there was much apprehension around the unofficial Skyrim engine remake at the Skyblivion team on whether their project would be shut down. As it turns out, they had nothing to worry about as Bethesda has been just as welcoming of mod projects as ever. 

Director and executive producer at Bethesda Game, Todd Howard, was reportedly so supportive of the project that Bethesda sent the Oblivion Remastered game keys to the Skyblivion team to support them in their ambitious goal of rebuilding the game in Skyrim’s engine.

Bethesda’s approach to building a community around the game instead of locking creative projects is admirable, especially when you consider that other developers and publishers are often quick to shut down anything that doesn’t personally make them money.

Oblivion first look 2025

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remaster is priced modestly, giving more fans a chance to try out the game.

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remaster Launch Price

Considering all the effort that went into the Elder Scrolls IV remaster, we’re surprised that the publisher and developer didn’t just choose to call it a remake and slap a $80 price tag on the game. The Oblivion remaster live reveal also unveiled a $50 price for the game, which is a welcome change in 2025. All DLCs from the original are included with the base game purchase.

You can also purchase Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Deluxe edition for $60/£60, which will give you access to some exclusive weapons, armor, and horse armor. It’s beautiful to see the horse armor make a comeback. The game is available on PC, Xbox X|S, and PS5, and you can already play it on the Steam Deck, although fans don’t seem particularly thrilled about how it plays on there.

Despite the lack of a pre-order period or any advertising for the game, the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remaster still managed to skedaddle to the top of Steam’s global top sellers list within an hour of the announcement. 

The Oblivion Remaster Live Reveal and Release Is Perfect

We thought we were only getting a Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remaster live reveal on April 22, with a release date announced for later in the month, but Bethesda launched the game simultaneously, giving eager gamers a chance to buy it immediately instead of waiting too long and losing interest. This is a strategy we’d like to see more companies adopt, as we’re now in an era where a trailer could mean a game only released in a year or two. No, we’re not just talking about GTA VI.

With the original Oblivion engine running the game’s brains and the UE5 engine supporting the graphics, it seems that the team has cracked the code on how to approach remasters and remakes in 2025. Bethesda already has other upcoming projects that bear mention, like the DOOM release next month or work on the Fallout 3 remake that everyone is waiting for.

Virtuos is also just as busy working on projects like Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, which will be released in collaboration with Konami later this year. With the already-apparent success of the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remaster, we’re keen to see how both teams approach these upcoming projects.

The Oblivion remaster has been released—what do you think about it? Let us know. Subscribe to Technowize for more in-depth explorations of all things tech and gaming.

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