Nineteen Years Later...
After nearly two decades, one of the most beloved RPGs of all time is back and better than ever. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, originally released in 2006, became a landmark title in open-world fantasy games. With its massive world, memorable characters, and endless quests, it’s been played and cherished for over 19 years.
Set in the richly detailed province of Cyrodiil, the game follows your rise from a humble prisoner to the hero who must close the gates to a hellish realm known as Oblivion. It was groundbreaking for its time with radiant AI, emergent gameplay, and voice-acted dialogue throughout a huge open world. Players could choose how to explore the world—following the main quest, joining guilds, or simply wandering and discovering hidden stories.
Yesterday, Bethesda surprised fans with a long-awaited announcement—and an even bigger surprise: the official release of Oblivion Remastered on the very same day. Featuring cutting-edge upgrades, it's more than just a visual refresh; it’s a complete revival for the modern era.
Tamriel Transformed: A Look Inside the Remaster
The remastered version is built using Unreal Engine 5, bringing with it a host of visual and gameplay improvements:
- Full graphical overhaul with 4K textures, realistic lighting, and reworked environments: Every location in Cyrodiil now looks more vivid and immersive. Cities shine with dynamic shadows, forests sway with volumetric fog, and dungeons feel darker and more atmospheric than ever before.
- Updated character models and animations: Characters have more detailed faces, natural movement, and fluid combat animations. These updates breathe new life into interactions and make both allies and enemies feel more believable.
- Reimagined levelling system combining the best of Oblivion and Skyrim: The original’s skill-based progression now benefits from Skyrim’s flexibility. Levelling up feels more intuitive and rewarding, with better scaling of enemy difficulty and smoother character development.
- Re-recorded voice lines with new actors, while preserving fan-favourite quotes: Dialogue is more varied, and characters have distinct voices rather than repeating the same voice actors. Iconic lines like “Stop right there, criminal scum!” remain intact for nostalgia.
- Revamped UI, HUD, and control schemes for modern input devices: Menus and interfaces have been redesigned to be more accessible, especially for controller users. The heads-up display is sleeker and more informative, enhancing both immersion and gameplay.
- Bundled with all original DLC including Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles: All the classic expansion content is included from the start, offering dozens of hours of additional story, gear, and exploration.
- Compatibility with DLSS 4, AMD FSR 4.0, and Intel XeSS for performance optimisation: Whether you're running a top-tier GPU or something more modest, the remaster leverages modern upscaling tech to ensure high frame rates without sacrificing visual fidelity.
What It Takes to Walk Tamriel Again
Below is a breakdown of the minimum and recommended requirements to play The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.
| Requirement |
Minimum |
Recommended |
| OS |
Windows 10 version 21H1 (10.0.19043) |
Windows 10/11 (with updates) |
| Processor |
AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, Intel Core i7-6800K |
AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, Intel Core i5-10600K |
| Memory |
16 GB RAM |
32 GB RAM |
| Graphics Card |
AMD Radeon RX 5700, NVIDIA GeForce 1070 Ti |
AMD Radeon RX 6800XT, NVIDIA RTX 2080 |
| DirectX |
Version 12 |
Version 12 |
| Storage |
125 GB available space |
125 GB available space |
| Additional Notes |
SSD Required |
SSD Required; Performance scales with better hardware |
Now this is quite the leap from the original!
When Oblivion first launched back in 2006, its system requirements were a mere whisper compared to today’s thunderous demands. Take a look at the original PC specs below—and prepare to be shocked at how far we’ve come. From humble beginnings to high-powered battlestations, the journey to Tamriel has never looked so different.
| Requirement |
Minimum (2006) |
Recommended (2006) |
| OS |
Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows XP 64-bit |
Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows XP 64-bit |
| Processor |
2.0 GHz Intel Pentium 4 or equivalent |
3.0 GHz Intel Pentium 4 or equivalent |
| Memory |
512 MB RAM |
1 GB RAM |
| Graphics Card |
128 MB Direct3D-compatible (NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700+ / ATI Radeon 9500+) |
128 MB Direct3D-compatible (NVIDIA GeForce 6800+ / ATI Radeon X800+) |
| DirectX |
Version 9.0c |
Version 9.0c |
| Storage |
4.6 GB of free hard disk space |
4.6 GB of free hard disk space |
| Additional Notes |
8x DVD-ROM drive |
8x DVD-ROM drive |
Why the Jump in Requirements?
