Skyblivion, the ambitious fan-made remake of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion built within the Skyrim engine, is aiming for a 2025 release. A recent developer update stream confirmed this target, showcasing impressive progress. Developed by a dedicated team of volunteers, Skyblivion represents a truly monumental modding undertaking, years in the making. The team expressed optimism, hoping to complete the project, perhaps even exceeding their own expectations.

Skyblivion Screenshots

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Calling it a simple one-to-one remake undersells the sheer scope of Skyblivion. The developers are not only recreating Oblivion's world but also significantly enhancing it. This includes ensuring unique items remain truly unique and bolstering the impact of existing bosses, with Mannimarco specifically mentioned. The stream showcased the "A Brush with Death" quest, highlighting the stunning visual fidelity achieved.

This remarkable project takes on added intrigue given the persistent rumors of an official Oblivion remake. Alleged details of such a remake surfaced earlier this year, hinting at combat overhauls and other changes. While Microsoft declined to comment, the existence of an Oblivion remaster was inadvertently revealed in documents from the Activision Blizzard/FTC trial. The fate of other projects mentioned in those documents—some released, others not—leaves the future of an official Oblivion remake uncertain.

Should Microsoft and Bethesda pursue an official relaunch of Oblivion, Skyblivion's extensive work could potentially impact their plans. Bethesda games have a rich history of thriving modding communities, and Skyblivion's progress is a testament to this. The team hopes to avoid the fate of Fallout London, another ambitious mod project that faced challenges near its release.