The year 2006 saw Bethesda thriving with The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion's success. Hoping to keep players engaged in Cyrodiil, they began rolling out small paid DLC expansions. Nobody could've predicted the uproar their April DLC drop would cause - a simple horse armor set that would become gaming legend.
Even if you weren't active in gaming circles then, you've probably encountered the horse armor debate. While downloadable content existed before, Oblivion's Horse Armor Pack (priced at 200 Microsoft Points, roughly $2.50) sparked outrage for offering practically no gameplay value.
Fast forward to 2025, the gaming landscape has completely transformed. Cosmetic DLC has become standard practice, allowing Bethesda to wink at its past with the surprise release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. In an ironic twist, the remaster reintroduces horse armor as paid content - this time offering two variants in the $10 Deluxe Edition alongside new quests, weapons, and digital extras.
Surprisingly, the gaming community is taking it in stride. Nearly 20 years after the original controversy, players have grown accustomed to paying for purely cosmetic upgrades. Circana analyst Mat Piscatella's recent BlueSky post puts it in perspective - U.S. gamers spent over $10.4 billion on digital add-ons last year alone. As many have joked: "Horse Armor paved the way for Battle Passes."
The internet has mostly responded with amusement at Bethesda's self-aware callback:
PAID HORSE ARMOR DLC. OBLIVION IS TRULY BACK. pic.twitter.com/1DJFIPzHB0
— Many A True Nerd (@ManyATrueNerd) April 22, 2025
Honestly I have to respect it. New players won't know this, but releasing the horse armor as paid DLC again is a subtle reference to when they singlehandedly ruined the industry by selling it the first time around. I kneel, Todd. https://t.co/BGwBwL3VYX
— UGS | Ajay (@AJ34_SSB) April 22, 2025
£10 for Horse Armor in #OblivionRemastered ??? There's no way that's gonna catch on pic.twitter.com/E1jqpPZFYr
— Olive_Meister (@Olive_Meisterr) April 22, 2025
The remastered edition already boasts more than just horse armor - community mods appeared within hours on Nexus Mods, though currently offering only minor customizations.
While awaiting more substantial mods, players can explore why many consider this release closer to a remake than a remaster, and Bethesda's reasoning behind the "Remastered" label.
We've prepared extensive guides covering everything in Oblivion Remastered - from detailed Interactive Maps to complete Walkthroughs for all major questlines, Character Building advice, Starting Tips, and much more.
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