TES4: Oblivion Remake Leak Reveals Exciting Details!

Rumors of an Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remake, slated for a 2025 release, have surfaced online, fueled by a purported leak of development details.

Gaming news outlet Mp1st reported that a former employee of Virtuos, a video game support studio, inadvertently disclosed information about the unannounced project. Microsoft declined to comment when questioned 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 modifications, including adjustments to Stamina, Sneak, Blocking, Archery, Hit Reactions, and the HUD.

Mp1st claims the Blocking system was redesigned with action and Soulslike games in mind, addressing criticisms of the original's "boring" and "frustrating" mechanics. Sneak icons are reportedly enhanced, damage calculations overhauled, and Stamina depletion-induced knockdowns made less frequent. The HUD underwent a redesign for improved clarity, hit reactions were added for better feedback, and Archery mechanics were modernized for both first and third-person perspectives.

Hints of an Oblivion remaster emerged in 2023 during the FTC vs. Microsoft trial concerning the Activision Blizzard acquisition. Documents revealed a list of unannounced Bethesda titles, compiled in July 2020, including:

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 experienced delays or cancellations. Doom Year Zero became Doom: The Dark Ages, launching this year. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle arrived in December 2024, and The Elder Scrolls VI significantly missed its projected release window.

The Oblivion remake's status is now the focus. It's noteworthy that the Microsoft document referred to it as a remaster. The project's scope may have expanded into a full remake. Official confirmation from Bethesda is pending.

Platform speculation abounds. Microsoft's current multi-platform strategy, coupled with the anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, suggests potential releases beyond PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.

Leakers, including NateTheHate (who recently reported on the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal date), claim a June release for the Oblivion remake. A simultaneous Switch 2 launch is possible.

Microsoft's upcoming Xbox Developer Direct will feature id Software's presentation on Doom: The Dark Ages. A new game from an undisclosed Japanese developer is also teased, but it's unlikely to be Oblivion. Windows Central's Jez Corden described it as "a new entry in a legendary Japanese IP with decades of history."