By The unexpected release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered last week has sparked nostalgia for the iconic game, including among the developers who brought Oblivion to life in 2006. In a recently released video, Bethesda brought the original Oblivion team together to view a documentary on the game’s development nearly two decades later.
“This is going to be really f**king awkward watching this,” Todd Howard remarks, just before a clip plays of his younger self revealing he was a member of the chess club in school. The video mainly exudes warmth, showcasing long-time Bethesda staff recalling a time when the company employed around 40 individuals—now it boasts about 450 employees.
“I recall all the hurdles we faced during development,” one developer shared regarding the archival footage, while others reflected on the ambitious nature of the project at the time. “I suppose I didn’t recognize it then, but looking back, we achieved the seemingly impossible,” another team member added.
The Oblivion team further reflects on how the game marked a pivotal moment for Bethesda. “It was the 2.0 version of the studio,” one developer noted. “It initiated this group of people collaborating effectively to create this amazing game.”
“It was extraordinarily challenging to accomplish what we aimed to do,” Howard states. Oblivion ultimately became a commercial and critical success for the studio, accumulating numerous accolades and establishing a benchmark for fantasy RPGs for years. The recent unexpected release of Oblivion: Remastered has reignited similar enthusiasm in fans, prompting a wave of nostalgia. The remaster reached 100,000 concurrent players on Steam just hours after it launched, with numbers remaining robust in the subsequent week.
New to the remaster? Explore our guide on where to begin your journey in Cyrodiil, or learn how to earn some quick gold to enhance your adventure.