Summary
TheSkybliviondevelopment team has revealed it is moving forward with its fan remake ofThe Elder Scrolls 4: Obliviondespite the official remaster being leaked.Skyblivionhas been in development for more than ten years as a remake ofElder Scrolls IV: Oblivionwithin the engine used forElder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
In 2012, The Elder Scrolls Renewal Project modder Zilav began the project of portingOblivion’sassets into Bethesda’s Creation Engine, which was used forSkyrimjust one year prior. Various versions of the fan project were developed leading into 2014, and the developers determined that the version 0.2 build would serve as the foundation for further development. The currentSkyblivionproject lead, Rebelzize, was brought into the development team and changed the project’s trajectory by pitchingthe idea of remakingOblivionrather than porting assets over. This idea was approved, and Rebelzize would encourage other modders and developers from Nexus Mods to help developSkyblivionin 2016. Development ofSkyblivionis still ongoing, and there doesn’t seem to be any plans to cease development any time soon.
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Althoughthe recent Microsoft and FTC leaknotes that an officialOblivionremaster may be coming in the future, Rebelzize vowed to eventually releaseSkyblivionwhen speaking to IGN in an interview. After many years of development, Rebelzize is looking forward to releasing theOblivionremake in 2025, and the developer believes an officialOblivionremaster is beneficial to theSkyblivionproject andElder Scrollsfans alike. Rebelzize says that the rumor is “good news for everyone” since more people will be able to experienceOblivionfor the first time. The developer also reiterates that the officialOblivionremaster would offer a different experience compared toSkyblivion.
Remakes likeSkyblivionare creative takes onOblivion, according to Rebelzize. The development team’s main goal forSkyblivioninvolves makingOblivionfeel like a brand-new game released in the present day, and Rebelzize believes the officialOblivionremaster is meant to introduce quality-of-life improvements and modern features while preserving the original game. The developer doesn’t expect a cease and desist since the team has been in talks with Bethesda for many years aboutSkyblivion, so the two projects may potentially co-exist in the near future.
Microsoft and Bethesda’s officialOblivionremaster should cater to fans who are invested in the current Xbox ecosystem, whereasSkybliviondraws the appeal of PC gamers who enjoyexperimenting with newSkyrimmods. Unfortunately, exact release dates for both versions ofOblivionare unknown, so fans will need to wait and follow official channels for Bethesda and theSkyblivionteam in the meantime.
The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionis available now for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.
