Bethesda Game Studios recently revisited their 2006 RPG with The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, approaching the project with careful consideration of “what to modernize and what not to modernize,” a strategy the studio felt ultimately “just makes sense.”
According to Bethesda’s studio director, Tom Mustaine, the game’s enduring appeal comes from the way it was built: each playthrough can feel entirely new, offering different experiences even to players who know the game inside out. Speaking at The Golden Joystick Awards 2025, Mustaine described returning to Oblivion as “a little bit like opening an old chest,” discovering the many impressive elements crafted two decades ago.
Developing the remaster nearly twenty years later allowed Bethesda to enhance visuals and update certain aspects while preserving the game’s original quirks—like spontaneous fistfights among villagers—that make it memorable. The team engaged in detailed discussions about which elements to modernize, ultimately deciding to proceed in a way that respects the legacy and integrity of the original game. In this way, Oblivion Remastered feels fresh while keeping intact the features that made the original so iconic.
