Oblivion Remastered Reintroduces Paid Horse Armor DLC

In 2006, Bethesda was basking in the glow of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion's success. To keep the momentum going and fans engaged in Cyrodiil, they began rolling out small, paid DLC packages. However, the launch of their first DLC, the Horse Armor Pack, in April of that year, plunged them into unexpected controversy. Priced at 200 Microsoft Points on the Xbox 360 Marketplace—about $2.50 at the time—the Horse Armor Pack became infamous for its perceived lack of utility.

Even if you weren't into gaming back then, you might have heard about the uproar surrounding the Horse Armor Pack. While DLC was not new, the concept of paying for essentially cosmetic items like horse armor was a novel and contentious one.

Fast forward to 2025, and the gaming landscape has transformed dramatically. Cosmetic upgrades are now the norm, allowing Bethesda to cheekily reintroduce horse armor with the launch of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. Alongside the base edition, a deluxe edition is available for an additional $10, offering new quests, unique armors, extra weapons, a digital artbook, a soundtrack app, and—yes—two sets of horse armor.

Fans seem to be taking this development in stride. We're nearly two decades removed from the time when such cosmetic DLC was groundbreaking and controversial. Today, gamers are accustomed to spending money on cosmetic enhancements. As noted by Circana analyst Mat Piscatella on BlueSky, U.S. video game consumers spent over $10.4 billion on PC and console video game digital add-ons in 2024. "Horse Armor walked so Battle Passes could run," he remarked, highlighting the evolution of in-game purchases.

Many find Bethesda's nod to the past amusing, seeing it as a playful jab at what was once a significant scandal.

PAID HORSE ARMOR DLC. OBLIVION IS TRULY BACK. pic.twitter.com/1DJFIPzHB0

— Many A True Nerd (@ManyATrueNerd) April 22, 2025

Honestly I have to respect it. New players won't know this, but releasing the horse armor as paid DLC again is a subtle reference to when they singlehandedly ruined the industry by selling it the first time around. I kneel, Todd. https://t.co/BGwBwL3VYX

— UGS | Ajay (@AJ34_SSB) April 22, 2025

£10 for Horse Armor in #OblivionRemastered ??? There's no way that's gonna catch on pic.twitter.com/E1jqpPZFYr

— Olive_Meister (@Olive_Meisterr) April 22, 2025

Oblivion Remastered isn't just about horse armor; it also supports mods. Just hours after its launch, a few community mods surfaced on the popular platform Nexus Mods, primarily offering small customization options.

As we await more mods, you might want to explore why some players consider today's release more of a remake than a remaster and why Bethesda chose the "Remastered" label.

We've compiled a detailed guide to everything in Oblivion Remastered, including an expansive Interactive Map, complete Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and all Guild Quests, tips on How to Build the Perfect Character, Things to Do First, and much more.

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