Bethesda Surprises Fans with Gift After Skyblivion’s Oblivion Remastered Release

The folks over at Skyblivion, working hard on their ambitious unofficial remake of Oblivion within the Skyrim engine, have gotten quite the surprise from Bethesda. To mark the release of Oblivion Remastered, which Bethesda launched somewhat unexpectedly, the developers gave the Skyblivion team some cool game keys. This gesture pretty much underscores Bethesda’s generally supportive stance towards modders, including those working on fan projects like Skyblivion.

To clear up any misconceptions, Bethesda finally addressed the pervasive rumors about an official Oblivion update. On April 22, they lifted the curtain on Oblivion Remastered and officially released it. As for Skyblivion, it’s been a long-running passion project driven by fans since 2012, steadily progressing towards its goal.

Now with Skyblivion penciled in for 2025—coincidentally the same year as the official Oblivion Remastered debut—you’d think Bethesda might be wary of this fan-driven endeavor. Yet, that’s not the case at all. A public note from the Skyblivion creators showed how Bethesda gifted free game keys to the entire team, a generous move that was met with genuine gratitude from the volunteers. This gift really celebrates Bethesda’s welcoming attitude towards their modding community, particularly given Oblivion Remastered’s release.

And how about that? Not every game developer goes around slapping cease and desist orders left and right. Bethesda has long been known for their polite nods towards the modding community. Mods have this incredible power to keep a game alive and thriving even when official updates have dried up. While some companies, like Take-Two Interactive and Nintendo, are notorious for pursuing legal measures against fan-made projects, Bethesda stands out with its open-armed embrace of modding.

Acknowledging the fantastic work done by the Skyblivion team is only fair. Their project has transformed from a simple porting job into a major overhaul. They’ve rebuilt substantial parts of the game and even recreated assets from scratch. Before Oblivion Remastered was officially announced, the Skyblivion enthusiasts had already commented on its rumored debut, expressing their enthusiasm for reaching a broader audience, especially console gamers. As it stands, 2025 sure looks set to be a banner year for all those who hold Oblivion dear to their hearts.