The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion remake and more Xbox games rumoured for January

Adam Starkey

Published December 20, 2024 10:48am Updated December 20, 2024 10:48am

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion — Oblivion is in need of some TLC (Bethesda)

Before The Elder Scrolls 6, insiders claim the long-rumoured Oblivion remake is on track to launch next year.

You may have forgotten about it amid anticipation for The Elder Scrolls 6, but a new version of the fourth instalment in the series, Oblivion, has been rumoured for some time.

These rumours partly stem from a Microsoft leak last year, where a remaster of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion was listed alongside a remaster of Fallout 3, another Doom game (now revealed as Doom: The Dark Ages), and Dishonored 3.

Nothing has been heard about the project since, but now several insiders have claimed a revamped Oblivion will come out at some point in 2025 – with a possible reveal in January.

These new claims come from insider eXtas1s, who is mostly known for Xbox Game Pass leaks. In a video on his YouTube channel, he claims the Oblivion *remake* is real and could launch in 2025, speculating that an announcement could be made at an Xbox Developer Direct in January.

A few days prior to this video, fellow insider NateTheDrake claimed a new version of Oblivion is ‘definitely still in development’ on ResetEra and ‘will see release’, although they don’t specify when. Another insider, Klobrille, then stated it is set for release in 2025.

Others have seemingly backed a 2025 launch. The Verge’s Tom Warren, shortly after the rumour emerged, reemphasised that Xbox has ‘more’ to come next year beyond Avowed, South Of Midnight, Doom: The Dark Ages, Towerborne, Fable, and The Outer Worlds 2. While he doesn’t mention Oblivion specifically, some fans have connected the dots.

“and more” 👍
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren.co.uk) 2024-12-19T23:30:26.901Z

Assuming it is real, the big question is whether it will be a remaster or remake. The two terms are often used interchangeably, even by those within the industry, despite one implying little more than changes to the resolution and frame rate and the other a reconstruction of the game built entirely from scratch.

Back in July 2023, an Oblivion ‘remaster’ was said to be in the works at Virtuos Paris, which was being made in Unreal Engine 5. That immediately doesn’t make any sense, because if it’s being made in Unreal Engine 5 that alone implies a full remake and not a remaster. At the time, it was claimed it will launch at the end of 2024 or early 2025.

This would line up with these new rumours, and considering Xbox has staged a Developer Direct presentation for the past two years in January, it’s reasonable to assume another will take place next year – especially considering how little Microsoft showed at The Game Awards.

Microsoft shadow-dropped Hi-Fi Rush at its first Xbox Developer Direct, so it’s possible Oblivion could be a surprise launch too. The presentation this year was a bit less exciting, but it did show off Indiana Jones, Avowed, Ara: History Untold, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, and Square Enix’s Visions Of Mana.

While it’s important to remember this is all rumours and old leaks at this point, a remaster/remake of Oblivion would make sense as a stop-gap until The Elder Scrolls 6, which might not be out until 2028.