Friend of Fanattik Jonathan is a fan of Elder Scrolls, and has kindly written a blog for us discussing the 10 year anniversary of Skyrim.
Bethesda’s highly successful Elder Scrolls series has now spanned over two decades, having started back in 1994 with the release of The Elder Scrolls: Arena, with the most recent instalment being The Elder Scrolls: Blades in 2020. While there have been several gaming gems in this twenty-six-year period, the most highly-regarded release was arguably in 2011, when The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim saw the light of day. In November of this year, Skyrim will therefore celebrate its ten-year anniversary. After a decade, most games are hardly even talked about any more, yet Skyrim is still very much alive and loved around the globe. Just what are the reasons behind this enduring success?
A crucial aspect is definitely the sheer level of customisation which the game affords. Starting off from the very beginning in the character creation stage, the player is given the possibility of creating their blank canvas for the epic adventure that is waiting to unfold. Throughout the game, the incredible variety of items available allows each individual to enjoy a tailormade experience according to one’s tastes. Whether as a burly, double-axe-wielding barbarian, a mage hellbent on incinerating everything, or a nimble, stealthy arrow-firing rogue, Skyrim can truly be enjoyed countless times as a completely different character every time.
Testament to Skyrim’s success are its various releases across multiple platforms over the years. While it was originally released on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2011, the game was remastered for PS4 and Xbox One in 2016. Even more recently, Skyrim made its debut in the handheld world thanks to a Nintendo Switch release in 2017. During the same year, a virtual reality version of the game (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR) was also released for PC and PS4, making it ever clearer just how much gamers had fallen in love with the vast, snowy region of Skyrim. While the game’s setting is already breath-taking in 2D, being able to feel virtually immersed and traversing the game world in virtual reality has really taken Skyrim’s immersion to unprecedented levels.
Just a few weeks ago, fans of the game have rejoiced at the surprising announcement that a Skyrim board game was also in development. Board games have seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, and even more so recently due to the hours spent inside because of the pandemic. Being able to interact with the world of Skyrim in yet another, more tactile manner will be very interesting. While not many details have been released so far, we do know that this will be a crowdfunding project that aims to deliver “an epic co-operative board game of adventure across Skyrim for 1-4 players”.
Skyrim’s massive following has resulted in thousands of devoted fans around the world, with many devotees wanting to feel ever more connected to their favourite game. Thanks to Fanattik’s range of limited edition collectibles, you can surround yourself with some gorgeous artwork of Skyrim’s locations, own a coin featuring the formidable Dragonborn and even wear an actual replica of the Amulet of Talos. Check out even more awesome collectibles in the Elder Scrolls range, and embrace the adventurer within!
You can follow Jonathan on YouTube here, and if you’d like to write for Fanattik, pitch your blog here.