Veteran game designer Bruce Nesmith, known for his pivotal role in shaping the original 2006 RPG *The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion*, recently shared his thoughts on Bethesda and Virtuos’ newly released remaster. According to Nesmith, the term “remaster” may not fully capture the depth of changes introduced in *Oblivion Remastered*, calling it an impressive reimagining that surprised even him.

During a recent interview with VideoGamer, Nesmith reflected on the effort that went into crafting the world of Cyrodiil back in 2006. He expressed astonishment at how thoroughly the game has now been rebuilt, from its visuals to core gameplay mechanics. Initially expecting only minor graphical updates, he was taken aback by the full-scale overhaul evident in the new version.

“I was assuming this was going to be a texture update,” Nesmith explained. “I didn’t really think it was going to be the complete overhaul that they’ve announced it to be... I would not have batted an eye at that. But to completely redo the animations, the animation system, put in the Unreal Engine, change the leveling system, change the user interface. I mean, that’s touching every part of the game.”

Despite the lack of prior official communication from Bethesda about *Oblivion Remastered* before its surprise launch, many longtime fans are impressed by the extensive list of improvements—from enhanced visuals to key gameplay adjustments like the addition of sprint and updated level scaling. These sweeping changes have led some to argue that the project deserves to be called more than just a remaster. Nesmith himself seems to agree.

“That’s a staggering amount of remastering,” he remarked. “It almost needs its own word, quite frankly. I’m not sure remaster actually does it justice.”

He further elaborated on how best to describe what he's seen so far: “The closest that could come [to categorizing it] is Oblivion 2.0.”

Meanwhile, Bethesda has publicly clarified its intentions behind the remaster. In a social media statement released alongside the game, the studio emphasized that their goal was never to create a full remake. Instead, they aimed to preserve the essence of *Oblivion* while bringing it up to modern standards—even keeping its classic flaws intact.

“We know many of our longtime fans will be thrilled to revisit Oblivion and the land of Cyrodiil,” the statement read. “But there are also so many who have never played it. We can’t thank you enough for all the support you have given us and our games over the years. Our hope with this remaster is that no matter who you are, when you step out of the Imperial sewer—you feel like you’re experiencing it for the first time.”

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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered launched as a surprise release from Bethesda and is now available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can access it at no additional cost. For those eager to dive deeper into the updated world of Cyrodiil, we offer a comprehensive guide covering everything from an interactive map and full walkthroughs to character-building tips and essential early-game strategies.