Bruce Nesmith, the senior game designer of the original The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, has expressed his awe at Bethesda and Virtuos' work on the newly released Oblivion Remastered. In a recent interview with VideoGamer, Nesmith suggested that the term "remaster" might not fully capture the extent of the transformation. He highlighted the immense effort that went into the original game's development, emphasizing the surprise and admiration he felt upon seeing the comprehensive reimagining of Cyrodiil.
“I was expecting just a texture update,” Nesmith admitted. “But what they’ve done is a complete overhaul, redoing animations, the animation system, integrating the Unreal Engine, revising the leveling system, and updating the user interface. They’ve touched every part of the game.”
Despite no official announcement from Bethesda prior to its surprise launch, the gaming community has been overwhelmingly positive about the numerous changes. From subtle visual enhancements to significant gameplay adjustments, including a new sprint mechanic and alterations to the leveling system, fans are feeling that Oblivion Remastered is more akin to a full-fledged remake. Nesmith echoed this sentiment, noting, “The closest that could come [to categorizing it] is Oblivion 2.0. That’s a staggering amount of remastering. It almost needs its own word, quite frankly. I’m not sure remaster actually does it justice.”
In his discussion, Nesmith attempted to encapsulate his impressions of the remaster: “The closest that could come [to categorizing it] is Oblivion 2.0.”
As fans celebrate the meticulous work on Oblivion Remastered, Bethesda has shared its own perspective on naming the RPG re-release. In a social media statement, the studio clarified that their goal was not to remake Oblivion but to preserve the cherished experience while modernizing it for new players, warts and all.
“We know many of our longtime fans will be thrilled to revisit Oblivion and the land of Cyrodiil,” Bethesda’s statement read. “But there are also so many who have never played it. We can’t thank you enough for all the support you have given us and our games over the years. Our hope with this remaster is that, no matter who you are, when you step out of the Imperial sewer – you feel like you’re experiencing it for the first time.”
Oblivion Remastered was unexpectedly released yesterday as a shadow drop from Bethesda. It is now available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S, and is accessible at no extra cost for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. The remaster has reinvigorated the Elder Scrolls community, with the modding community particularly enthusiastic about the surprise launch.
For those eager to dive in, we offer a comprehensive guide to Oblivion Remastered, featuring an expansive Interactive Map, complete Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and every Guild Quest, tips on How to Build the Perfect Character, Things to Do First, and much more.
