A Mod We Legit Thought Was a Myth Is Actually Coming
Okay, let’s be real. For the last decade, Skyblivion has felt like a collective fever dream. The ambitious fan project to remake all of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion in the Skyrim engine was one of those things you’d hear about and go, “lol yeah right, that’s never coming out.” Well, time to eat our words, because the TESRenewal team just dropped their latest development diary, and they are officially in “the final stretch” for a 2025 release. Not me actually getting hyped.
After more than ten years of passion and what I can only assume was a truly heroic amount of caffeine, the project is looking polished, ambitious, and ready to make us all sink another 500 hours into Cyrodiil. To play, you’ll need to own legal copies of both Oblivion and Skyrim with all their DLCs, so don’t be that person. Your wallet might cry, but it’s for a good cause.
Anvil’s Glow-Up Is Actually Insane
Remember Anvil from the original game? Kinda... empty? A bit copy-pasted? The devs saw that, said “absolutely not,” and gave the coastal city the glow-up it always deserved. The latest footage shows off a completely reimagined Anvil, and honestly? They ate that and left no crumbs.
The city now features a huge, horseshoe-shaped harbor that makes it feel like the major port it was always meant to be. The team has completely overhauled the architecture to give it a unique vibe, moving away from the generic assets that made some of Oblivion’s cities feel a little mid. It’s more than just a fresh coat of paint; it’s a total vibe-check on what a modern Cyrodiil should feel like. We are so here for it.
More Than a Remaster, It’s a Whole Remake
Let's get one thing straight: this isn't just a remaster. While an official remaster might slap some new textures on the original game, Skyblivion is a full-blown remake from the ground up. The team is rebuilding the entire experience in the Skyrim engine, which means better stability, fancier graphics, and AI that doesn't get stuck on a rock (hopefully).
They didn’t stop there. They’ve designed entirely new systems, including a new lockpicking minigame and a modern UI that won't make your eyes bleed. Every single weapon, piece of armor, and creature is being recreated with high-quality models. Dungeons are being redesigned to be unique, and they're even restoring city layouts that Bethesda originally planned but had to cut. Say less.
They’re Even Adding a Whole Lost City 💀
As if remaking the entire game wasn't enough, the team is also restoring content that was cut from the original Oblivion. The big one? The lost city of Sutch. Originally planned to be Cyrodiil's eighth major city, it was left as a sad, ruined fort in the final game. The Skyblivion team is bringing it back as a fully realized city, though it's overrun by bandits. This isn't just fan service; it's digital archaeology, and it adds a massive new area for us to explore.
So yeah, the Skyblivion project is looking like the definitive way to re-experience Oblivion. After a decade of waiting, it’s almost here, and it looks like it was worth every second. Your move, Bethesda. No pressure.
