The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was first released all the way back on Nov. 11, 2011. Since then, it's been ported to several new systems and is one of the best Xbox games available. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the game, Bethesda Game Studios announced The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition. This re-release is packed with extras to keep fans coming back yet again.
With that in mind, what's free and what will you have to pay for? Here's what you need to know about The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition.
What Skyrim Anniversary Edition content is new?
Skyrim Anniversary Edition includes several new features and pieces of content. There'll be some sort of current-gen upgrades for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PS5 owners. Additionally, the developers are adding three specific pieces of Creation Club Content: Fishing, Survival Mode and the Saints and Seducers questline. There'll also be over 500 other pieces of Creation Club content added, though specific mods haven't been named.
One piece of content we do know about is the aquarium fish tanks, which are being added into Skyrim Anniversary Edition as part of the Hearthfire homes. You can see these tanks below:
Don't tap on the glass. They don't like that…
Add an aquarium to your Hearthfire homes in Skyrim Special/Anniversary Edition on November 11 for all your fresh catches 🐟 #Skyrim10 pic.twitter.com/jAh1vjC5QmDon't tap on the glass. They don't like that…
Add an aquarium to your Hearthfire homes in Skyrim Special/Anniversary Edition on November 11 for all your fresh catches 🐟 #Skyrim10 pic.twitter.com/jAh1vjC5Qm— Bethesda Game Studios (@BethesdaStudios) October 20, 2021October 20, 2021
For those who don't know, the Creation Club is a system by which modders can apply to create professional-quality, curated mods for Bethesda Game Studios' titles like Skyrim and Fallout 4. These modders, if selected, are paid for their work, which has to go through a QA process, unlike regular video game mods.
Can I upgrade to Skyrim Anniversary Edition?
Anyone who owns Skyrim Special Edition is getting a free upgrade to a lot of what Skyrim Anniversary Edition offers, but not everything. These include the current-gen technical improvements for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PS5 players, as well as the Fishing, Survival Mode and Saints and Seducers questline. Those latter three will be available for anyone on any platform, not just the latest consoles.
If you are interested in getting the other 500 pieces of assorted Creation Club content included with the Anniversary Edition, you'll be able to pay to get your copy of Skyrim Special Edition upgraded into Skyrim Anniversary Edition.
What is Skyrim Anniversary Edition's price?
Skyrim Anniversary Edition is available for new players for USD $50/EUR €54.99/GBP £47.99/AUD $79.95/RUB 3399 at launch via digital stores. For any players who already own Skyrim Special Edition, an upgrade is available for USD $20/EUR €19.99/GBP £15.99/AUD $29.95/RUB 1429.
The Elder Scrolls V: Anniversary Edition is currently scheduled to launch on Nov. 11, 2021. Bethesda's next big role-playing game, Starfield, is slated to arrive on Nov. 11, 2022, exactly a year out. Starfield is exclusive to Xbox Series X|S, PC and Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Classic adventure, new experience
Skyrim Anniversary Edition is the game fans know and love, with new content that shakes up the well-trodden adventures. Existing owners of the Special Edition can upgrade for $20.
Still going strong
If you own Skyrim Special Edition, you'll be able to get the current-gen features and some other extras at no cost. Plus, you can choose to upgrade to the rest of the Anniversary Edition later.
