As the games industry talks more about preserving history, CEO of retro remaster studio says Bethesda giving Skyblivion modders Oblivion Remastered keys is “exactly what I’d like to see more of”

Without any formal announcement, Oblivion Remastered launched last week, yet Bethesda emphasized that it holds no resentment towards the fans working on the unofficial Skyblivion remake—a gesture that the CEO of the retro remake firm Nightdive Studios would like to see more frequently.

Skyblivion, the fan-driven initiative aimed at reimagining Oblivion using Skyrim’s framework, has been in development for 13 years. While it could be seen as competition to the official release, it was disclosed last week that Bethesda has provided the complete mod team with keys for Oblivion Remastered and “made it clear that they have no plans to terminate our project.”

In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz regarding game preservation, Stephen Kick, the CEO of Nightdive Studios—which has remastered numerous classic titles such as Doom 1 and 2—praised Bethesda’s recent decision.

Overall, he believes that in terms of preservation, developers and publishers ought to collaborate closely with fans who “have maximized their limited resources to restore access.” This is a notable example of the community’s positive reception.

“That’s precisely what I would prefer to see more often, and it’s something we heavily engage in at Nightdive,” he explains regarding Bethesda’s support to the Skyblivion group.

“Whenever we undertake a new game, we prioritize connecting with the community that has restored its playability so far, either by consulting, contracting, or sometimes even hiring team members,” he adds.

Although it’s not strictly about game preservation, Bethesda adopted a similar method with the expansive fan-driven Fallout: London mod for Fallout 4, actually recruiting two of the developers involved. The studio is evidently attentive to fan initiatives and recognizes their significance.

Regarding Skyblivion, its lead programmer, Rebelzize, previously mentioned to GamesRadar+ that the debut of Oblivion Remastered “doesn’t alter our intentions,” expressing that the “project has already yielded substantial rewards.” The launch of Skyblivion is still anticipated later this year, with Rebelzize stating: “We will continue addressing bugs and adding DLC after the release.”

If you’ve been enjoying Bethesda’s remastered RPG, be sure to explore our guide to Oblivion Remastered’s skill system.

I’m a news writer for GamesRadar+, collaborating with the rest of the team to share exciting gaming stories we adore. After dedicating countless hours to covering Pokémon and indie game topics for The University of Sheffield’s student publication and earning a degree in Journalism Studies, I embarked on my career at GAMINGbible, where I wrote for over a year and a half. Following that, I joined TechRadar Gaming as a news writer, exploring various fascinating subjects. In my leisure time, you’ll likely find me engrossed in my Nintendo Switch or PS5, navigating story-driven RPGs such as Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, engaging in nuzlocke challenges of classic Pokémon games, or striving for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.