The Biggest Skyrim Mod Ever Given a Release Date
Skyrim is one of those special games that seem to have infinite longevity. Initially released all the way back in 2011, the fifth game in the Elder Scrolls series has been remade and rereleased so many times, it's become a widespread joke across the internet-with fans still holding out hope that it will eventually come to their Smart Fridges. Despite the memes. people are still playing Skyrim- and a lot of it. Much of the game's continued popularity can be attributed to mods- fan-made projects that add content to the base game. These can be small (like quality-of-life fixes and HUD improvements), immersive (with new movement animations and survival mechanics), and downright weird like the iconic mod that replaces the fearsome dragons roaming around the world with Thomas the Tank engine). It would be hard to argue that mods have become the lifeblood of Skyrim- and Bethesda seems to agree considering their implementation into the console versions of the game. But there has always been one mod that's stood out from the pack. One so ambitious and huge, it seemed like it would never release: Skyblivion.
Skyblivion is a project that was initially revealed not too long after the first release of Skyrim. Before the Anniversary edition- before the legendary edition- even before any of the DLC- Skyblivion began work. But what is Skyblivion exactly? Well, essentially, it’s Oblivion in Skyrim (hence the name). Oblivion was the 2006 game that came before Skyrim- being the fourth entry in the Elder Scrolls franchise. That means that the group of modders working on the Skyblivion project have been painstakingly creating every faucet of Oblivion's world over the past decade. From voice acting to locations, everything had to be done from scratch- and for essentially nothing. Everyone involved in this mod is a volunteer working on the mod in their free time outside of work and school (which has why it’s taken so long to complete). After all of the work and effort pumped into the project, however, we've finally been given a release date.
Well, 'date may be a bit of a stretch. In a recent trailer, a release year was set for 2025-which is two years away now. This may seem like a long way away but consider that fans have been waiting for a new entry in the Elder Scrolls series for twelve years now. In this context, two years seems like a flash. On top of this, it’s unlikely that the elusive Elder Scrolls VI will release before 2026- which will give Skyblivion the time in the spotlight that it deserves. It really cannot be understated how impressive this project is. This isn't just a large quest mod with 10-20 hours of content. This isn't even the size of an official Bethesda DLC. This is the size of an existing Bethesda game- in a completely new engine (well, for Oblivion anyway) made from scratch. This is the biggest project that has ever been attached to the Skyrim name- and it’s something that people have been working on for free for over a decade. All because of their passion for the game and for the Elder Scrolls franchise.
Given how far away the Elder Scrolls VI seems to be, Skyblivion will likely be a fantastic final delve into the world of Skyrim before the next chapter in the series. Considering that Bethesda's Starfield is releasing this year, work on Skyrim's successor is likely only in the opening stages. This is especially true considering that Bethesda only really work on one game at a time. If you really can't wait to re-explore Oblivion, you can download Skyrim: Beyond Bruma now from the Skyrim mods nexus and Bethesda.net for consoles. This covers the northern portion of Oblivion's map and may just sate your Oblivion cravings for long enough until Skyblivion’s release. If you're a fan of Skyrim, Oblivion, or any Bethesda game, this project is definitely one to keep an eye on for 2025.
