The relationship between the Skyblivion mod team and Bethesda, makers of Oblivion Remastered, has taken an unexpectedly warm turn. Despite the potential for rivalry, the two groups now share a friendly bond, given Bethesda’s surprise release of their own Oblivion overhaul while Skyblivion’s volunteer team has been working for years.
Before Oblivion Remastered was even announced, Skyblivion’s lead, Rebelzize, sent Bethesda a message of “all love and no hate” amid swirling remake rumors. Bethesda responded by gifting the entire Skyblivion team keys to Oblivion Remastered and praising their mod as “very special.”
Rebelzize shared photos on X showing the Skyblivion team alongside Bethesda developers, including studio head Todd Howard. The modders also toured the Bethesda offices and discussed the project with the developers, highlighting a mutual excitement for the project.
Massive thanks to @BethesdaStudios for inviting us to the office and showing us around.
Seeing the excitement from the Bethesda team for @TESRSkyblivion is absolutely unreal.
Thank you❤️🔥 pic.twitter.com/37S2F5KMlq— K Rebel🎮 (@Rebelzize) May 16, 2025
Some might suspect Bethesda’s gesture is partly to avoid backlash over their remaster competing with a favorite fan project. However, they could have taken a much harsher stance. Instead, they supported the modders, which is refreshing to see from a major studio.
Oblivion Remastered is already out and generally well received, but Skyblivion’s release date remains vague, with 2025 as the target. Rebelzize confirmed recently that the overhaul is “still on track for release,” so fans have something to look forward to.
What do you think about Bethesda’s approach to Skyrim? Is this a sign of a more open relationship between studios and modders? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
