We first learned of Bethesda’s plans for a The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remake thanks to an inadvertent leak during the Microsoft vs. FTC lawsuit in Summer 2023. A document that included Bethesda’s internal release schedule before the pandemic was uploaded to the public documentation shared for the lawsuit. Here’s what it looked like, as a reminder.
| Title Release Schedule | Console/PC | F2P/Mobile |
| FY20E | DOOM Eternal & DLC, The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor, Fallout: Wastelanders, Deathloop | Fallout Shelter Online, Project Whirlwind |
| FY21E | Starfield, Elder Scrolls Online: Expansion, Redfall, DOOM Eternal DLC, Ghostwire: Tokyo, Fallout Worlds (Fallout 76), Project Hibiki | Project Ubu, Project Wanderer |
| FY22E | Indiana Jones Game, Oblivion Remaster, Elder Scrolls Online: Expansion, Starfield DLC | 3 planned titles |
| FY23E | DOOM: Year Zero & DLC, Project Kestrel, Elder Scrolls Online: Expansion, Project Platinum | 1 planned title |
| FY24E | The Elder Scrolls VI, Project Kestrel: Expansion, Licensed IP Game, Fallout 3 Remaster, Elder Scrolls Online: Expansion, Ghostwire: Tokyo Sequel, Dishonored 3, DOOM Year Zero DLC | 1 planned title |
The dates are all wrong because of the pandemic, of course, and some things will never be, like the Ghostwire: Tokyo sequel (unless the newly reborn Tango Gameworks acquires or licenses the IP from Microsoft), but DOOM: Year Zero could very well be the development codename for the upcoming game Dark Ages, which is indeed going to be a prequel to the DOOM franchise.
As for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remake (or remaster, as it was listed in that leak), we haven’t heard much of it for a long while. Just last week, Internet sleuth Timur222 pointed to a Technical Artist Director from Virtuos possibly having worked on the project.
Today’s rumor follows that thread. MP1st reports that Virtuos (which worked on The Outer Worlds: The Spacer’s Choice Edition and is helping Konami with Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater) is indeed working on a remake with Epic’s Unreal Engine 5. They mention having read the personal website of a former studio employee who even provided actual details on some of the gameplay improvements to six key areas: Stamina, Sneak, Blocking, Archery, Hit Reaction, and HUD.
Blocking was reportedly inspired by Soulslike and other modern action games. Sneak has been improved, too, and its damage formula has been overhauled. The stamina system was also tweaked to make it less frustrating for players; for example, the knockdown that used to happen upon full stamina depletion should happen less often.
The HUD (heads-up display) was modified to be more accessible as well as visually interesting. Hit reactions during combat were introduced to improve the response to damage inflicted on both the player character and non-player characters (NPCs). Last but not least, Virtuos improved Archery in a way that it would feel smoother regardless of whether the user plays in third or first-person.
The report does not provide any further information on the game or when it will be announced. In case you were holding up hope for the upcoming Xbox Developer Direct’s mystery game, it’s worth reminding Microsoft explained it would be a brand new game, so it can’t be a remake. Besides, the latest rumor from Windows Central points to a new installment in an established Japanese franchise with ‘decades of history.’
Still, there’s too much smoke surrounding this The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remake to be false. It is likely coming, and possibly even relatively soon. It’s certainly peculiar that it might be announced on the release year of Skyblivion, the total conversion mod that aims to port Oblivion to the newer engine of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. When I last spoke to Skyblivion project lead Rebelzize, he didn’t seem too worried about it.
Would you be more excited about an UE5-powered official remake or for Skyblivion? Let us know in the poll and the comments below.
