Skyrim is getting a new release in November to celebrate its 10-year anniversary. The new edition, known as Skyrim: Anniversary Edition, brings next-gen graphical improvements, dozens of mods from the Creation Club, and, most excitingly for some, a new fishing mechanic. Many of the new edition's upgrades will be available for free to all owners of its predecessor Skyrim: Special Edition, with players then only having to pay for the bundled Creation Club mods that add new player houses, items, dungeons, and more.
Skyrim: Anniversary Edition's announcement raised a lot of excitement, especially now that the developers at Bethesda revealed players will also be able to display their caught fish in new Skyrim aquariums. From the outside, however, the excitement around the new feature could seem a bit strange to some. In a game where players become fierce warriors capable of slaying dragons, catching fish doesn't seem as though it would be that exciting of an addition. However, there are a few good reasons why Elder Scrolls fans are as excited to go fishing in Skyrim's waterways as they are.
The History of Fishing in Skyrim
When fishing was revealed to be coming to Skyrim it was labeled as a way to increase the level of immersion that players can achieve in the game. The game's managing director Ashley Cheng also said in later interviews that the feature was something he had wanted to see added to the game for a long time. In other versions of Skyrim, players can only get fish by jumping into the water and grabbing them with their bare hands, but the series MMO The Elder Scrolls Online introduced a dedicated fishing skill to the franchise. Of course, players could add fishing to the game by taking advantage of Skyrim's impressive library of mods, but adding it to the base game makes it easier to access and available on all versions.
Skyrim fans are also excited about the feature's addition because the game's community has a history of being vocal about its wish to go fishing in the game. With how large Skyrim's map is there are numerous locations that players wished they could just sit down, relax, and cast out some bait to catch fish while enjoying some beautiful Skyrim scenery. This led to many fans hoping for one of the game's original three expansions to bring fishing to the game, especially Hearthfire. However, none of the expansions included anything close to fishing, but now those players are finally getting the feature they've waited so long for.
The Popularity of Fishing in Gaming
The excitement regarding the new feature is also helped by how popular fishing mechanics have been in gaming for years. Not only is fishing often a skill in MMOs like New World and Final Fantasy 14, but also pops up in games where players wouldn't expect it, like the excellent rogue-lite Hades. The fishing mechanic in Hades is unlocked after players purchase a rod of fishing that allows them to cast into the various bodies of water spread throughout the regions of the underworld. The action is associated with a short fun minigame, with players then being able to turn in any fish that they catch to a chef for rewards. It helps mix up the gameplay, is a fun way for players to get more rewards, and is another randomized element to mix up repeated runs for players.
Other popular games in recent years have featured fishing mechanics that have a high number of different fish to catch that require specific circumstances to appear, like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing. This system creates an environment that encourages players to search for those circumstances to try and collect all of the available fish. Objectives like completing the aquarium in Animal Crossing: New Horizons or catching all of the legendary fish in Stardew Valley are great motivators for players while also giving them goals to work towards in otherwise openly structured games.
The Impact of Fishing on Skyrim: Anniversary Edition
Skyrim: Anniversary Edition also comes with an official survival mode that will require players to manage their Dragonborn's hunger, thirst, temperature, and energy while going on adventures. Similar modes are usually added to Bethesda's Fallout titles, and often require entirely different builds for players to tackle them. The survival mode will entirely change how players have to approach their playthrough to ensure they are always prepared for the different climates of the province as well as having enough food to survive. This makes a fishing mechanic a great option for players to gather food while out in the wild without having to take the time to hunt animals.
The new mechanic will also be a nice treat for returning players who have already played through Skyrim multiple times across its various different versions and editions that have been released. A fishing minigame might not be a very large addition in the grand scheme of the game, but it will still be cool for fans of the game to return to the game and have something entirely new to experience. The feature should also make getting fish much easier from previous versions, which will make crafting some of Skyrim's most powerful potions much easier, even for players who aren't playing in survival mode. It also will be a big feature for players dedicated to roleplaying, as it will give them a relaxing and immersive way to enjoy the game's rivers and lakes.
Skyrim: Anniversary Edition releases on November 11, 2021 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.