In 2006, Bethesda was basking in the glow of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion's success. To keep fans engaged in the world of Cyrodiil, the company began rolling out small, paid DLC packages. However, they stirred up a storm with their first offering in April: horse armor.

Even if you weren't into gaming back then, you might have heard about the infamous horse armor controversy. While DLC wasn't new, the Horse Armor Pack for Oblivion, priced at 200 Microsoft Points (around $2.50), caused quite a stir due to its perceived lack of utility.

The gaming community has largely taken this news in stride. We're now nearly twenty years removed from the shock of cosmetic DLC like horse armor, and gamers have grown accustomed to paying for such enhancements. As noted by Circana analyst Mat Piscatella on BlueSky, U.S. video game consumers spent over $10.4 billion on PC and console digital add-ons in 2024. "Horse Armor walked so Battle Passes could run," he quipped.

Many fans even find Bethesda's nod to the past amusing, seeing it as the company poking fun at what was once a major controversy.

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 has also hit the ground running with mods. Just hours after its launch, a selection of community mods popped up on popular site Nexus Mods, offering small customization options.

While we eagerly await more mods, dive into our articles exploring why some players think today’s release leans more towards a remake than a remaster and Bethesda's reasoning behind the "Remastered" label.

For a deep dive into Oblivion Remastered, check out our comprehensive guide, featuring an expansive Interactive Map, complete Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and every Guild Quest, tips on How to Build the Perfect Character, Things to Do First, and much more.