The remarkable concurrent player numbers on Steam, combined with Bethesda’s announcement of four million players, clearly establish The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered as a major success. Now, after just one week on sale, it has become the third best-selling game of 2025 in the United States.
Oblivion Remastered was surprise-released on April 22 and achieved a peak concurrent player count of 216,784 on Steam. This number, while impressive, doesn't capture the full picture, since the game simultaneously launched on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and was available on Game Pass from day one.
A new milestone has now been reached: within a week of its release, Oblivion Remastered is already the third top-selling game in the U.S. for 2025 in terms of dollar sales. According to Circana’s Mat Piscatella, who shared the news on social media, it is only behind Monster Hunter: Wilds and Assassin’s Creed: Shadows in the 2025 sales rankings.
It’s important to note that Circana’s sales data does not count players who accessed the game through subscription services. This means Oblivion Remastered is a commercial hit despite its availability on Microsoft's Game Pass.
Given this level of success, it seems very likely that more Bethesda remasters are on the way, with many speculating that Fallout 3 (which was leaked in 2023) or Fallout: New Vegas will be next.
If either of these titles gets a remaster, what should players anticipate? Bruce Nesmith, one of the designers of Fallout 3, has highlighted the game's "not good" gunplay, which he expects Bethesda would significantly enhance in a remaster.
In conversation with VideoGamer, Nesmith suggested that Fallout 3 Remastered would likely feature shooting mechanics more in line with Fallout 4. “What did you see in Fallout 4? That gives you an idea of what they thought needed changing from Fallout 3,” Nesmith remarked.
“I know they put a lot of effort into improving gun combat for Fallout 4. Fallout 3 was their first attempt at a shooter-style game, and the progress made was truly outstanding.”
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Screenshots
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Oblivion Remastered, developed by the renowned remake studio Virtuos using Unreal Engine 5, includes a long list of visual and gameplay enhancements. It runs at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second, as expected, but other upgrades are more substantial. Nearly every aspect has been refined, from leveling systems and character creation to combat animations and in-game menus. Additionally, the game adds a wealth of new dialogue, a true third-person perspective, and advanced lip-syncing technology. These extensive changes are resonating well with fans, some of whom argue that Oblivion Remastered could more accurately be called a remake. However, Bethesda has provided its reasoning for choosing the remaster path.
Nesmith believes a Fallout 3 Remaster would likely receive similar quality-of-life improvements and changes as Oblivion Remastered.
“[Fallout 3 combat] didn't compare well to other shooters at the time,” he said. “It's an RPG with shooter elements, not a fast-paced action shooter. But they did a lot to improve it for Fallout 4, so I expect to see much of that work incorporated, assuming they follow the same approach.”
“Oblivion wasn't just upgraded to match the 2011 version of Skyrim,” he continued. “It was elevated to something that, at least visually, appears to surpass even the latest graphical updates for Skyrim.” Nesmith has stated The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is so impressive it could be considered “Oblivion 2.0.”
It’s a bustling period for Bethesda, which is currently developing The Elder Scrolls VI and, perhaps, more Starfield content. With remasters in the works, ongoing updates for Fallout 76, and the Fallout TV show heading to New Vegas for its second season, fans have incredible experiences to look forward to in the coming years.
We offer a comprehensive guide to everything in Oblivion Remastered, featuring an expansive Interactive Map, complete walkthroughs for the Main Quest and every Guild Quest, guidance on building the perfect character, essential early-game tips, every PC cheat code, and much more.
