Skyrim: Anniversary Editionwas released on the 11th of November to celebrate 10 years passing since the game’s initial release. Despite some interest in the release ofSkyrim: Anniversary Edition, its launch flew under the radar somewhat, with many lacking enthusiasm for yet anotherSkyrimre-release.Skyrim: Anniversary Editionis far from the first timeSkyrimhas been re-released since the launch of the original a decade ago, and some fans aren’t exactly convinced by it.
What hasn’t helped with the limited excitement aroundthe release ofSkyrim: Anniversary Editionis its absence on Game Pass. The service is one of the most popular in gaming, and given Bethesda’s Microsoft ownership, many had expected that the game’s inclusion in Game Pass was a given. But for now at least,Skyrim: Anniversary Editionis not available on Game Pass, and there are no plans to change this in the future.
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Skyrim: Anniversary Edition’s Game Pass Discount
WhileSkyrim: Anniversary Editionisn’t currently one of the hundreds of games available through Xbox Game Pass, players can still go through Game Pass to get it at a cheaper price than they otherwise would have.Skyrim: Anniversary Editionisn’t exactly a new version ofSkyrim, at least not a standalone version. Instead, it’s an update on the existingSkyrim: Special Editionthat adds a bunch of new content and some next-gen improvements. Because of this, to getSkyrim: Anniversary Edition, players don’t need to buy a whole new game - they can just purchase it as they would aDLC forThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim.
In fact,Skyrim: Anniversary Editionis even listed as a DLC on Steam, which gives some context as to what exactlySkyrim: Anniversary Editionis supposed to be. However,Skyrim: Anniversary Edition’sstandalone pricehas still managed to raise some eyebrows, with a price tag of $49.99 at launch, making it an expensive DLC if that’s to be its true classification. However, there is a way to getSkyrim: Anniversary Editionfor cheaper than its full retail price, which manyElder Scrollsplayers will no doubt opt for.
Owners ofSkyrim: Special Editiondon’t have to pay full price for yet another version ofThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. It is for these fans ofThe Elder Scrollsseries thatSkyrim: Anniversary Editiontruly acts like a DLC, offering a much-reduced price to simplyupgradeSkyrim: Special Editionto theAnniversary Edition. Fans can getSkyrim: Anniversary Editioncheaper through Game Pass if they don’t already ownSkyrim: Special Edition. This will still give players the option to upgrade to theAnniversary Editionfor $19, albeit only for as long as their subscription lasts. For non-Xbox Game Pass owners, Game Pass can seemingly indefinitely be picked up for $1 for the first three months, before returning to its regular price, meaning the total cost ofSkyrim: Anniversary Editionwould still only be $20.
Bethesda’s Presence On Xbox Game Pass
ForElder Scrollsfans concerned that they may simply lose their version of the game upon its removal from Game Pass, there’s little reason to be worried. As a result ofMicrosoft’s Bethesda acquisition early this year, it’s unlikely that any Bethesda game currently on Game Pass will be removed any time soon. Instead, it’s likely that even more fan-favourite Bethesda games will be added to the service as time goes on. Recently, an enhanced re-release of the originalQuakewas surprisingly dropped on Xbox Game Pass, joining the broad catalogue of Bethesda titles already available through the service. This makes Game Pass a great service for fans of Bethesda games, and is a big selling point for Xbox consoles.
In addition to the classic Bethesda games available through Game Pass right now, it looks as though Game Pass will be the home of future Bethesda classics as well. One of the surprise reveals of this year’s Microsoft and Bethesda joint E3 conference was thatStarfieldwill be an Xbox exclusive title on launch. This was shocking to some, while others saw the writing on the wall upon the announcement of Microsoft’s Bethesda acquisition. But what was particularly exciting about thisStarfieldannouncement was thatStarfieldwill be available on day one through Game Pass. This will join a fellow new IP in the likes ofRedfall, which is also set to debut on Game Pass next year.
It seems that, for the foreseeable future,Skyrim: Special Editionas well as every otherBethesda title currently available through Game Passwill continue to be playable through the service. The Bethesda catalogue on Game Pass continues to grow and expand, making the service a must-have for fans of Bethesda games, and theSkyrim: Anniversary Editiondiscount only adds further fuel to the fire. But given the extensive Bethesda catalogue on Game Pass,Skyrim: Anniversary Edition’sexclusion from the service does come as a surprise.
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Skyrim: Anniversary Edition Should Be On Game Pass
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Anniversary Editionis available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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