The Elder Scrolls 6 isn’t anywhere near done, and you might be getting tired of replaying Skyrim and Oblivion over and over again across several platforms. But don’t worry, as the Elder Scrolls community has now cracked a surprising way to replay Morrowind.
OpenMW-DS is a modification of OpenMW, the open source Morrowind engine which allows the most passionate fans that have the know-how to crack open Bethesda Game Studios‘ massive fantasy RPG. User Josh Daniels uploaded a public build and showcased it via Reddit after they shared their impressive work last week.
“I bought a Thor because I wanted to play Morrowind on the go, but then started working on a port to use the second screen,” they explained while saying they’d once again fallen to the ‘modding curse’ of Bethesda RPGs, which is that you might spend more time modding than playing them if you’re on PC. Having the game’s inventory screens and various menus running on a second screen Nintendo DS style is pretty cool, though.
However, this isn’t a PC version of the game even if they did most of the work there. It runs thanks to the OpenMW Android port, which is needed since the AYN Thor handheld that this is designed for runs on Android. According to the users who have already checked OpenMW-DS out, the installation process – explained with a guide on the page we’ve shared – isn’t complex, but those interested need to know how to move files on the AYN Thor beforehand. Moreover, a regular PC copy of Morrowind is required, as neither OpenMW nor this amazing mod provide it for obvious reasons.
Meanwhile, another user on r/Morrowind has shared progress on an actual Nintendo DS port of Morrowind. Considering the hardware limitations of the ancient dual-screen handheld, this is an ambitious take on the third Elder Scrolls, and one that might never be completed despite all the visual cutbacks seen in the video they shared. However, user FirefighterTrick6476 has already introduced “basic script functions, UI elements for inventory, map, journal, and character stats” that work on the second screen.
It all arrives at a time when we’re waiting for the Nintendo Switch 2 port of last year’s Oblivion Remastered and awaiting actual news on the sixth Elder Scrolls. Bethesda will be remarkably busy for years to come if the recently revealed roadmap is indication, but it seems The Elder Scrolls and Fallout’s communities will always be busier.
