'Oblivion Remaster' Bug Admitted by Developer

A developer from the original Oblivion team has acknowledged that implementing the world-scale leveling system was an error. Read on to understand his perspective on the game's changes and its remarkable success since release.

Former Developer Praises Changes in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

World-Scale Leveling Returns in the Remaster

A former Oblivion developer concedes that incorporating the world-scale leveling feature was a misstep, even though it reappears in the remaster. Original designer Bruce Nesmith recently shared his views on the game’s leveling mechanics in an interview with VideoGamer.

Nesmith, who has also crafted quests and systems for Fallout 3, Skyrim, and Starfield, noted that the remaster's refinements to the leveling system make it more accessible to today's audience.

The original formula required players to level major skills repeatedly and then rest to increase attributes. This has been revised to a system akin to Skyrim's, where experience is earned across all skill lines. Nesmith commended Bethesda for this decision, calling it a "courageous" move.

However, his view on the returning world-scale system is less favorable. This mechanic causes enemy levels to scale with the player, which Nesmith believes can make progression feel unimportant. As he put it, players might think, "Oh, it doesn’t matter that I leveled up; the dungeon leveled up with me."

He elaborated, "In my opinion, having the world level alongside you was a mistake, and Skyrim's different approach validates that." Since the game's 2006 debut, fans have voiced this concern, leading to community mods that adjust the system. With the remaster retaining this feature, modders have once again taken steps to address world-leveling.

Oblivion Remastered Exceeds Expectations

While rumors of an Oblivion remaster had circulated, the sheer scale of the team's effort to revive this classic has taken many by surprise—including Nesmith himself, who expected only graphical enhancements similar to Skyrim: Special Edition.

In another VideoGamer interview, he applauded the team's extensive work on the project. "It’s a staggering amount of remastering," he remarked. "Frankly, it almost needs its own term. I'm not sure 'remaster' truly does it justice."

Indeed, Bethesda has invested heavily in this release, rebuilding Tamriel from the ground up with Unreal Engine 5. This leap in technology allowed the developers to overcome the original game's limitations, earning widespread acclaim for the final product's quality. Here at Game8, we awarded Oblivion Remastered a score of 90/100 for its passionate reimagining of Cyrodiil, skillfully crafted with modern gaming magic. For our full review, explore the article linked below.