Back in 2006, Bethesda was basking in the glory of their latest hit, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. To keep the fans engaged and returning to the enchanting world of Cyrodiil, they began releasing small, paid DLC packages. Little did they anticipate the stir they would cause with their first DLC release in April: horse armor.
Even if you weren't closely following the gaming scene back then, you've probably heard about the infamous horse armor controversy. While downloadable content (DLC) existed before this, Oblivion's Horse Armor Pack, priced at 200 Microsoft Points on the Xbox 360 Marketplace (roughly $2.50 at the time), sparked significant debate due to its perceived lack of utility.
Fast forward to 2025, and the landscape of cosmetic upgrades has transformed dramatically. Bethesda has taken a playful approach with the release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, once again offering horse armor for a fee. As part of today's announcement and immediate release of the remaster, we discovered that Oblivion Remastered comes in two versions: a base edition and a deluxe edition. For an additional $10 on top of the base game's price, the deluxe edition includes new quests for unique armors, additional weapon options, a digital artbook, a soundtrack app, and, yes, horse armor—two sets, to be exact.
The reaction from fans has been largely positive and lighthearted. The era when cosmetic DLC like horse armor was a novelty is long gone, and today's gamers are accustomed to spending money on such enhancements. Circana analyst Mat Piscatella highlighted on BlueSky that U.S. video game consumers spent over $10.4 billion on PC and console video game digital add-ons in 2024. He quipped, "Horse Armor walked so Battle Passes could run."
The general sentiment among the community is one of amusement, appreciating Bethesda's willingness to humorously revisit what was once a major controversy.
PAID HORSE ARMOR DLC. OBLIVION IS TRULY BACK. pic.twitter.com/1DJFIPzHB0
— Many A True Nerd (@ManyATrueNerd) April 22, 2025
Honestly I have to respect it. New players won't know this, but releasing the horse armor as paid DLC again is a subtle reference to when they singlehandedly ruined the industry by selling it the first time around. I kneel, Todd. https://t.co/BGwBwL3VYX
— UGS | Ajay (@AJ34_SSB) April 22, 2025
£10 for Horse Armor in #OblivionRemastered ??? There's no way that's gonna catch on pic.twitter.com/E1jqpPZFYr
— Olive_Meister (@Olive_Meisterr) April 22, 2025
Oblivion Remastered isn't just about the horse armor; it's also quickly becoming a modding hub. Within hours of its launch, several community mods surfaced on the popular site Nexus Mods, offering various customization options.
As we eagerly await more mods to emerge, you can explore why some players believe today's release is more of a remake than a remaster and the reasoning behind Bethesda's choice of the "Remastered" label.
For a comprehensive look at Oblivion Remastered, we offer a detailed guide that includes an expansive Interactive Map, complete Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and every Guild Quest, tips on How to Build the Perfect Character, Things to Do First, and much more.
AnswerSee Results
