Rumors of an 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 title. Microsoft declined to comment when contacted 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. The leak allegedly detailed gameplay adjustments, including modifications 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 "boring" and "frustrating" nature. Sneak icons are reportedly now highlighted, damage calculations have been revised, and the Stamina depletion knockdown is allegedly harder to trigger. The HUD has undergone a redesign for improved clarity. Hit reactions were added for clearer feedback, and Archery mechanics were reportedly modernized for both first-person and third-person perspectives.
News of an Oblivion remaster first emerged in 2023, when documents from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) versus Microsoft trial concerning the Activision Blizzard acquisition revealed several unannounced Bethesda games. A July 2020 list, compiled before Microsoft's March 2021 purchase of ZeniMax Media (Bethesda's parent company), 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
Many of these titles have since been delayed, canceled, or altered. Doom Year Zero is now Doom: The Dark Ages, launching this year. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was released in December 2024. And The Elder Scrolls VI is far from its projected 2024 release.
The Oblivion remake's status remains uncertain. The Microsoft document referred to it as a remaster; the project's scope may have expanded into a full remake. Further details are anticipated from Bethesda.
Platform speculation is rife. Given Microsoft's current multiplatform strategy and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, Oblivion could potentially launch on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Leaker NateTheHate, who recently predicted the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal date, claims the Oblivion remake is slated for a June release, potentially coinciding with the Switch 2 launch window.
Microsoft's upcoming Xbox Developer Direct next week will feature id Software's Doom: The Dark Ages reveal. While Microsoft has teased a new game from an undisclosed developer, it's unlikely to be Oblivion. Windows Central's Jez Corden hints at a "new entry in a legendary Japanese IP with decades of history."