The leap in hardware demand is mostly due to modern rendering technologies, higher-resolution assets, real-time lighting, and expansive memory use. The original game could fit on a DVD. The remaster? It demands fast SSDs and plenty of RAM to keep up with its scale and visual complexity.
But don't worry—if your current setup isn’t up to spec, we’ve got upgrade recommendations and prebuilt PCs to get you playing.
Upgrades for Modern-Day Heroes of Cyrodiil
If you're planning to return to Tamriel—or enter it for the first time—you’ll want your gear ready for the long journey ahead. Here’s what you’ll need to make the most of Oblivion Remastered and how to kit yourself out like a true Champion of Cyrodiil.
Operating System – Retire That Rusty Tome
To even set foot in the remastered lands of Cyrodiil, your system must be running Windows 10 or 11. But heed this warning, traveler—Windows 10 will be cast into the void later this year. If you're still casting spells on Windows 7 or 8, you're working from a scroll long past its prime. We highly recommend upgrading to Windows 11—not only is it more stable for modern titles, but it’s free if you're already wielding a legit Windows 10 license. We’ve got both Home and Pro editions ready, so you can start your journey with a fresh spellbook and no compatibility curses.
Processor – A Sharper Mind for the Path Ahead
You’ll need a strong mind to survive in Cyrodiil, and your CPU is the brains of the operation. While the minimum specs call for an AMD Ryzen 5 2600X or Intel Core i7-6800K, we suggest something with more arcane energy. The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X or Intel Core i5-14600K will keep your framerate steady in crowded cities, chaotic gate battles, and modded madness. These chips are more than just fit for today—they’re built for the Elder Scrolls of tomorrow.
Memory – Expand Your Mind Like a Master Wizard
Oblivion Remastered isn’t shy about its hunger for memory. You’ll need at least 16GB of RAM just to open the gates, and 32GB is ideal for a seamless experience. Compare that to the 512MB the original needed and it’s like trading a Novice spell for a Master-level incantation. We recommend the Kingston FURY Beast 16GB for a solid entry, or the G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB 32GB if you want the smoothest possible journey. Running other quests (apps) on the side or delving deep into mods? Go full Arch-Mage and grab 64GB—you’ll never run short on mental stamina again.
Graphics Card – See Cyrodiil in All Its Glory
The beauty of Tamriel has never looked better—but your graphics card is the window through which you see it. The minimum you’ll need is an RX 5700 or GTX 1070 Ti, but for true immersion, aim higher. The RX 6800 XT or RTX 2080 will serve you well at high settings, but for heroes chasing Ultra visuals and silky-smooth performance at 1440p, we recommend the RTX 5070 Ti or RX 9070 XT. Want to conquer the land in full 4K splendor? The RTX 5080 or 5090 is your Elder Artifact of choice, especially with DLSS 4 and Multi-Frame Generation turning battles and landscapes into living, breathing epics.
Storage – Don’t Let Loading Times Be Your Curse
Gone are the days when the gates of Oblivion could be opened with just 4.6GB on a humble hard drive. The remaster demands 125GB of space and the speed of an SSD to properly deliver its reimagined world. Still clinging to an old HDD? That’s like trying to fast travel on a donkey. For budget-conscious champions, the Crucial BX500 500GB SATA SSD will serve you well. But if you seek something faster and roomier—worthy of mods, expansions, and treasures unending—the Crucial P3 1TB NVMe SSD is the clear path forward. After all, in Tamriel, speed is survival.
Ready-Made Rigs to Conquer Oblivion
If you don’t feel comfortable upgrading your pc, or your looking for a prebuilt pc. we have got you covered with a range of pcs:
Horizon Ryzen 7 RX 9070 Pre-built Gaming PC
