Sometimes a storm is announced not by the rumble of thunder, but by a random ripple in the Xbox support chat. And this ripple currently sounds suspiciously like "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remaster", which - as unbelievable as it sounds - is due to be released today. Yes, really: today, on April 21. And without any grandiose announcement, trailer offensive or months of advance hype. Welcome to the age of the shadow drop.
A shadow drop out of nowhere?
The rumor mill has been churning for months about a revamped comeback of the 2006 classic. Accompanied by numerous leaks, the latest of which first pictures and the packshot revealed. But while many assumed it was just wishful thinking, the clues are now gathering like thick fog over the Jerall Mountains. Of all people, an Xbox support chat, which is presumably AI-supported, let slip in response to a direct question that the remaster will be released on April 21 is to appear. No denial, no "we can't say anything about that"but a crystal clear time. An accidental leak or a deliberate play on expectations? Insiders are even more precise on this point and say the arrival is scheduled for 18:00 CET.
Of course, skepticism remains appropriate. After all, this reference is based on an AI support system that could just as easily have used Reddit and X. But the timing seems ... suspiciously appropriate. No big gaming event coming up, no competition to dominate the day. A classic moment for Bethesda to simply pull the lever - just like with the legendary "Fallout Shelter".
120 GB of nostalgia - what the remaster reveals about its size
And there's more: the data miners X0XLEAK and Kran found out that the remaster weighs in at a whopping 120 GB - at least on the PC. This suggests a real remaster or at least a radically revised version, and not just a simple texture upgrade. If this is true, console gamers could also have to free up around 100 GB. There may even be a day-one update on top of that, which will finally bring the memory to its knees.
Particularly interesting: Studio Virtuos, which has worked on remasters such as "The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition" in the past, has also revealed itself according to the Google entry. Another piece of the puzzle that shows: They're not just dreaming around here - they're actively working towards a release.
Whether the remaster will actually be released today or whether it will all turn out to be a clever hype train - we will probably know in a few hours. If the "Oblivion remaster" comes out of the shadows today, Tamriel will rule the gaming world for a moment. So: free up some memory, deactivate fast travel - and wait to see if the shadow really does fall.
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