The long-awaited fan remake of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has finally received its first gameplay videos. At Creation Mod Con 2025, the Skyblivion development team showcased the first 15 minutes of uninterrupted gameplay, revealing the initial dungeon and some other game locations, hinting at the scale of the volunteer project ahead of its planned release in 2025.
The video reenacts the iconic episode where Emperor Uriel Septim is killed by the Mythic Dawn cult, guiding players from the prison cell through the sewer tunnels to the open world of Cyrodiil.
The developers emphasized Skyblivion's core philosophy — it is a remake, not a remaster. While Oblivion Remastered, released earlier this year, stayed closer to the original, Skyblivion rebuilds the game on the Skyrim engine with modern mechanics, visual effects, and design decisions.
Among the most noticeable changes is the lockpicking system, which combines elements from Oblivion and The Elder Scrolls Online, along with fully updated character models, textures, and animations.
The sound design has also been revamped: weapon strikes feel more powerful, and bird songs can be heard in the dungeons. The demo also showcased a new interface, redesigned class and birthsign selection menus, and interactive loading screens.
Special attention was given to environmental details. Players can see the White-Gold Tower of Cyrodiil through openings in the dungeons, hear the sounds of wildlife, and visit new locations, including the Imperial Mausoleum, inspired by Roman architecture. The developers also noted that dungeons throughout the game will be redesigned following Skyrim's approach — with short paths and multi-level design.
The team confirmed that the project remains on track for a 2025 release. Starting in 2012 as a small mod, Skyblivion has grown into one of the most ambitious volunteer projects in the Elder Scrolls community, with modders from around the world working on it. Concerns about its closure after the release of Oblivion Remastered were dispelled when Bethesda invited the Skyblivion team to their headquarters and officially allowed development to continue.
After release, Skyblivion will be available for free on GOG, Nexus Mods, and Steam. It will also receive support from Skyrim's extensive mod catalog, giving it an edge over Bethesda's official remaster. The team is still seeking volunteers, especially for quests, interface, and navigation mesh work.
Alongside Skyblivion, the TES Renewal Project is also developing Skywind — a Morrowind remake, while the Beyond Skyrim project continues to create large-scale modifications. For Elder Scrolls fans, the coming years promise many unofficial but incredibly ambitious projects.
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