Last month’sThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remasteredturned out to be quite an exciting release, serving players an upgraded and visually enhanced rendition of the seminal 2006 RPG. More than anything,Oblivion Remasteredis a nostalgic trip down memory lane, reminding audiences of what Bethesda used to create before it grew into the household name that it is today.
ButOblivion Remasteredalso reveals the lack of innovation that plagues so many of Bethesda’s modern titles. Yes, games likeFallout 4andStarfieldare certainly different from the likes ofOblivionandMorrowind, with distinct visual styles, narrative tones, and moment-to-moment gameplay, but the broad-strokes elements ofBethesda’s formularemain mostly unchanged. The way that the studio structures its open-world, for example, is practically the same, even if aspects of scale and setting change drastically, and quest design is remarkably consistent as well. Naturally, this is precisely what a lot of players want: for Bethesda games to stick to a tried-and-true formula. But innovation and risk-taking are essential practices for any studio, and many other demographics had been hoping to see more of such practices in Bethesda’s recent endeavors. In the wake ofOblivion Remastered, the studio could have the best of both worlds.
Bethesda Could Move Forward While Staying Familiar by Repeating its Oblivion Remastered Strategy
More Remasters Could Give The Elder Scrolls 6 Room To Experiment
Bethesda’s developers and most dedicated fans clearly enjoy the classicElder Scrollsand 3DFalloutformula, but it’s also apparent that not everyone is on board with such strong adherence to tradition. Lack of growth was one of the most prominentcriticisms ofStarfieldat launch, and even the game’s fans agree that its strengths lie in what it does with the Bethesda RPG template, not how it recontextualizes or builds upon it.Starfieldexemplifies Bethesda’s loyalty to its long-running formula, for better and for worse.
A game likeOblivion Remasteredcan more appropriately leverage old-school design elements, for obvious reasons. Indeed, no one expectsOblivion Remasteredto reinvent the wheel—it helped to invent the wheel the first time. Thus, maybe Bethesda could stoke the flames of its unmistakable design template every few years with remakes and remasters, upgrading older games for more modern sensibilities. This would allow the company to tighten the screws on its formula, making it smoother, prettier, and more contemporary, thereby satisfying fans who simply want a polished version of these older titles—which is arguably whatStarfieldandFallout 4are.
Satisfying this vector could then allow Bethesda to get more creative withThe Elder Scrolls 6and future RPGs, as audiences would still be able to enjoy the older style via remakes. In theory, this bifurcated approach could result in a far more ambitious, creative, and riskyElder Scrolls 6, one that eschews tradition and player expectations in favor of radical reinvention. Bethesda could have its cake and eat it too.
The Elder Scrolls 6 Needs Change, Regardless of Bethesda’s Broader Strategy
WhileStarfieldmost definitely has a strong fanbase, it wasn’t the smash-hit that Bethesda or Microsoft hoped for. The fact is, after the lukewarm reception ofFallout 4and the disastrousearly days ofFallout 76, Bethesda neededStarfieldto be an unambiguous hit, not a modest success garnering mixed opinions.
One could speculate aboutStarfield’s shortcomingsat length, but its unwillingness to embrace change, offering the same approach to structure, progression, exploration, and narrative delivery as previous Bethesda titles, was definitely a key factor in it underperforming. ComeThe Elder Scrolls 6, Bethesda would be wise to push the envelope a bit further, and more remasters, whether they be ofElder ScrollsorFallouttitles, could facilitate this.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
WHERE TO PLAY
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion™ Remastered modernizes the 2006 Game of the Year with all new stunning visuals and refined gameplay. Explore the vast landscape of Cyrodiil like never before and stop the forces of Oblivion from overtaking the land in one of the greatest RPGs ever from the award-winning Bethesda Game Studios.Rediscover CyrodiilJourney through the rich world of Tamriel and battle across the planes of Oblivion where handcrafted details have been meticulously recreated to ensure each moment of exploration is awe-inspiring.Navigate Your Own StoryFrom the noble warrior to the sinister assassin, wizened sorcerer, or scrappy blacksmith, forge your path and play the way you want.Experience an Epic AdventureStep inside a universe bursting with captivating stories and encounter an unforgettable cast of characters. Master swordcraft and wield powerful magic as you fight to save Tamriel from the Daedric invasion.The Complete StoryExperience everything Oblivion has to offer with previously released story expansions Shivering Isles, Knights of the Nine, and additional downloadable content included in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.
