"We are finally seeing the end of the road": Skyblivion dev diary teases possible launch window

The fourth dev diary of the highly anticipated Skyblivion mod recently came out. From the looks of it, the jaw-droppingly ambitious project is possibly nearing its final stretch.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion came out more than 16 years ago. Back in the day, Oblivion took the gaming world by storm, all credit to Bethesda’s prowess with creating beautiful open-worlds for the players to carve their way through.

However, even after Skyrim’s mammoth commercial success, Oblivion has remained the favorite game for many old-school Elder Scrolls fans. The quests for the fourth installment in the Elder Scrolls series reign supreme over the vast array of most Morrowind and Skyrim quests.

To capture the charm of Oblivion through Skyrim’s engine, a team spearheaded by Rebelzize started the Skyblivion project back in 2012 - one year after Skyrim’s initial release. While updates to the project have remained few and far between, the latest dev diary released on March 24 is everything Elder Scrolls fans wished for.

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Skyblivion dev diary #4 showcases Goblins, Daedric artifacts, Bruma, clothing, and other 3D assets

To begin with, it must be noted that the sheer scale of a project like Skyblivion is incredibly huge. The fact that a team of modders is essentially rebuilding an expansive game like Oblivion from scratch is an extraordinary feat.

Skyblivion will not only include quests from the original TES IV but will also add content that can be found in Tamriel's expansive lore, with grander locations and more details across the map.

The fourth dev diary features Goblins, one of the quintessential creatures that fans associate with Oblivion. The mod development team has introduced a refreshing take on the herd mechanics of the unique inhabitants of Cyrodiil’s abandoned ruins.

With a Shaman at the top of its hierarchy, each Goblin assemblage consists of warlords, skirmishers, berserkers, and even chefs - each having their own roles within the group.

A small group of Goblins (Image via Rebelzize)

Daedric artifacts are quite often the most sought-after gear in Elder Scrolls titles. The dev diary video showcases the legendary sword Umbra and the mighty Warhammer Volendrung, among others, each having their own custom visual effects inspired by the concept art of the original game.

The map of Cyrodiil (Image via The UESPWiki)

Players familiar with the Beyond Skyrim: Bruma mod will feel right at home as the northernmost Cyrodiilic city gets a showcase in the dev diary video. Among other cities in the province, the development in Leyawiin is mostly complete.

Imperial City (Image via Rebelzize)

The Skyblivion team has masterfully used rich color palettes and aesthetics to create clothing and other assets in the mod. Standing in stark contrast to Skyrim, which is the home of the rugged Nords and as the northernmost province of Tamriel faces the harshest snowy climate, Cyrodiil is much more temperate and is inhabited by Imperials, who are arguably more cultured than Nords.

While the dev team has not yet disclosed any release window for the mod, it is safe to assume that the project is nearing its last stretch.