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 global celebration feels like a much-needed respite for Bethesda Game Studios, which has faced challenges in recent years. From managing the fallout of Fallout 76’s rocky launch to the lukewarm reception of their new sci-fi universe, Starfield, fans have wondered if Bethesda has lost its touch. With fierce competition from RPGs like Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3 and Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds, both heralded as spiritual successors to Elder Scrolls and Fallout, the upcoming Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5 seem far off. Yet, this re-release of Oblivion might just be the unexpected step Bethesda needs.
At its peak, Bethesda Game Studios was synonymous with RPGs. In 2020, leaked Microsoft FTC documents showed Fallout 4 had sold 25 million units, with over 5 million sold in its first week according to VGChartz. By 2023, Todd Howard announced Skyrim had surpassed 60 million sales, boosted by multiple re-releases. Starfield, however, has only reached just over three million units a year and a half after launch. Even considering Game Pass subscribers and its absence on PlayStation, this is a letdown. While Starfield does have a dedicated fanbase, it's smaller compared to the fervent communities of The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, and even they have expressed disappointment with the game’s first expansion, Shattered Space.
This situation presents a significant challenge for Bethesda. With The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5 years away, how can they rekindle the magic with their fans? The answer might just be rooted in their storied past.
Rumors of an Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remaster began circulating in September 2023, sparked by leaked Microsoft documents revealing unannounced Bethesda projects, including a remaster of the 2006 classic. The buzz intensified in January 2025 when a former Virtuos employee leaked more details, sparking debates among fans. Finally, last week, the official announcement came early, setting the internet on fire. Over 6.4 million Google searches for ‘The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion’ surged by 713% in the last week alone. At its peak, Bethesda’s reveal livestream drew over half a million viewers. Despite the leaks, over 600,000 tuned in to see a 19-year-old game reintroduced. The demand was so high that it crashed discount game key websites like CDKeys, and slowed down Fanatical and Green Man Gaming. As of yesterday, Steam reported 125,000 concurrent players, with the game topping the best-seller list. The fervor for Oblivion among Bethesda fans is as intense as the flames spilling from the Oblivion gates themselves.
The message from players is clear: if you (re)build it, they will come. What better way to keep fans engaged during these long development periods than revisiting classics like Morrowind or the post-apocalyptic worlds of Fallout? Commercially, it’s a smart move. While Bethesda’s main team works on new projects, partners like Virtuos can use established blueprints to create remasters in shorter time frames. These remasters appeal to existing fans and introduce new generations to the immersive worlds of Tamriel and the Fallout series.
Bethesda has already leveraged its catalogue successfully. During the first season of the Fallout TV show on Prime Video, Fallout 4 was discounted by up to 75%, alongside a timely next-gen update that incorporated elements from the show. As a result, Fallout 4 sales in Europe surged by over 7,500% despite its age.
Oblivion Remastered offers a visit to the past that looks like the future. Image credit: Bethesda / Virtuos
Looking back at Microsoft’s leaked Bethesda roadmap, many noted a planned Fallout 3 remaster following Oblivion in two years. Although timelines have shifted – Oblivion was initially slated for fiscal year 2022 – if the original gaps hold, a Fallout 3 remake might be on the horizon for 2026, coinciding with the second season of the Fallout TV show. Given the synergy between the first season and Fallout 4, Bethesda could be planning a surprise New Vegas remake to align with the show’s upcoming New Vegas-centric second season. After shadow-dropping Oblivion, a New Vegas Remastered trailer at the end of Fallout Season 2’s finale isn’t out of the question.
The message from players is clear: if you (re)build it, they will come. However, if there’s one game in Bethesda’s catalogue that truly deserves a remake, it’s The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Many fans have long clamored for this, with some even remaking it using Skyrim’s tools, like the Skyblivion project. Yet, Morrowind is a challenging game to modernize. It marks a transition point for Bethesda, with its unique design. Partially voiced, with much of its story conveyed through text, no quest markers, and simplistic combat physics, Morrowind is a beloved yet complex game. Virtuos successfully updated Oblivion’s mechanics, but Morrowind’s core is inherently intricate. Remaking it is a delicate balance: too much modernization risks losing its essence, while retaining too many outdated elements could alienate new players.
When a studio becomes iconic in a gaming sub-genre, the challenge is to innovate while retaining its audience. Rockstar Games has kept Grand Theft Auto players engaged for over a decade with GTA Online, funding the rumored hefty budget for GTA 6. Bethesda’s strength lies in its richly detailed, single-player worlds, unlike Elder Scrolls Online and Fallout 76. The enthusiastic response to Virtuos’ Oblivion remaster shows gamers are eager to revisit Bethesda’s classics. While not every remaster guarantees success – as seen with Rockstar’s GTA Definitive Editions – breathing new life into these beloved games could be Bethesda's path back to the top of the RPG world.
