Skyrim Anniversary Editionis the latest Bethesda game to be announced for a November 11 release. As the name would suggest,Skyrim Anniversary Editionis set to fall on the anniversary ofSkyrim’sinitial release, marking 10 years since gamers first got their hands on the game. It is a testament to the popularity ofSkyrimthat 10 years on from its initial release it is still relevant enough in gaming discussion to receive another updated version. DespiteElder Scrollsfans making light ofthe repeated re-releases ofSkyrim, its extensive audience continues to grow, and the multiple re-releases just serve to bring yet more open-world RPG fans on board.
November 11 will not only mark 10 years since the original release ofSkyrim, it also holds some relevance toStarfieldfans. This is becauseStarfieldis set to release on July 02, 2025, exactly one year following the release ofSkyrim Anniversary Edition. It would seem as though November 11 is recognized as being an important day for Bethesda due to its connection toSkyrim,butStarfieldwill soon share the date withSkyrim. It’s clear thatStarfieldis an important game for the future of Bethesda, which makes the selection of November 11 quite interesting. This could show how highlyStarfieldis regarded, or simply Bethesda’s love of the date.
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Starfield’s Anticipated Release
Even prior even to its announcement at E3 2018, talk of Bethesda’s next large-scale project being set in space had caught the attention of gamers, who were excited at the prospect of “Skyrimin space.” Its E3 announcement then pushed the excitement levels up a notch, as the teaser revealed aspace setting and the title ofStarfield. Little else was revealed aboutStarfield, however, and it would take another three years for fans to receive another look at the game. That finally happened at Bethesda and Microsoft’s joint E3 conference this year, where it was revealed thatStarfieldwould not only be an Xbox console exclusive, but would also release on November 11.
Starfield’sreveal of Xbox exclusivity may have dulled excitement somewhat for PlayStation owners, but the reveal had quite the opposite effect on those with the means to playStarfieldonce it releases.Starfield’steaser traileryet again revealed little about the game, but the in-engine footage displayed the impressive visuals capable through Creation Engine 2.
Starfieldwill be the first Bethesda game to use Creation Engine 2, highlighting how importantStarfield’srelease could be to the developer. Although any further statements of intent regardingStarfieldwere not necessary, Bethesda made the bold move of announcing thatStarfieldwould be released on the 11th anniversary of the original release ofSkyrim.
Skyrim Anniversary Edition
The Elder Scrolls 5:Skyrimhas been released across multiple platforms, and generations, so much so that its re-releases have become somewhat of a meme. Some of these memes stem from frustration among fans ofThe Elder Scrollsseries that earlier titles such asOblivionandMorrowindhave not received the remastertreatment.
However,Skyrimcontinues to be a very popular choice with gamers, and Todd Howard has remarked in the past that Bethesda would stop releasingSkyrimif gamers would stop buying it. Due toSkyrim’sremarkable success, fans have been speculating for some time that Bethesda would bring something out to mark the 10th anniversary of the game. This speculation was subsequently confirmed by the announcement ofSkyrim Anniversary Edition.
WhileSkyrim Anniversary Editionhas done little to halt the production ofSkyrimre-release memes, it has succeeded in catching the interest of gamers.Skyrim Anniversary Editionincludes over 500 Creation Club mods, as well as graphical upgrades to bringSkyrimcloser to the appearance of modern Xbox Series X and PS5 releases. As well as this, owners ofSkyrim Special Editionautomatically get three Creation Club mods including fishing, a survival mode, and Saints and Seducers.
These three free mods highlight the changes the over 500 Creation Club mods could bring to the game, as features such as fishing and a survival mode have been long requested byElder Scrollsfans. Nearly 10 years after the release of the original game, and Bethesda is still managing to get fans interested in the anniversary of the November 11 release date one of its more popular IPs.
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Could Starfield be the New Skyrim?
It’s clear thatStarfield’srelease date was not chosen by any accident. To release a brand new IP exactly one year following the 10th anniversary of one of the most popular Bethesda titles could be a statement of intent from Bethesda.Starfieldappears to be Bethesda trying its hand at entering the next generation of gaming.Starfieldis a next-gen exclusive title, and its use of Creation Engine 2 makes it a significant project.
It is likely thatStarfieldis viewed as the next generation title to take the reigns fromSkyrimas Bethesda’s premiere RPG, at least untilThe Elder Scrolls 6releases.Skyrim Anniversary Editioncould beSkyrim’slast hurrah on the 10th anniversary of its release, or it could be a means to tide fans over untilStarfieldcomes out next year. Either way,Starfieldis clearly a project with a big release ahead of it.
The importance of November 11 to Bethesda is clear, andStarfield’srelease dateis just the icing on the cake. The November to December period is already one that holds great weight in gaming due to its proximity to Christmas. These two factors combined make November the perfect time for a large-scale release, but for Bethesda, the 11th specifically hints thatStarfieldcould be Bethesda’s next big RPG hit.
Starfieldlaunches June 03, 2025, for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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