Skyblivion — the upcoming fan remake of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion made by the TESRenewal volunteer modding group — has just dropped its first update since the release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered in April, confirming the fan-made project will still release later this year.
Skyblivion uses Bethesda’s Creation Engine to recreate Oblivion in the game’s sequel, Skyrim. The project has technically been in the works for over a decade, beginning as a simple direct port and later expanding to a full remake with a number of improved features and even new content. IGN even interviewed one of the developers behind it back in 2021.
Bethesda and the Skyblivion team have reportedly been on “very good terms,” but as rumors of an official Oblivion remaster grew, some fans questioned if Bethesda wasn’t trying to head off Skyblivion with its own version due to the suspiciously close release timing. The Skyblivion team ended up issuing a statement addressing these concerns, confirming Bethesda has “always been supportive of community projects like ours” and that “there is no need for comparisons or a sense of competition” between the two games.” In fact, Bethesda reached out and gifted free game keys for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered to the team behind the popular mod.
Now we’re three months post Remastered’s release, the Skyblivion team has dropped a timely update on how developer is progressing, perhaps addressing one of the most commonly asked questions: “What is the point of Sky Oblivion if the official remaster is already released?”
“Well, the answer is simple. Sky Oblivion is a fullscale remake that reimagines Oblivion from the ground up, bringing it in line with modern RPG standards,” the team explained in an all-new video. “While the official remaster impressively upgrades textures and assets, Skyblivion introduces entirely newly designed areas, dungeons, cities, gameplay enhancements, and much more.
“Every fort, home, cave, and landscape has been thoughtfully redesigned. And we’ve infused this sort of creative detail to breathe new life into a beloved classic, one that’s nearly two decades old. While we aren’t in a position to provide an exact release date just yet, we remain confident we’ll meet our goal to launch this year. We hope that this series will show you how far one of the most ambitious modding projects of our generation has come and where we are headed.”
The 15-minute video is a wall-to-wall treat, but perhaps most exciting, as pointed out by PC Gamer, is the reveal of a new dungeon based on the planned eighth city, Sutch, which was cut from the original game. We knew it existed due to journal entries and older versions of Oblivion’s credits, but it’s taken until Skyblivion to seen the entire scrapped city reconstructed for us. You can also expect to see a reimagined version of costal town Anvil, too.
“Oblivion remade in the Skyrim engine. That’s the goal we set out to achieve, and after 10 years of hard work, we’re almost ready to share it with everyone,” the team added. “With our planned 2025 release window approaching, we’re showing off the Gold Coast, the City of Anvil, a few Oblivion realms and unique worlds, plus player customization and much more!
If you know your way around Bethesda’s Creation Engine and think you can help, the project is still looking for volunteers.
In IGN’s Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered review, we awarded it 8/10, writing: “The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is a fantastic modernization of an iconic open-world RPG, even if it maintains some of the jank and rough edges of the original.”
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
