The ambitious modding effort known as Skyblivion, which aims to recreate The Elder Scrolls IV within Skyrim’s engine, recently unveiled some new quest gameplay at the Community Creations Con (C3) in anticipation of its slated 2025 arrival.
Originally slated for a brief 30-minute showcase, the gameplay demonstration stretched to 40 minutes. This happened because, as often occurs in the unpredictable world of gaming, a character you’d expect to find easily had whimsically relocated, leading to some unexpected exploration.
As the Skyblivion team has recently completed crucial landscaping in the last unfinished region of Cyrodiil, the Niben Basin and Valley, the recent gameplay presentation primarily highlighted the city of Cheydinhal and its surroundings.
During the showcase, we witnessed brief playthroughs of two quests. One involved the Fighters Guild, where players work to resolve Biene Amelion’s debt, and the other is an old favorite, ‘A Brush with Death.’ If the latter doesn’t ring a bell, it’s the quest where players enter a dark elf artist’s painting to rescue him with a magical brush.
The standout aspect of this presentation was the level of detail and polish in Skyblivion’s environments. When Kyle ‘Rebelzize’ Rebel, the project lead, wandered into Cheydinhal—a walk I’ve done countless times in original and modded versions of Oblivion—it was heartening to see how the team has retained the nostalgic essence of the game while smoothing out some of its rough, 2006-era edges.
Take the painted world, for example. In the original Oblivion, revisiting it feels like stepping into a quaint room reliant on its oil-painting aesthetic for charm. However, in Skyblivion, it transforms into a more elaborate dungeon that retains its visual appeal, even within Skyrim’s realistic art design, concluding in an area deliberately resembling unpainted canvas.
Another highlight was the revamped interaction menu UI, which imbues a strong Oblivion ambiance while complementing Skyrim’s style. This includes unique skeletons for elven and beast races that go beyond even Skyrim’s offerings, such as the surprise of encountering a skeleton with a tail during combat.
A specific release date remains elusive, but the creators confidently assert their goal to launch the mod in 2025.
What are your thoughts on the latest glimpse of Skyblivion? Feel free to share below and check out our recent interview with Skyblivion’s project lead Rebel, where we delve into those swirling rumors about an official Oblivion remake.
