Rumors of a potential The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remake, slated for a 2025 release, have surfaced online, accompanied by a purported leak of details.
Gaming news outlet Mp1st reported that a former employee of Virtuos, a video game support studio, inadvertently disclosed information about the unannounced project. Microsoft declined to comment when contacted by IGN.
According to Mp1st's report, Virtuos utilized Unreal Engine 5 to reconstruct Bethesda's acclaimed open-world RPG, suggesting a substantial overhaul rather than a simple remaster. The leak allegedly detailed gameplay modifications, including adjustments to Stamina, Sneak, Blocking, Archery, Hit Reactions, and the Heads-Up Display (HUD).
Mp1st claims the Blocking mechanic was redesigned with action and Soulslike games in mind, addressing criticisms of the original system's perceived "boring" and "frustrating" nature. Sneak icons are reportedly now highlighted, damage calculations have been revised, and the Stamina-depletion knockdown effect is allegedly more difficult to trigger. The HUD has undergone a redesign for improved clarity. Furthermore, hit reactions were added for enhanced feedback, and Archery mechanics were supposedly modernized for both first-person 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 a list of unannounced Bethesda games scheduled for release in subsequent years. This list, compiled in July 2020, prior to Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax Media in March 2021, included:
Fiscal Year 2022:
- Oblivion Remaster
- Indiana Jones game
Fiscal Year 2023:
- Doom Year Zero and DLC
- Project Kestrel
- Project Platinum
Fiscal Year 2024:
- The Elder Scrolls VI
- Project Kestrel: Expansion
- Licensed IP Game
- Fallout 3 Remaster
- Ghostwire: Tokyo Sequel
- Dishonored 3
- DOOM Year Zero DLC
Several titles on this list were either delayed or cancelled. Doom Year Zero became Doom: The Dark Ages, launching this year. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was released in December 2024. The Elder Scrolls VI significantly missed its projected 2024 release window.
The Oblivion remaster, initially listed as such in the Microsoft document, is now the focus. The project's scope may have expanded from a remaster to a full-fledged remake. The truth will be revealed when Bethesda officially unveils the project, one of gaming's worst-kept secrets.
Platform speculation is rife. Given Microsoft's current multiplatform strategy and the anticipated release of the Nintendo Switch 2, Oblivion could launch on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and potentially the Switch 2.
Leaker NateTheHate, who recently predicted the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal date, claims the Oblivion remake is set for a June release. A simultaneous launch with the Switch 2, if the reported release timeframe holds true, is a possibility.
Microsoft's upcoming Xbox Developer Direct next week will feature id Software showcasing Doom: The Dark Ages. While Microsoft has teased a new game from an undisclosed developer, it's unlikely to be Oblivion. Windows Central's Jez Corden hinted that the mystery game is a "new entry in a legendary Japanese IP with decades of history," anticipated to excite many fans.
