While we wait for further updates on the delayed Fallout: London, we can at least take a quick gander at another unofficial modification of a well-known Bethesda IP. The team behind the rather ambitious Skyblivion project has put out another dev diary, showing the work that’s gone into the mod so far.
In the latest video, we get a glimpse into where things are currently standing, as the narrator takes us through some memorable locations from The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion that are in development. This includes the Great Forest, the Ayleid Ruins, as well as some of the denizens that haunt the location, and the city of Chorrol.
One of the more interesting features of the video is the discussion of the UI. Since being shown off last, a lot of changes have been made to the interface, showing a much more immersive character creation screen. We also get told about how Oblivion‘s tumbler-based lockpicking function is making a comeback for Skyblivion, completely abandoning the Skyrim mechanic, it seems.
Mod release when?
For those who don’t know, Skyblivion is a complete remake of TES4 done in TES5‘s more advanced (though aging these days) engine. It’s been in development since 2016 and is helmed by a team of volunteers. The narrator does say that additional help is always welcome, so if you are interested in helping out the project, you can fill out the volunteer application form.
As for a release date, there’s nothing set in stone yet. Currently, Skyblivion is aiming for a 2025 launch, but as the new dev diary clearly states, there’s still a lot of work to be done.
However, that work is coming along nicely. It’s been a good few months since we last saw an update, but it’s fair to say this is a modification with some impressive scope. It’s going to take a long time for a project like this to become finalized, especially as it’s entirely fan-made and, as such, does not appear to have the backing of Bethesda.
It is, however, a pretty solid testament to the dedication of the modding community. The aforementioned Fallout: London is another example of the drive the community has to create something unique and/or exciting, especially when you take into account that these are volunteers working in an unofficial capacity. To see a complete remake of Oblivion done in Skyrim is no small feat, so if it takes the team a couple more years to finish, I think it will be worth the wait in the end.
