The 10 year anniversary ofThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimbrings with it yet another version of the game inSkyrim Anniversary Edition.Anniversary Editionis the latest in a long line ofSkyrimreleases, but as has been remarked by Todd Howard, fans continue to buy the almost 10-year-old game. It’s a testament to the longevity ofSkyrimthat Bethesda has viewed it as popular enough to re-release it so many times, but this comes as little comfort toElder Scrollsfans patiently waiting forThe Elder Scrolls 6. The next mainline installment in the franchise is still early in development, which may leave fans more open to the idea of moreSkyrim-related content.
While theannouncement ofSkyrim: Anniversary Editionmay have resulted in jokes from the larger gaming community, there has been optimism about the title. Some of the additional Creation Club elements in particular drew some praise, including the addition of fishing and a survival mode. With such minor features conjuring up a positive fan reaction, it doesn’t take too much imagination to think that a full-blown remaster would be widely accepted by fans. In fact, aSkyrimremaster could be just whatElder Scrollsfans need to tide them over untilThe Elder Scrolls 6.
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Skyrim’s Long History of Remasters and Alternate Versions
WhenSkyrimwas first released in 2011, fans were blown away by the title. However, a decade on, a remaster ofSkyrimin 2021 may not garner the same reaction that the original remaster did back in 2016. Back then,SkyrimRemastered was seen simply as something to tide fans over for a couple more years. Five years later andthe release ofThe Elder Scrolls 6still seems distant, which is a part of the reason why someElder Scrollsfans may not be happy with the reveal ofSkyrim Anniversary Edition.Skyrim, however, is still one of the most relevant titles in gaming and has already been a popular download for gamers who picked up a next-gen system.
Despite the jovial reaction toSkyrim Anniversary Edition,Elder Scrollsfans would likely react well to a full remaster down the line. There are multiple versions ofThe Elder Scrolls 5in 2021, giving fans the option to play the game at their desk, on their couch, on the go, or even on their fridge.The multiple re-releases ofSkyrimbecame somewhat of a meme a few years ago, reaching its apex with Bethesda’s infamous E3 2018 conference where Alexa and Samsung Smart FridgeSkyrimports.
As a result of these memes, the recent announcement of yet anotherSkyrimport was a source of many jokes. But ultimately, if the right changes and additions were made to a next-genSkyrimremaster,The Elder Scrolls’fanbase could welcome it with open arms.
Skyrim Looks Pretty Good Even In 2021
Despite nearly a decade passing sinceSkyrim’soriginal release, the game is passable even by modern standards. This is without even considering the upgrades that the PS4 and Xbox One versions ofSkyrimbrought, or the fan-made improvements within the modding community. By downloading the correct selection of mods, fans have been able to derive some pretty remarkable results on next-gen systems already.
For many, performance and graphics mods are an essential element of downloading and playingSkyrim, but some may be put off by the need to download mods to get the best out of the game. With Bethesda’s resources,another remaster ofSkyrimcould take the title to the next level, and erase some of the mistakes of the past.
Bethesda has become quite notorious for the bugs prevalent in many of its games, withFallout 76being seen as the epitome of a buggy launch.Skyrim’slaunch, however, wasn’t all too different, it was just more accepted by fans and many of the bugs were turned into memes.Skyrim’sfamous giant launching bug, for example, was so popular among fans that it can still be triggered withinSkyrimto this day.
Following the reaction tothe launch ofFallout 76, Bethesda may not be able to joke its way out of a buggy launch, so a potentialSkyrimremaster would need to be refined. Improved graphics and a level of near-perfect polish may prove to be enough to win fans over, especially considering how many timesSkyrimhas been iterated on.
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Next-Gen Systems Need a Good Open-World RPG
As is traditional with the release of new next-gen systems, fans have been somewhat disappointed by the lack of new titles to play. This problem is slowly beginning to vanish, however, it could be some time until the nextThe Elder Scrolls.Avowedis yet to receive a release date, but is scheduled to be released next year, whileThe Elder Scrolls 6isn’t expected until afterFable, and doesn’t even have a release window.Skyrim Anniversary Editionmay not bring anything all too new to the table, but it could help to bridge the gap between now and the release ofThe Elder Scrolls 6.
Skyrim Anniversary Editioncould be the next-gen RPG that fans return to time and time again. This new version ofThe Elder Scrolls 5will bring with it 500 pieces of Creation Club content, as well as three free pieces for existingSkyrim: Special Editionowners. The three free Creation Club mods will be fishing, a survival mode, and Saints and Seducers.
TheSkyrim Anniversary Editionwill contain graphical upgrades overSpecial Editionon top of the 500Creation Club mods, which could make it a worthwhile purchase for fans. But there’s still room for a complete remaster ofSkyrim, which theAnniversary Editiondoesn’t quite fill. Fans will unquestionably get their fair share of enjoyment out ofSkyrim Anniversary Edition, but a complete remaster down the line may still be of interest.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - Anniversary Editionreleases for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on June 21, 2025.
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