Oblivion Remake Could Outshine Elder Scrolls 6 and Spark Major Controversy

Although there are rumors suggesting that a remake of “The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion” might launch as early as June or April, no official confirmation has been made yet by Bethesda. Given the gap since the release of “Skyrim” in 2011 and the recent announcement of “TES6” in 2018, a remake of “Oblivion” would be a significant event for Bethesda. However, it’s possible that the Unreal Engine 5 update for “Oblivion” could be secretly released by Bethesda or announced shortly before its release, leaving little time to generate excitement among fans before its launch.

The remake of the game “Oblivion” might not require a grand spectacle to generate sales, given that the Elder Scrolls IP is one of the most prominent in gaming, and fans have been eagerly anticipating a new title for what seems like an eternity. However, Bethesda’s current standing isn’t particularly stellar, known for moving slowly and delivering underwhelming results following “Starfield”. Therefore, positive reviews and an impressive remake could help improve their image, but as of now, there’s no sneak peek at this remake. The use of Unreal Engine 5 could potentially pose challenges, stirring up intriguing questions for Bethesda.

Unreal Engine 5 Could Make Oblivion Look Better Than TES6

Unreal Engine 5 Has Impressed More Than The Creation Engine 2

The upcoming remake of Oblivion is expected to employ Unreal Engine 5, renowned for its stunning visuals as demonstrated in Black Myth: Wukong and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, even though Bethesda possesses their own engine, the Creation Engine 2. However, the Creation Engine 2 has been scarcely utilized, with only Starfield making use of it. Critics have frequently expressed concerns over the first Creation Engine’s age and its inability to meet modern gaming requirements. Though Bethesda developed a new engine to address these issues, it hasn’t yet captivated many with its visual capabilities. Therefore, an Unreal Engine 5 project is anticipated to deliver a more visually appealing outcome.

It’s important to note that Unreal Engine 5 isn’t without its imperfections, particularly in terms of optimization, but it’s still a preferred choice among developers over their own engines for various reasons. CD Projekt Red has chosen UE5 for future Witcher titles, and there are those who suggest Bethesda should follow suit. If the Oblivion remake opts for UE5 while Elder Scrolls 6 sticks with Creation Engine 2, the comparison could be drawn between the Demon’s Souls remake and Elden Ring, but perhaps to a greater extent.

The remake of “Demon’s Souls” continues to impress, thanks to Bluepoint Games’ development, and boasts graphical superiority over “Elden Ring.” However, “Elden Ring” excels in art design and offers a vast, almost unmatched open world. These differences became less significant shortly after the game’s release. Unfortunately, “ES6” might not enjoy such leniency due to the long-standing criticism Bethesda has faced. If the remake of “Oblivion” surpasses “ES6” in terms of graphical fidelity and includes modern gameplay, it would further tarnish Bethesda’s reputation, particularly given rumors about Virtuos’ role in the remake.

UE5 Will Still Allow Oblivion’s Modding Community To Thrive

Hogwarts Legacy Provides A Great Example

A primary worry about a change in engines is the potential harm it might cause to the thriving modding scene, particularly for Bethesda games such as Skyrim that I’ve personally modded and played extensively over nearly fourteen years. The vibrant modding community is what gives Bethesda titles an enduring quality, but there are fears that this distinctive feature, attributed to the Creation Engine and the ease with which fans have been able to modify it, may be compromised if the developer decides to adopt Unreal Engine 5 instead.

The strength of modding communities has significantly contributed to the success of Unreal Engine games, as exemplified in Hogwarts Legacy and its mod support. While it may not rival Skyrim’s mod support (which uses an older version of Unreal Engine), the accessibility of Unreal Engine allows for ease in adding assets to UE5 games, particularly if suitable mod toolkits are developed. The upcoming Oblivion remake could potentially reap these benefits, with a versatile Unreal Engine modding toolkit that empowers players to emulate some of the feats achieved by Skyrim modders.

The modding community for the video game Hogwarts Legacy is particularly noteworthy, and arguably the most extensive for a game using Unreal Engine, with its top-rated mod, Ascendo 3, amassing over 800,000 downloads on Nexus Mods. This may give us a glimpse into how modding for Oblivion in Unreal Engine 5 might take shape. Ideally, with Unreal Engine 5’s stunning graphics, mods could shift their focus from visual enhancements to creating additional content. The potential implementation of a script extender, commonplace in Bethesda games, could pose challenges within an UE5 environment, though it remains to be seen how far modding for an Unreal Engine game can be pushed to its limits.

Creation Engine 2 Is A Problem For Elder Scrolls 6

It Hasn’t Impressed With Starfield

Regardless of individual opinions about Starfield, it’s challenging to justify the game’s underwhelming graphics. It’s not the most visually striking title, and while this isn’t typically an area where Bethesda excels, even with a new engine, the visuals appeared outdated. The question remains whether the dated appearance is entirely due to the engine, but Starfield didn’t present the strongest demonstration of the Creation Engine 2. Since Unreal Engine 5 gained prominence, some Bethesda fans have been advocating for its use in future games, expressing their concerns about Starfield’s visuals since then.

In a different section, it’s been pointed out that switching to Unreal Engine 5 might strip away some of the distinct qualities that make Bethesda games stand out, which could very well be accurate. However, Unreal Engine is showing promise with its active modding communities. It’s also important to consider that Creation Engine 2 hasn’t been fully evaluated as it was only used for one game so far. If the remake of ‘Oblivion’ appears visually superior, has fewer glitches, and maintains most of its modding features, it won’t bode well for Creation Engine 2. Nevertheless, it’s clear that Bethesda’s new engine hasn’t demonstrated all its potential yet.

Considering the unique production process of Starfield, which was developed during Microsoft’s takeover, some might find Creation Engine 2 more impressive than generally perceived. While modders may not have extensively explored the game yet, the average player might not be concerned about that. If The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion’s remake on Unreal Engine 5 boasts improved graphics, fewer bugs, and maintains good modding support, it could pose a challenge for Bethesda with The Elder Scrolls 6 in development, especially if the latter doesn’t meet expectations.

2025-03-22 00:09