Rumors have been swirling about a remake ofOblivionfor a couple of years now, and recently a huge leak for a project titledOblivion Remasteredall but confirms this. The knowledge thatOblivionwas getting some kind of remaster or remake was one of the worst-kept secrets in gaming, with insiders trickling out a steady stream of updates, but this latest batch of images has shown that it could be ready to drop any day now.
Theleaked screenshots showOblivionremasteredin gorgeous detail, with rolling grassy hills, illuminated Ayleid Wells, and some incredibly metal key art of an Imperial Legionary. However, alongside the in-game shots, several images depict the cover and contents of the deluxe edition, and in the bottom right is a very familiar sight to many gamers.
Oblivion Remastered Looks to Be Bringing Back the Original Controversial DLC
Oblivionfirst launched into a very different video game landscape in 2006, and it proceeded to make its impact felt in many areas at once. The scale of the game was quite monumental for the time, and the game received high praise for its deep systems and ability to maintain a high graphical fidelity despite everything it had packed in.
However, it also changed the nature of microtransactions forever when it revealed thecontroversial Horse Armor DLC. Available separately from the main game, Horse Armor added no in-game bonus whatsoever, and to many critics of modern-day microtransactions in games, it was this move by Bethesda that opened the door to other developers to monetize cosmetic content.
The controversial legacy of the DLC has stayed with Bethesda for a long time, as whenTodd Howard gets asked about Horse Armor, he says that though it caused some backlash, it sold well. NowOblivion Remasteredlooks like it will include the very same addition all over again, and the internet has noticed.
Todd Howard Has a Reputation for Controversy
The presence of Horse Armor as a deluxe upgrade does not seem like an accident. As well as defending its original inclusion, Bethesda’s director Todd Howard is well known for his promises in the past, from theinfamous release ofFallout 76, and his memed catchphrase “everything just works.” Todd seems to have a reputation for being a little bit cheeky, whether it’s Bethesda pushing out a new patch that breaks mods, or him making some sort of claim that can be instantly clipped for social media.
Horse Armor making a return would be appropriate then, as though the project appears to be handled in large part by Virtuos, Bethesda has probably had a hand in directing parts of it. The DLC would be a cheeky nod to players who remember the original controversy, as a way of reminding them where it all started.
But this strategy of making a joke that costs real money could backfire on Bethesda. Facing the potential for higher game prices, and with so many alternatives on the market, audiences today can be quick to make their displeasure known. While many players have come to enjoy it,Starfieldwas not the smashing success Bethesdaexpected, and the company now has less goodwill to expend on cheap, or in this case, expensive jokes at the buyer’s expense.
Oblivion Remasteredis expected to shadow-drop soon, and will probably sell well if the reception to the leaks is anything to go by. But Todd Howard may be held to his past statements about Horse Armor, should that DLC pack also be refreshed. How well that ends up selling, given how mod-friendly Bethesda’s games are, will be watched closely by many in the community.
