Bethesda has not provided official support for mods in the recently launched Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. However, players have begun to find that numerous mods developed for the original 2006 version operate effectively in the remastered edition with minimal setup complications.
According to observations shared on platforms such as Reddit and the Bethesda Game Studios Discord, many .esp mod files crafted for the original Oblivion yield similar results when integrated into the Remastered version. Testing by Ars has verified this, utilizing a mod from 2008 that adds advanced weaponry and armor to the opening jail cell scene in the remastered game.
While users of the original game had the convenience of using the Oblivion Mod Manager for easy mod installation, those looking to do the same in the remastered edition will need to undertake additional manual steps. Players must first download the .esp mod files and place them in the “Content/Dev/ObvData/Data” directory, which also contains DLC data files like “DLCHorseArmor.esp.” Next, they will need to edit “Plugins.txt” located in the same folder to include the full .esp file name in the plaintext list.
Initial reports from testers indicate that some intricate mods originally intended for the first Oblivion version may lead to crashes or unpredictable behavior when used in the Remastered game. Others posit that the game appears to recognize the original Oblivion as its foundation, suggesting that manually adding mods without new assets could function properly.
As the ongoing exploration of modding compatibility unfolds, many modders have begun to release a variety of new mods specifically tailored for the Remastered edition, despite the lack of official support from Bethesda. Presently, many of these mods focus on basic user interface adjustments or quality-of-life improvements aimed at enhancing the gaming experience. One noted mod makes slow-walking NPCs move slightly faster, which has garnered positive feedback among users.
For more complex modifications, players may need to explore the Unreal Engine’s pak file format to replace in-game assets with custom versions. It seems likely that we may soon see the introduction of modifications akin to the custom Mystic Elf race integrated back into the latest installment of the game.
