Bethesda Grants Skyblivion Team Oblivion Remastered Keys

Fans of The Elder Scrolls series are buzzing with excitement today after Bethesda generously gifted free game keys for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered to the entire team behind the popular mod, Skyblivion. This gesture has been warmly received and shared by the Skyblivion team on BlueSky, where they expressed their deep gratitude: "As massive fans, we're beyond grateful for the generous gift of Oblivion Remastered game keys for our entire modding team! This means so much to us. Thank you for everything, Bethesda!"

Skyblivion is a much-anticipated fan remake of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, crafted by the TESRenewal volunteer modding group. Utilizing Bethesda's Creation Engine, this project aims to recreate Oblivion within the world of its sequel, Skyrim. Originally starting as a simple port, Skyblivion has evolved over more than a decade into a full-scale remake that boasts enhanced features and new content. We had the chance to interview one of its developers back in 2021, and the project is slated for release this year.

The relationship between Bethesda and the Skyblivion team has always been amicable, despite rumors suggesting that Bethesda's official Oblivion remaster might be an attempt to overshadow Skyblivion, given the similar release timings. Addressing these concerns, the Skyblivion team recently released a statement emphasizing that Bethesda has consistently supported community projects like theirs, and there is no need for competition between the two versions.

It's worth noting that Oblivion Remastered does not officially support mods, yet the modding community has already begun creating unofficial mods for the game shortly after its release. Both Skyblivion and Oblivion Remastered offer unique experiences: Skyblivion will not be available on consoles, while Oblivion Remastered includes the horse armor DLC for Deluxe Edition buyers but lacks the new content promised by Skyblivion. Each version presents a distinct visual and gameplay style, with varying degrees of Skyrim influence integrated into the world of Oblivion. While Oblivion Remastered is available to play immediately, fans eager for Skyblivion will need to wait a bit longer.

While we await the release of Skyblivion, you can delve into discussions about whether today’s release of Oblivion Remastered is more of a remake than a remaster, and explore why Bethesda chose the "Remastered" label. For those diving into Oblivion Remastered, we offer a comprehensive guide covering everything from an interactive map and complete walkthroughs for the main questline and guild quests, to tips on building the perfect character and things to do first.