An original developer of Oblivion has acknowledged that implementing the universal world-leveling system was an error. Learn more about his perspective on the game’s updates and its remarkable success since release.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Updates Praised by Original Developer

World-Scale Leveling Remains in Oblivion Remastered

A former Oblivion developer has conceded that incorporating the world-scale leveling feature was a misstep, even though it returns in the remaster. In a recent VideoGamer interview, original designer Bruce Nesmith shared his insights on the game's leveling mechanics.

Beyond the original Oblivion, Nesmith has crafted quests and systems for titles like Fallout 3, Skyrim, and Starfield. He noted that the adjustments to the leveling system in Oblivion Remastered make it more accessible for today's players.

In the original release, players had to increase their major skills multiple times, then sleep to level up and boost their attributes. This has been reworked to resemble Skyrim's approach, where players earn experience across all skill lines. Nesmith commended Bethesda's choice, calling it a "bold" move.

However, his view on the returning world-leveling feature differs. This system causes enemies to scale with the player, which Nesmith said can give players the feeling that "it doesn’t matter that I leveled up, because the dungeon leveled up with me."

He elaborated, "I believe having the world level alongside you was a mistake, and that's evidenced by Skyrim not repeating the same approach." Fans have voiced this critique since the game's 2006 debut, leading them to create mods to adjust it. With Oblivion Remastered retaining this feature, the community has once again taken steps to modify the world-leveling system.

Oblivion Remastered is More Than Just a Visual Upgrade

While rumors of an Oblivion remaster had circulated, many were astonished by the extensive work the team invested in recreating this Elder Scrolls classic. Nesmith was among them, having expected a release with only updated textures, similar to Skyrim: Special Edition.

In a separate VideoGamer interview, he lauded the team for the depth of their work. He stated, "[It's] a staggering amount of remastering. Frankly, it almost needs its own term. I'm not sure 'remaster' truly does it justice."

Indeed, Bethesda has dedicated immense resources to this project, rebuilding Tamriel from the ground up with Unreal Engine 5. This allowed the developers to overcome the technical constraints of the original, earning widespread praise for the game's high-quality outcome. Here at Game8, we awarded Oblivion Remastered a score of 90 out of 100 for its heartfelt homage to Cyrodiil, masterfully recreated with modern technology. For our full review, see the article below.