‘Skyrim: Special Edition’ Brings Remaster To PS4, Xbox One, And PC With Mod Support

Bethesda Softworks confirmed what many suspected Sunday during its E3 2016 showcase. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is being remastered for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Skyrim Special Edition is coming to current-gen consoles and PC later this year, and it is bringing official mod support, the same way as Fallout 4.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition will launch on October 28, 2016 for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC. This will be a full price release at $59.99, and is already available for pre-order at online and physical retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Steam.

PC gamers that already own Skyrim and all its add-ons – Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn – on Steam either individually or through the Legendary Edition will receive a free upgrade to Skyrim Special Edition when it launches.

“Winner of more than 200 Game of the Year awards and ranked Number 1 for ‘The 100 Greatest PC Games of All Time’ and ‘Best Game of the Generation’ by various outlets, Skyrim Special Edition brings the epic fantasy to life in stunning new detail. The Special Edition includes the game and add-ons with all-new features like remastered art and effects, volumetric god rays, dynamic depth of field, screen-space reflections and more.”

The updated art and graphics were expected. What was not expected was for Bethesda to add official mod support to the release of Skyrim Special Edition for consoles the same way it has done for Fallout 4.

The Bethesda website plays home to a mod section for Fallout 4 that features a growing list of mods. It is divided up between most popular, latest, highest-rated, and most-favorited mods. A filter is also available along with the ability to search mods or view the mods that you have downloaded. Mods can be favorited or downloaded directly from the website.

Fallout 4 players can visit the Mods menu in-game to browse and search for mods, choose favorites, post feedback, and install them from within the game. This is essentially the same experience from the Bethesda website but with the added convenience of not having to visit the website to download and install the mod.

There is currently a 2GB limit on the amount of mods that can be downloaded on consoles. The file sizes of each mod are displayed in the menu, along with how much space players are using and how much space is remaining. Many mods are less than a megabyte in size while others can reach 400MB or more.

Fallout 4 games played with mods will be saved separately with a “[Modded]” tag versus games played without mods. Players should be sure to disable all mods when trying to play an unmodded game save. Additionally, be aware the amount of mods installed do appear to affect the performance of loading into a game.

The number of mods available for the Xbox One include new weapons, new character skins, new locations, cheats, settlement items, and more. It appears that most of the content available for the PC will be available for console. There are currently 1,760 mods available for the Xbox One edition of Fallout 4 on Bethesda’s website, while the PC version has just under 1,700.

Support for Fallout 4 mods will arrive on the PlayStation 4 later this month.

Those interested in creating their own mods can download the Creation Kit for PC to start making their own Fallout 4 mods. A free download link is available from the game’s launcher to get you started. You’ll also want to visit the Creation Kit Wiki to expand your knowledge and learn everything from how to create new items in the game to creating your own scripts for player conversations.

Are you interested in picking up The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition this fall with so many other titles coming out at the same time? Sound off in the comments below.

[Image via Bethesda Softworks]