The Elder Scrolls 4: Obliviongetting a remaster took players by surprise, but Cyrodiil greatly benefited from the glow-up that it received. Fans can’t help but look backat Bethesda’s catalogand think, “What else could use a modern makeover?”
There’s something irresistible about diving back into those clunky, ambitious worlds with fresh visuals and modern mechanics—especially when the original ideas were ahead of their time, but the tech just wasn’t there. From cosmic horror to desert wastelands, Bethesda’s back catalog is full of games that deserve a second life, and there are none more deserving than these games.
Games published by Bethesda have been taken into consideration as well.
This 2005 cult horror gem was Bethesda’s foray into Lovecraftian horror, and it didn’t pull any punches.Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners Of The Earthdrops players into the town of Innsmouth, where things are… not normal. There’s no HUD, no health bar, and sanity is a very real mechanic—watching too much cosmic horror unravel in front of you’re able to literally drive the protagonist mad.
The atmosphere is top-tier, but the game was notorious for its janky controls, brutal difficulty spikes, and bugs that could softlock progress. A remake could fix the frustrating stealth sections and clunky combat while leaning harder intothe psychological horrorand detective elements that fans still praise today. With modern horror sensibilities, and maybe a bit of theAmnesiaorResident Evil Villagepolish, Innsmouth could be terrifying all over again.
Long before Bethesda became synonymous with open worlds, they experimented withThe Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard, a 1998 action-adventure spin-off that followed Cyrus, a Redguard mercenary, on a quest to find his missing sister. It ditched the open-world format for a more linear, swashbuckling tale set on the island of Stros M’Kai, complete with swordplay, puzzles, and a surprising amount of pirate politics.
Redguard’s biggest issue? It was locked to MS-DOS and ran like a slideshow on anything less than a dedicated gaming rig. The controls were clunky, and the combat was more “flail wildly” than “master swordsman,” but the story and worldbuilding were peak Elder Scrolls. A remake could modernize the combat, flesh out the world, and finally bring this often-overlooked corner of Tamriel to a new generation.
Yes, Bethesda made aPirates of the Caribbeangame. Sort of. Released in 2003 and originally intended to be a sequel toSea Dogs, Bethesda slapped thePirateslicense on it when Disney’s movie took off. The result? An open-world pirate RPGwith ship combat, treasure hunting, and a loosely tied-in Jack Sparrow cameo that felt more like an afterthought.
Despite its rough edges, it had ambition. Players could sail the Caribbean, upgrade ships, and engage in naval battles long beforeAssassin’s Creed IV: Black Flagmade that mainstream. A remake could double down on the sandbox elements, give the story some actual weight, and modernize the sailing mechanics. Imagine a Bethesda-style pirate RPG with dynamic weather, procedurally generatedtreasure hunts, and factions vying for control of the seas. It’s a gold mine waiting to be rediscovered.
Fallout 3is often the entry point for players who fell in love with Bethesda’spost-apocalyptic vision. Washington D.C.’s Capital Wasteland was desolate, grim, and somehow still full of personality. The story of a Lone Wanderer searching for their father while navigating the politics of the Brotherhood of Steel, Enclave, and various wasteland factions still hits hard.
But go back now, and it’s rough. The combat feels stiff, the animations show their age, and the world, while iconic, looks like it was dipped in a green filter. A remake could overhaul the shooting mechanics (maybe borrow some ofFallout 4’s improvements), add more dynamic events, and give D.C. the detailed, handcrafted feel of newer RPGs.
Ask anyFalloutfan what their favorite entry is, andNew Vegaswill often be in the conversation. Obsidian’s spin on Bethesda’s sandbox formula brought deeper role-playing,branching narratives,and some of the best writing in the series. The Mojave felt alive with factions, from the NCR to Caesar’s Legion, all vying for control of the Strip.
But it launched with bugs—lots of them. And while mods have patched many issues on PC, console players never got the polished experience it deserved. A remake could fix the infamous crashes, overhaul the combat, and maybe even expand on some cut content (like that giant Hoover Dam battle that was supposed to be way bigger). Plus, withNew Vegas’s emphasis on choice and consequence, giving it modern AI and world systems could make those choices feel even more impactful.
No game on this list screams “Remake me!” louder thanMorrowind. The 2002 classic is often cited as the pinnacle of Bethesda’s worldbuilding—a sprawling alien landscape filled with giant mushrooms, floating gods, and a culture that feels truly distinct from the usualmedieval fantasy fare.
Morrowind’s story is layered, its factions are complex, and its freedom is unmatched. Players can kill key NPCs, break the main quest, and still be left to wander Vvardenfell as a god-slaying kleptomaniac. But time has not been kind to its dice-roll combat, archaic journal system, or lack of map markers. A remake could modernize the UI, rework combat to feel less like missing ghosts with every swing, and keep the original’s sense of mystery and discovery intact. Imagine stepping off that boat in Seyda Neen again, but this time with a fully voiced world, dynamic weather that actually affects gameplay, and maybe—just maybe—NPCs who don’t stare like mannequins.Morrowindis a world worth revisiting, and ifOblivioncan get its shine, so should Vvardenfell.
