The Elder Scrolls Surprise New Release Is Exactly What We Feared

A new Elder Scrolls release has just hit stores, but it seems to have confirmed exactly what we feared.

One of my favourite RPGs of all time is The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, so I was absolutely over the moon when Bethesda released the remaster earlier this year.

Not only did it overhaul the game’s graphics to bring it to 2025 standards, but it also made some fixes and upgrades to the various mechanics and features which really helped to make it shine.

One issue that remained at launch though was the fact that it didn’t have a physical release for console owners, which was a bit of a shame.

While PC gamers had to say a long goodbye to physical media years ago, there was still hope that PS5 and Xbox Series X owners could still grab a physical copy of Oblivion Remastered sometime down the line.

That’s all changed now, as Bethesda has released a new physical edition of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered this week for PS5 and Xbox Series X. But there remains a catch, one that isn’t proving to be popular with potential buyers.

As confirmed by Bethesda itself, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Physical Deluxe Edition has an “additional download required to play the game”.

Following this, the FAQ states that “internet will be required to download full game files and extras, but can be played offline after the initial download”.

It’s worth noting that the download code included in the physical release is not for the full game, but rather the Deluxe extras like the Akatosh and Mehrunes Dagon armours, weapons and horse armour Sets, as well as digital artbook and soundtrack app.

That’s good news, at least, because it means the disc will still provide you with access to the game should you lend it to a friend or decide to sell it later on.

According to users on the Oblivion Reddit page, the disc only has around 20GB of content on it. This includes the game’s introduction in the Imperial City Sewers, but once you leave the area and step outside, you’ll be prompted to download the rest of the game.

It’s a shame that the full game isn’t included on the disc, especially because Oblivion is a purely single-player experience with no online connectivity required. In those cases, you might as well allow it to be playable without any internet connection needed.