Bethesda recently lifted the veil on The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered with a release in quick succession, rekindling hopes for a revamped RPG classic. But behind the modernized graphics and well-measured nostalgia, one piece of news has dampened the spirits of many players.
An exciting release on paper for The Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered
Indeed, in The Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered mods are not officially supported. A surprising decision, especially for a game from a studio whose modding community has always been one of its pillars. Visually, Oblivion Remastered ticks all the boxes: reworked environments, improved fluidity, and even entirely re-recorded dialogue. All available now on Xbox Series, PlayStation 5, and PC.
At first glance, The Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered is a nice gift for fans. The kind of surprise announcement that strikes a nostalgic chord. But very quickly, the enthusiasm gave way to a kind of disappointment. Because the most seasoned players have asked the crucial question: what about mods?
No official support for mods
Bethesda's response is clear: no official support is planned for mods in this remastered version. No Creation Kit, no dedicated tools, nothing. And for a game like The Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion, which owes much of its longevity to an extremely active modding scene, this announcement is not going down well.
Certainly, unofficial mods are not blocked. On PC, the community will always find ways to modify the game, as it always has. But without tools provided by Bethesda, it will be much more complex, especially with the technical changes made.
The remaster is based on a modified version of the Creation Engine, possibly combined with elements of Unreal Engine 5. This mix is intriguing and worrying: integrating mods could prove more difficult than it used to be, between different file systems and the lack of an official mod manager. The result: content creators will have to tinker, test, and adapt. Lots of obstacles, little official help. And a growing feeling that Bethesda is no longer really trying to... encourage this part of its community.
On the forums, reactions were swift to The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, a new challenge for players. While some put things into perspective, pointing out that "modders will always find a solution," others point to a decision that breaks with the historical spirit of Bethesda games.
Source: Bethesda
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