"Remakes Key to Bethesda's Revival, Oblivion Shows"

By Azura, by Azura, by Azura – the rumors were true. Yesterday, Bethesda sent the gaming world into a frenzy by unveiling Virtuos’ remaster of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. This 'Elder Scrolls Direct' event ended with a surprise shadow-drop, instantly drawing in hundreds of thousands of concurrent players. This moment of global hype and celebration couldn't come at a better time for Bethesda Game Studios, which has been navigating rough waters in recent years. From the prolonged efforts to repair the launch of Fallout 76 to the lukewarm reception of its new sci-fi universe, Starfield, many fans have been questioning whether Bethesda has lost its touch. With fierce competitors like Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3 and Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds series gaining acclaim, the future of Bethesda's iconic franchises like Elder Scrolls and Fallout remains uncertain. Yet, this re-release of Oblivion might be the key to reigniting the studio's magic, albeit in an unexpected way.

At its zenith, Bethesda Game Studios was the undisputed leader in the RPG genre. In 2020, leaked Microsoft FTC documents revealed that Fallout 4 had sold 25 million units to date, with over 5 million units sold in its first week alone according to VGChartz. In 2023, Todd Howard announced that Skyrim had surpassed 60 million sales, a figure buoyed by its numerous re-releases. In contrast, Starfield has only managed to sell just over three million units a year and a half after its launch. While Game Pass subscribers might inflate player counts, and the absence of a PlayStation version impacts sales, this performance is undoubtedly disappointing for Bethesda. Even the dedicated Starfield fanbase has expressed dissatisfaction with its first expansion, Shattered Space.

This situation presents a significant challenge for Bethesda. With The Elder Scrolls 6 years away and Fallout 5 merely a whisper in the studio's halls, the question arises: how can this once-iconic RPG developer recapture its audience? The answer might lie in revisiting its past.

Rumors of the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remaster surfaced in September 2023 when leaked Microsoft documents hinted at unannounced Bethesda projects, including this remaster of the 2006 classic. The buzz grew until January 2025, when a former Virtuos employee leaked more details, sparking debates among fans. The dam finally broke last week, with the announcement sparking over 6.4 million Google searches for ‘The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion,’ a 713% increase in the last week alone. Bethesda's reveal livestream peaked at over half a million viewers. Despite the leaks, more than 600,000 tuned in to witness the re-reveal of this 19-year-old game. The excitement caused discount game key websites like CDKeys to crash, and slowed Fanatical and Green Man Gaming. As of yesterday, Steam reported 125,000 concurrent players, with Oblivion topping the best-seller list. The fervor among Bethesda fans for this remaster is as intense as the flames of 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 cycles than by inviting them to revisit the enchanting realms of Morrowind or the post-apocalyptic landscapes of the East Coast? From a business perspective, this strategy makes sense. While Bethesda's main team focuses on new, time-consuming projects, partners like Virtuos can use existing frameworks to create remasters in shorter time frames. These remasters cater to built-in audiences and introduce a new generation to classic RPGs like Tamriel or the Fallout series.

Bethesda has previously leveraged its catalog effectively. During the first season of the Fallout TV show on Prime Video, Fallout 4 was discounted by up to 75%, accompanied by a next-gen update that included homages to the show. This move resulted in a 7,500% sales increase in Europe alone, despite the game being nearly a decade old.

The message from players is clear: if you (re)build it, they will come. Among Bethesda's back catalog, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind stands out as a prime candidate for a remake. Many fans have long advocated for this, with some even remaking it using Skyrim’s tools in projects like Skyblivion. However, Morrowind presents unique challenges. It straddles the line between Bethesda's older and newer game designs – it's partially voiced, relies heavily on text for storytelling, lacks quest markers, and has simplistic combat physics. While Virtuos managed to update some of Oblivion’s systems, Morrowind’s entire framework is what makes it both beloved and challenging to modernize. Remaking it requires a delicate balance to preserve its original charm without alienating new players.

When a studio defines 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, which supports the development of GTA 6. Bethesda's strength lies in its richly detailed, single-player worlds, unlike Elder Scrolls Online and Fallout 76. The overwhelming response to Virtuos’ Oblivion remaster demonstrates that gamers are eager to return to Bethesda's storied past. While not every remaster guarantees success, as seen with Rockstar’s GTA Definitive Editions, a well-crafted revival of Bethesda's classics could be the perfect way for the studio to reclaim its throne in the modern RPG landscape.