In 2006, Bethesda was basking in the glory of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion's success. To keep the excitement alive in Cyrodiil, the developer began releasing small paid DLC packages. However, they inadvertently stirred a hornet's nest with the release of their first DLC that April: horse armor.
Even if you weren't into gaming back then, you've probably heard about the horse armor controversy. While DLC wasn't new, Oblivion's Horse Armor Pack, priced at 200 Microsoft Points ($2.50) on the Xbox 360 Marketplace, sparked significant backlash due to its perceived lack of utility.
Fast forward to 2025, and cosmetic upgrades like this are now the norm, allowing Bethesda to playfully reintroduce horse armor with the release of *The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered*. Alongside today's reveal and immediate launch of the remaster, we discovered that *Oblivion Remastered* comes in both a base and a deluxe edition. For an additional $10, the deluxe edition offers new quests for unique armors, extra weapon choices, a digital artbook, a soundtrack app, and, of course, horse armor—two sets, to be exact.Fans seem to be taking this news in stride. Nearly two decades after cosmetic DLC like horse armor was a novel and controversial concept, gamers are now accustomed to paying for such enhancements. As noted by Circana analyst Mat Piscatella on BlueSky, U.S. video game consumers spent over $10.4 billion on PC and console digital add-ons in 2024. "Horse Armor walked so Battle Passes could run," Piscatella remarked, highlighting the evolution of in-game purchases.
In fact, many find Bethesda's decision to bring back horse armor amusing, seeing it as a nod to a past scandal.
PAID HORSE ARMOR DLC. OBLIVION IS TRULY BACK. pic.twitter.com/1DJFIPzHB0
— Many A True Nerd (@ManyATrueNerd) April 22, 2025
Honestly I have to respect it. New players won't know this, but releasing the horse armor as paid DLC again is a subtle reference to when they singlehandedly ruined the industry by selling it the first time around. I kneel, Todd. https://t.co/BGwBwL3VYX
— UGS | Ajay (@AJ34_SSB) April 22, 2025
£10 for Horse Armor in #OblivionRemastered ??? There's no way that's gonna catch on pic.twitter.com/E1jqpPZFYr
— Olive_Meister (@Olive_Meisterr) April 22, 2025
Oblivion Remastered isn't just about horse armor; it already boasts a selection of mods. Mere hours after the game's launch, several community mods surfaced on the popular site Nexus Mods, mainly offering minor customization options.
While awaiting more mods, you can delve into why some players believe today's release is more of a remake than a remaster and explore Bethesda's rationale for labeling it "Remastered."
We've compiled a comprehensive guide covering everything in Oblivion Remastered, including an expansive Interactive Map, full Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and all Guild Quests, tips on How to Build the Perfect Character, Things to Do First, and much more.
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