The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remake Details Reportedly Leak Online

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

Gaming news outlet Mp1st reported that a former employee of Virtuos, a video game support studio, inadvertently disclosed information about the unannounced title. 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 details gameplay modifications, including adjustments to Stamina, Sneak, Blocking, Archery, Hit Reactions, and the heads-up display (HUD).

Mp1st claims the Blocking mechanic was redesigned with action and Soulslike games in mind, addressing criticisms of the original system's "boring" and "frustrating" nature. Sneak icons are reportedly enhanced, damage calculations refined, and Stamina depletion-induced knockdowns made more difficult to trigger. A redesigned HUD aims for improved clarity, while added hit reactions enhance combat feedback. Archery mechanics, in both first and third-person perspectives, have allegedly been modernized.

Hints of an Oblivion remaster emerged in 2023 during the FTC vs. Microsoft trial concerning the Activision Blizzard acquisition. Documents revealed several unannounced Bethesda titles, including an Oblivion remaster, scheduled for release in subsequent years. This list, compiled in July 2020, predated Microsoft's March 2021 acquisition of ZeniMax Media, and included titles such as:

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

Several of these titles faced delays or cancellation. Doom Year Zero became Doom: The Dark Ages, launching this year. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle launched 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 Microsoft's documents referred to it as a remaster. The project's scope may have expanded into a full remake. Official confirmation from Bethesda is pending.

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

Leaker NateTheHate, who recently predicted the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal date, claims the Oblivion remake launches this June. A simultaneous Switch 2 release is possible, given the reported timeframe.

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