Original Dev Confesses Oblivion Leveling Flaw

The original Oblivion developer now acknowledges that implementing the world-scale leveling system was an error. Discover his perspective on the game's modifications and its remarkable success since launch.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Changes Applauded by Former Dev

World-Scale Leveling Remains in Oblivion Remastered

A veteran Oblivion developer has acknowledged the world-scale leveling feature was flawed, despite its inclusion in the remaster. In an exclusive interview with VideoGamer, original Oblivion designer Bruce Nesmith discussed the game's controversial progression systems.

Beyond Oblivion, Nesmith has contributed to the systems of Fallout 3, Skyrim, and Starfield. He praised the remaster's refined leveling mechanics for better suiting contemporary gamers.

The original game required players to repeatedly level major skills before resting to progress attributes. The remaster adopts Skyrim's approach, granting XP across all skill lines. Nesmith commended Bethesda's bold decision to modernize this aspect.

However, Nesmith expressed reservations about retaining the world-scale feature. This system synchronizes enemy levels with player progression, which he believes diminished player accomplishment: "It didn't matter that I leveled up because the dungeon leveled with me."

He noted, "The world scaling with players was a misstep - evidenced by Skyrim's different approach." Fans have voiced similar concerns since 2006, leading to community mods addressing this issue, which continue even in the remaster.

Oblivion Remastered is More Than Just a Remaster

While rumors of an Oblivion remaster circulated for years, the extent of improvements surprised even industry veterans like Nesmith, who expected merely graphical upgrades akin to Skyrim: Special Edition.

In his VideoGamer interview, he marveled at the project's scope: "[It's] an extraordinary level of enhancement. 'Remaster' hardly captures the transformation - it deserves a new term."

Bethesda has completely rebuilt Tamriel using Unreal Engine 5, surpassing technical limitations of the original. The community has praised this painstaking recreation, with Game8 awarding the remaster 90/100 for its loving modernization of Cyrodiil. For our comprehensive review, continue reading below.