Bethesda have just announced Skyrim Anniversary Edition to celebrate the classic RPG’s 10th birthday. And judging by the impressive list of bundled content and features, it’s a package fans won’t want to miss out on.
Skyrim Anniversary Edition promises to be the best way to revisit the icy northernmost part of Tamriel from which the game takes its name. Reportedly, this special edition will assemble all three of the official DLC expansions (Dragonborn, Dawnguard, and Hearthfire), as well as over 500 unique pieces of content from Bethesda’s mod database, Creation Club.
It’s a trip to think that it has been 10 years since the vanilla version of Skyrim came out. The opening sequence – where fate intervenes to save your pitifully weak player character from certain death by execution, and then fire-breathing dragon – is still firmly etched into my memory.
I remember being particularly impressed that I could move my head around during what felt like a cinematic; a novel concept at the time that has since become near standard. These little technological features, and the sheer breadth of the world, were staggering back in 2011.
The good news is that Skyrim Anniversary Edition is much more than a remaster, although it has apparently been given some tweaks for better performance on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and newer PCs.
That's a wrap on our #Skyrim10 dev panel for @QuakeCon!
Check out https://t.co/FksAK33IwU for more exclusive content as well as this article to learn more about our upcoming anniversary celebration: https://t.co/o5PvhgjOEs
We'll see you tomorrow for more Skyrim ft. @Gusbuckets! pic.twitter.com/QUwwWAiMg6
— The Elder Scrolls (@ElderScrolls) August 19, 2021
Skyrim Anniversary Edition will mark the first time that Bethesda have packaged their game with a host of mods, adding “quests, dungeons, bosses, weapons, spells, and more” to what was already a ginormous game.
While I haven’t ventured back into the world of The Elder Scrolls in many years (I have been patiently waiting for the 6th instalment though), I am aware that many fans never left. In fact, I’ve heard tell that the player-created side quests have, in some instances, eclipsed the quality of the original game’s main plot.
Currently it isn’t entirely clear what content and mods will be included in Skyrim Anniversary Edition , or how exactly they will be employed. Nonetheless, this announcement has got me feeling nostalgic, and I might just be tempted to dive back in.
Besides, if I remember correctly, M’aiq the Liar and I have some unfinished business.
Skyrim Anniversary Edition is out November 11 2021 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
