Skyrim is one of the most popular RPGs ever released, which has led to re-releases on nearly every platform over the last 10 years. While fans of the series are still waiting for news on The Elder Scrolls 6, many still return to Skyrim frequently to enjoy its deep character creation, variety of builds, and open-world adventures. The sizable library of mods helps as well.
The most recent re-release is Skyrim: Anniversary Edition. While Skyrim: Anniversary Edition still has many of the original game's bugs, it is also a notable release because it adds new content. The new content covers a wide range of dungeons, items, spells, quests, houses, and even some mechanics like fishing. For diehard fans of the series, the new content includes a number of references to Skyrim's predecessors, Oblivion and Morrowind.
What Skyrim: Anniversary Edition Includes
The Anniversary Edition may include different content depending on whether or not players already own Skyrim: Special Edition. For players who do not own Special Edition on any platform, a bundle that includes Skyrim: Special Edition can be bought alongside all of the content released as part of the Creation Club for around $50. This puts the new release closer to a brand-new AAA release, but it is a good path for any potential players who have never played Skyrim before and want to see why it has become so influential.
Fans who do already own Skyrim: Special Edition have a few options. Skyrim: Anniversary Edition was released as an update that includes a number of visual and technical enhancements, as well as a select number of Creation Club items for free. This content includes the new fishing mechanic, survival mode, a camping mechanic, new Khajiit caravans, and the "Saints and Seducers" questline. Players who want to get the entire experience can get all the Creation Club content bundled together in a $20 upgrade. While the process of getting this content is smooth since it was released as an update, that can make it a bit confusing when players have to launch Skyrim: Special Edition and switch to the Anniversary Edition from the main menu.
All of the Oblivion Content in Skyrim: Anniversary Edition
One of the most popular pieces of content in Oblivion was its second expansion, The Shivering Isles. This expansion saw players traveling to the Daedric Prince of Madness Sheogorath's plane of Oblivion. It gave players an entirely new area to explore that was unlike anything else in the game, so it is no surprise that this is referenced heavily throughout Skyrim: Anniversary Edition. The biggest reference is the "Saints and Seducers" questline that sees players taking down bandit gangs. The quest also includes music from the original expansion and plenty of new items, including some of the strongest armor sets in Skyrim: Anniversary Edition. Other references to the expansion include the Staff of Sheogorath, Dawnfang and Duskfang, the Ruin's Edge bow, and Shadowrend.
The Creation Club packs also reference other elements from Oblivion, including Divine Crusader armors lifted straight from Oblivion's Knights of the Nine expansion. While the armor's inclusion does contradict the lore of The Elder Scrolls, it is a fun nod to the original expansion while adding some strong armor for light and heavy users alike. Another interesting addition is the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal, iconic headgear from Oblivion's "Thieves Guild" questline, although it does act a bit differently in Skyrim. There is also a fun nod to Oblivion's horse armor controversy that sees players able to purchase steel and elven armor to help protect their horses. The Creation Club content also includes the Umbra sword that was featured in both Oblivion and Morrowind as a coveted magic sword.
All of the Morrowind Content in Skyrim: Anniversary Edition
The largest piece of Morrowind-themed content added to Skyrim starts with a new quest titled "The Cause." That quest leads directly into the "Ghosts of Tribunal" quest, which continues the story of Morrowind alongside numerous references and new pieces of gear. Players can also earn a pet version of one of Morrowind's most iconic enemies: the Nix-Hound. The new pets added in Skyrim: Anniversary Edition are very useful, as players can summon them and have them carry loot back to their house. This can be an incredibly useful feature for players who like collecting loot and tend to max out their carry weight.
There are also a number of weapons from Morrowind that players can receive. One of the most useful is the combination Wraithguard gauntlets and Sunder hammer. The two items used together are extremely powerful, making them one of the most powerful weapons in Skyrim: Anniversary Edition. The Creation Club content also adds Morrowind's Chrysamere sword, beloved for how it buffs the player's health regeneration in combat. Players can also find the heavy Stendarr's Hammer, the Staff of Hasedoki, and the stealthy Bow of Shadows. For players who want a more glamorous new weapon, the golden katana Goldbrand from Morrowind and Oblivion has also been added.
With all of the new content added to Skyrim: Anniversary Edition, it seems more than worth the price for any fans looking to return to the game - especially those who are fans of Oblivion and Morrowind.
Skyrim: Anniversary Edition is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.