Rumors of an Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remake, slated for a 2025 release, have surfaced online, with purported details leaked.
Gaming news outlet Mp1st reported that a former employee of Virtuos, a video game support studio, inadvertently disclosed information about the unannounced title. Microsoft declined to comment when questioned by IGN.
According to Mp1st's report, Virtuos utilized Unreal Engine 5 to rebuild Bethesda's acclaimed open-world RPG, suggesting a substantial overhaul rather than a simple remaster. Alleged gameplay modifications include adjustments to Stamina, Sneak, Blocking, Archery, Hit Reactions, and the HUD.
Mp1st further claims that the Blocking system was redesigned with action and Soulslike games in mind, addressing criticisms of the original's "boring" and "frustrating" mechanics. Sneak icons are reportedly enhanced, damage calculations refined, and Stamina depletion-induced knockdowns made less frequent. The HUD underwent a redesign for improved clarity, hit reactions were added for clearer feedback, and Archery mechanics were modernized for both first and third-person perspectives.
Hints of an Oblivion remaster emerged in 2023 during the FTC vs. Microsoft trial concerning the Activision Blizzard acquisition. Documents revealed several unannounced Bethesda games, including an Oblivion remaster, scheduled for release in subsequent years. This list, compiled in July 2020, predated Microsoft's March 2021 acquisition of ZeniMax Media, and included titles subsequently delayed or canceled.
The discrepancy between the leaked "remake" and the originally documented "remaster" is noteworthy. The project's scope may have expanded during development. Bethesda's official announcement will clarify this ambiguity.
Speculation abounds regarding the remake's platform availability. Given Microsoft's current multiplatform strategy and the anticipated release of the Nintendo Switch 2, a wider release beyond PC, Xbox, and PlayStation is plausible.
Leaker NateTheHate, who recently predicted the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal date, claims the Oblivion remake launches this June, potentially coinciding with the Switch 2 launch window.
Microsoft's upcoming Xbox Developer Direct next week will feature id Software's presentation on Doom: The Dark Ages. While Microsoft teased a new game from an undisclosed developer, it's unlikely to be Oblivion. Windows Central's Jez Corden hinted at a new entry in a long-standing Japanese franchise.
