The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered didn’t just return, it exploded onto Steam. Within just hours of its surprise April 22 release, the remastered RPG from Bethesda Game Studios and Virtuous Games clocked in a staggering peak of over 182,000 concurrent players, making it one of the biggest PC launches of 2025 so far.
The fantasy epic, originally released in 2006, has been given a modern upgrade, but not a full remake. Bethesda made it clear that the goal was to enhance the original experience without replacing it, keeping the spirit of the game intact while giving it a facelift with today’s tech.
“We never wanted to remake Oblivion,” the studio said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). “We wanted to remaster it so that the original game was there as you remember playing it, but seen through today’s technology.”
At the time of writing, Oblivion Remastered ranks as the ninth most-played game on Steam, with over 75,000 active players still logged in and exploring the land of Cyrodiil. It has already leapfrogged over some major titles, including:
- Marvel Rivals (peak: 178,000)
- Rust (peak: 118,000)
The remaster brings upgraded visuals, enhanced lighting, re-recorded ambient audio, improved character animations, and a cleaner UI, all while preserving the original game’s world structure, quests, and tone.
Bethesda added, “It’s still a game from a previous era and should feel like one. Our hope with this remaster is that no matter who you are, when you step out of the Imperial sewer, you feel like you’re experiencing it for the first time.”
This nostalgia-fueled drop appears to have hit the mark with longtime fans and newcomers alike. Many on Steam have praised the team’s decision to refine, not reinvent, the beloved RPG that paved the way for Skyrim’s global success.
With the remaster now fully live, fans are diving into guild quests, battling Daedra, and revisiting iconic moments, this time in crisp HD.
No word yet on console versions or mod support integration, but the Steam response alone proves one thing: Oblivion still has a hold on the RPG world, 19 years later.
