Oblivion Creator Hails Bethesda Remaster as '2.0'

Original The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion senior game designer Bruce Nesmith shared his awe at Bethesda and Virtuos' Oblivion Remaster, stating he feels the term "remaster" may not fully capture the extent of its transformation.

The creative force behind much of what made the original 2006 RPG so memorable discussed the newly announced—and already released—Oblivion remaster in a recent VideoGamer interview. He reflected on the immense effort poured into crafting every detail of Cyrodiil, which makes seeing Oblivion recreated so comprehensively all the more astonishing.

“I expected this to be mainly a texture upgrade,” Nesmith admitted. “I didn't anticipate the full-scale overhaul they've delivered... A visual refresh wouldn't have surprised me. But completely redoing the animations, the underlying animation system, implementing Unreal Engine, revising the leveling mechanics, and overhauling the user interface—that's touching every single component of the game.”

Bethesda kept Oblivion Remastered under wraps until its surprise launch yesterday. Longtime players have been largely impressed by the sheer volume of changes, which go far beyond surface-level graphics to core gameplay mechanics. New features like a sprint function and revised leveling have led many to see it not just as a remaster, but as a full remake, a sentiment Nesmith shares.

“The closest description I can give is Oblivion 2.0.”

“The scale of this update is staggering,” he continued. “Honestly, it almost needs its own terminology. I'm not sure 'remaster' truly does it justice.”

Later in the conversation, he offered his own classification for the project: “The closest description I can give is Oblivion 2.0.”

As the community celebrates the work behind Oblivion Remastered, Bethesda has provided its reasoning for the re-release's naming. In a social media statement yesterday, the studio clarified it “never intended to remake” Oblivion. The goal was to preserve the essence of the beloved original while updating it for a modern audience, flaws and all.

“We know many dedicated fans will be excited to return to Cyrodiil,” Bethesda's statement added. “But there's also a whole new generation who have never set foot there. We are incredibly grateful for the support over the years. With this remaster, we hope everyone—whether returning or new—feels that sense of wonder stepping out of the Imperial Sewer for the very first time.”

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered was revealed and launched simultaneously by Bethesda yesterday. You can now explore its reimagined Cyrodiil on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can access it at no additional charge. To see how the remaster has energized the Elder Scrolls fanbase, look at the modding community's reaction to the surprise release.

We offer a complete guide to everything in Oblivion Remastered, featuring a detailed Interactive Map, full Walkthroughs for the Main Quest and all Guild Quests, guidance on Building the Perfect Character, essential First Steps, and much more.