The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remaster Is Too Big for a Shadow Drop

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion was a big deal when it launched back in 2006. While its popularity and cultural grasp would be eclipsed by Skyrim five years later, Oblivion was one of the first games to fulfill the promise that the next generation brought with it. Like Dead Rising, it demonstrated what was possible on these new HD machines with their large worlds and fancier visuals. Repeated rumors and leaks have essentially confirmed that a remaster of this classic RPG is incoming, but instead of a more typical PR cycle, it seems clear that this upgrade will shadow drop sometime soon. And while that may work for most games, it doesn’t seem like the right choice for a titan like Oblivion.

Xbox is no stranger to shadow dropping games, and it has worked out well in the past. Hi-Fi Rush’s sudden release is among the most famous because of how perfectly it fit the game. There was no time for cynicism to set in, and Hi-Fi Rush needed that. A comedic, cel-shaded character action game from a studio that had exclusively done horror or horror-adjacent games in the past initially seems like a weird match. A normal lead time to launch would probably be spent with players being unsure if it will turn out, and developer Tango Gameworks having to defend itself. This noise would probably at least partially cloud out what the actual game was. 

But the speedy launch let the Hi-Fi Rush speak for itself and the seeds of doubt were not given the time to sprout. Any hesitation was almost immediately shut down because of how well Hi-Fi Rush came together. This played out internally, too, since director John Johanas noted that the marketing team was uncertain how a long marketing cycle for a game this different from Tango’s past works would play out. It was also a viral hit around the office, so those involved were confident that word of mouth would also apply to the wider public since they could also “lose that skepticism immediately by just playing it and people just talking about it.”

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Xbox’s other shadow drop came only a few months ago with Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. This remaster of the 2008 original worked because it’s a somewhat niche series and, like Metroid Prime Remastered, it helped build hype for the newly announced sequel. Bundling this remaster with a surprise announcement of Ninja Gaiden 4 is a one-two punch where both games benefit from the excitement of the other. Black’s release also serves as a great reminder that Ninja Gaiden is an excellent series that happened to go out on a terrible note with its ill-received third entry. 

Oblivion is a different beast altogether. It’s not part of a niche franchise like Ninja Gaiden. Oblivion sold 9.5 million copies as of 2015. The entire Ninja Gaiden series has sold 7.5 million copies as of December 2024. Those sales for a game that old means it reached past the hardcore players and grabbed hold of a more casual audience, an audience made up of people who do not read gaming rumor subreddits and might not see a game if it is released right when it is officially announced.

Bethesda could also be better served building up its RPG offerings. Starfield got a mixed reception at launch and hasn’t been as totemic as prior Bethesda RPGs in the year and a half since. Its last expansion was also tepidly received. Bethesda Game Studios could use a win and weaponizing nostalgia is a solid way to do just that.

Zooming in, it’s also been quite some time since there was specifically a single-player fantasy RPG from Bethesda. Skyrim is closing in on its 14th anniversary, and The Elder Scrolls 6 is still likely years away. Those who want an Elder Scrolls game have had to wait for a long time, so an Oblivion remaster is a big deal that shouldn’t be relegated to a shadow drop. 

The Elder Scrolls 6 was revealed too early, so it is extra strange that it looks like Bethesda is seemingly going to do the opposite with this all-but-confirmed Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion remaster. A near-instant turnaround from the official unveiling to launch works in some instances but isn’t a universal approach that fits every game. Unique experiences like Hi-Fi Rush and niche remasters like Ninja Gaiden 2 Black — as well as titles that thrive on mystery like P.T. — are better fits where a shadow drop works in tandem with the game’s strengths to make a larger splash. Oblivion is popular enough to likely overcome an extremely abbreviated marketing cycle one day, and this doesn’t doom it to irrelevancy, but it doesn’t deserve to be immediately shot this quickly out of an Oblivion Gate.