Oblivion Remastered faces declining Steam reviews amid PC issues

GAMING NEWS Rine Ikarus - 11-Sept-2025, 9:56 am

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, once celebrated for its surprise launch earlier this year, has recently taken a hit on Steam. The game’s user score has slipped to “Mixed,” reflecting widespread frustration among PC players over ongoing technical problems.

When Bethesda shadow-dropped the remaster of its 2006 classic, excitement surged across platforms. Within days, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered drew over 200,000 concurrent players on Steam, becoming one of the platform’s most talked-about RPGs. But the buzz quickly waned, and today the game struggles to retain even a fraction of that audience.

Performance Problems Dragging the Game Down

A growing number of negative reviews cite performance issues, particularly frame rate instability and long load times. Some players even claim the game ran more smoothly at launch, suggesting that subsequent updates may have unintentionally worsened optimization.

Adding fuel to the fire is the perception that Bethesda and Virtuos have been slow to address these concerns. After a couple of patches rolled out in June and July, players say communication dried up, leaving them uncertain whether more fixes are on the way.

For many fans, the lack of robust mod support has been another sticking point. Modding has long been the lifeblood of The Elder Scrolls series, keeping games like Skyrim relevant well beyond launch. Without the same level of community creativity, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered feels limited—particularly for veterans who expected a richer post-launch ecosystem.

At present, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered’s peak concurrent player count on Steam hovers around 4,000, a sharp drop from its early highs. Meanwhile, many fans have returned to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which continues to thrive thanks to years of improvements and community-driven content.

Whether Bethesda and Virtuos can turn things around with performance fixes and expanded features remains uncertain. For now, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered stands as a cautionary tale of how a beloved RPG can stumble when technical execution fails to meet expectations.

If you’re considering picking up The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered—or comparing it with other big RPGs—be sure to check out our game comparator tool, which helps you find the best deal on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and decide where your money is best spent.