Xbox and Bethesda are supposedly going to "shadow drop" the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remake — really? (UPDATE)

Original article:

For a while now, there have been rumors that Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is getting some sort of remake.

If I recall correctly, it initially leaked with NVIDIA documents some years ago, and was mentioned again in FTC documents leaked during the Xbox Activision acquisition court case. Then, throughout this year, various rumors from reliable tipsters like NateTheHate has suggested that its coming sooner, rather than later.

Now, highly regarded elite journo Jeff Grubb has reiterated his stamp of approval to the rumor during a recent Giantbomb show (via the excellent PSU.com).

"So basically the last week of this month — next week, essentially. [The Oblivion remake] should shadow drop then. I’ve gotten separate confirmation that’s going to be the case. So it will shadow drop the last week of the month."

I've checked in with some of my own sources who corroborate the above information too, although I've been unable to get enough independent sources to confidently put a report of my own out there — but Jeff Grubb and NateTheHate don't miss. Coupled with the FTC documents, previous leaks from former supposed employees, and other rumors, it's fair to assume there's enough smoke to fuel the flame of this one.

But, why?

This is one of the reasons publishers undoubtedly hate leaks at the end of the day.

For those who don't know, Oblivion is something of a legend — another landmark RPG in the Bethesda canon. Building on Morrowind and preceding the similarly legendary Skyrim, Oblivion was my first experience with a truly open RPG since the days of isometric CRPGs, and I was quite fully blown away.

The game revolves around daedric (demonic) cults opening up portals to Elder Scrolls' hell equivalent, all around the Imperial homelands of Cyrodiil. In its day, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion set the standard for open world immersive RPGs, allowing players to pick from a variety of races and playstyles, spawning a litany of early internet memes many of which endure to this day.

Which is why I question the virtue of "shadow dropping" a legend like this without any real build up or marketing.

Oblivion already got some de facto enhancements on Xbox Series X|S thanks to things like FPS Boost via backward compatibility. But other rumors have suggested this is a full Unreal Engine enhancement remake, in partnership with Virtuos.

Virtuos has worked as a support studio on a huge variety of projects including Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, Sea of Thieves, and Age of Mythology: Retold. The team is also working on Metal Gear Solid 3: Delta, which looks absolutely phenomenal.

If, and if the Oblivion remake is reaching the same level of quality as Metal Gear Solid 3: Delta, and isn't just a basic HD reskin kinda deal, doesn't it deserve a full marketing blitz over a simple "shadow drop"?

But like I said, this is why publishers don't like leaks. Perhaps this remake is a lower-key affair and not something that demands a full marketing campaign in the vein of Metal Gear Solid 3: Delta or Silent Hill 2. But, given the previous rumors, it seems most people are expecting this to be something more impressive.

Perhaps Oblivion is big enough, and well known enough to not need an introduction. Perhaps Xbox Game Pass will do the heavy lifting with regard to virality, where it's undoubtedly slated to launch into. Perhaps Xbox and Bethesda have something more interesting planned to celebrate the Oblivion remake launch. Maybe they could couple it with a gameplay teaser for the long-absent Elder Scrolls VI? Either way, I've reached out to both Microsoft and ZeniMax to comment.

UPDATE: Since writing this, images from the game have purportedly leaked, and, if real, it frankly looks fantastic. Maybe more than a shadow drop would've been necessary here? Maybe it doesn't matter. Time will tell!

While we wait to find out of it's true, let me know, what do you think? Hit our comments.