For over a decade, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has invited thousands of players to explore its vast fantasy world as the last Dragonborn. First released in November 2011, the latest mainline entry in the groundbreaking fantasy RPG franchise has seen multiple re-releases, additional DLC, and thousands of community-made mods. The endurance of a game like Skyrim is remarkable, but more impressive is the impact it has had on the games industry.

The open-world role-playing game received near-universal acclaim upon release for its character design, exploration, world design, combat systems, and more. Even now, Skyrim is considered one of the greatest games of all time, and has set a high standard for future titles, keeping players engaged even as next-generation consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X allow for newer and shinier open-world adventures. The advances that Bethesda made when crafting Skyrim are proof of the game's enduring popularity, as it stands as an unmatched example of what makes open-world RPGs so great.

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Skyrim: Open-World Exploration With an Impeccable Gameplay Loop

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The Elder Scrolls series is unique because its games feature open worlds that are epically scaled and full of exciting places to see. Skyrim is defined by its openness to travel through mountain ranges and cities, and while The Elder Scrolls 6 is expected to set the bar even higher, there is currently nothing like scaling the Throat of the World or traveling across the region to visit Solitude. The game piques audiences' curiosity, creating completionists by enticing players with various side quests and events off the beaten path.

Skyrim also introduced a gameplay loop that would soon become the standard for almost all future open-world RPGs. Players can freely explore, coming across quests and combat on their terms, and completing these events creates a sense of achievement and adventure that further drives growth for the player and Dragonborn. This was a departure from the tight-woven narratives packed into other RPGs like Baldur's Gate and Dragon Age: Origins, offering the illusion of freedom while keeping the player on a clear track to the end of the game.

Skyrim is the Blueprint for Current Open-World RPGs

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Skyrim set a high bar that was only raised with the release of DLC packs Hearthfire, Dawnguard, and Dragonborn. Players can see elements popularized by Skyrim and its DLC in other open-world RPGs like Dragon Age: Inquisition, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and Baldur's Gate 3, as it re-defined and revitalized the genre.

The extensive open-world exploration in Dragon Age: Inquisition is a prominent sign of Skyrim's impact, especially given that the franchise was known for being more focused on a choice-driven narrative over combat and exploration. The BioWare project lets players discover side quests, explore vast terrain, and meet an extensive cast of NPCs. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has a similarly enormous open world, jam-packed with combat scenarios and NPC interactions that can be discovered naturally, allowing players to initiate main story quests on their own time.

As Bethesda's executive producer Todd Howard and his team develop The Elder Scrolls 6, some fans might believe that the gaming community will leave behind Skyrim, but there is little chance of this. The open-world title has thousands of fans worldwide, some making extensive amounts of free content to extend its enduring legacy. Given the immense popularity of Skyrim's award-winning formula, the challenge will lie in keeping the elements that players love while innovating on gameplay and narrative elements using next-generation tech.

Given Skyrim has already been ported to most modern consoles, the biggest threat to ES6 is Skyrim. There is potential for some of the issues in the fifth Elder Scrolls game to be fixed, leading to a greater depth of storytelling, dynamic NPCs, and more. On top of that, Starfield will be released before The Elder Scrolls 6, so players have more time to explore Skyrim if the sci-fi take on Bethesda's formula doesn't quite scratch the same itch.

The Elder Scrolls 5 Skyrim: Anniversary Edition is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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