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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
File:Oblivion Cover.JPG
Cropped North American boxart
Developer(s)Bethesda Softworks
Publisher(s)2K Games
Bethesda Softworks
Designer(s)Todd Howard
(executive producer)
Ken Rolston
(lead designer)
Artist(s)Matthew Carofano
Composer(s)Jeremy Soule
SeriesThe Elder Scrolls
EngineGamebryo
Physics—Havok
Foliage—SpeedTree
Platform(s)Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
ReleaseWindows, Xbox 360
PlayStation 3
Genre(s)First person Action Role-Playing, sandbox
Mode(s)Single player (first-person and third-person view)

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a single-player role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks and the Take-Two Interactive subsidiary 2K Games. It is the fourth installment in The Elder Scrolls action fantasy video game series, following The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Oblivion was released on March 20, 2006, for Windows PCs and the Xbox 360. A PlayStation 3 release was shipped on March 20, 2007, in North America,[3] and April 27, 2007, in Europe.[4] Following a number of smaller content releases, a major expansion pack—Shivering Isles—was released.

Oblivion’s main story revolves around the player character and his or her efforts to thwart a plot masterminded by a fanatical cult, which involves opening gates to a realm called Oblivion and unleashing its horrors on the mortal world. The game continues the open-world tradition of previous Elder Scrolls games, allowing the player to travel anywhere in the game world at any time, including the option to ignore or postpone the main storyline indefinitely. Developers opted for a tighter pacing and greater focus than past titles, a design choice that was well received in the gaming press.

The game was well received, earning high scores and winning numerous awards.[5] It scored an average of 94% in Metacritic's aggregate, based on ninety reviews, at least nineteen of which produced perfect scores. Oblivion had shipped 1.7 million copies by April 10, 2006,[6] and sold over three million copies by January 18, 2007.[7] The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition, a package including both Shivering Isles and the official plug-in Knights of the Nine, was released in Autumn 2007 for Windows PCs, the Xbox 360, and the PlayStation 3.[8][9]

Gameplay

See also: Gameplay of The Elder Scrolls series

Oblivion uses open-ended (or "Sandbox") gameplay. The main quest can be postponed or completely ignored as the player explores the expansive game world, follows side-quests, interacts with NPCs, and develops their character. Players are free to go anywhere inside the province of Cyrodiil in the land of Tamriel at any time while playing the game, barring certain events, even after completing the main quest. The game essentially never ends, and players are able to build up their character past the end of the main plot. The Windows version of the game is open to almost unrestricted modification, and there are thousands of modifications available on the Internet. These modifications vary from minor item changes to complete game overhauls. The game pits the player against a wide variety of enemies, including monsters and animals. Enemies become stronger and weapons become more powerful as the player's character becomes more proficient in skills. This game mechanic, called "leveling", keeps the difficulty constant throughout the course of the game. Players can reach up to level 40, though this cap is dependant on the characters background. The difficulty at which the game is set can be adjusted at any time by the player.[10]

File:Forestride.jpg
Along with fast-travel, players can use horses to travel from place to place

The fast-travel system found in Arena and Daggerfall makes a return in Oblivion. When players visit a location, that location appears as an icon on their map. From then on, players can travel to this location instantly. The in-game time is adjusted to reflect the length of the journey.[11] A major focus during Oblivion's development was rebalancing Morrowind's stealth and combat skill sets.[12][13] The skill system is similar to Morrowind's, but in Oblivion there are fewer skills. The "medium armor," "unarmored," and "spear" skills are removed altogether. The "short" and "long blade" skills are condensed into a single "blade" skill, and the "axe" skill merged with the "blunt" skill. "Enchant" is also removed as a skill, and item enchaments are instead dependant on the players skill in that particular spell type. The ability to "forget" spells was also removed.[14] The game introduced "mastery levels", which give skill-specific bonuses when the player reaches milestone levels in a skill. The combat system was also revamped, with the addition of "power attacks" (endowed to the player with specific mastery levels), and the removal of the separate styles of melee attacks present in Morrowind. Ranged attacks were changed so that hits were based on the player's firing skill rather than the character's numerical skill level. Spears, throwing weapons, and crossbows were removed in favour of the bow.[15] The choice came from a desire to "get the feel of [ranged weapons] as close to perfect as possible" as the Havok physics engine allowed. Morrowind's passive Block skill became an active feature in Oblivion, activated by a button press. The dynamics of the blocking mechanism were also changed, causing enemies to recoil after a successful block and leaving them open for a follow-up attack by the player.[16] Most of these changes to combat were received well: GameSpot commended the strengths of the game in each area, finding the game's melee combat "faster and smoother" than Morrowind's, the game's stealth combat "at least as satisfying" as its melee combat, and was generally impressed at the breadth and ease of use of the game's spell-casting.[17]

Plot

In terms of plot, Oblivion is not a direct sequel to The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind or any other game.[12] The game begins with the arrival of Emperor Uriel Septim VII (voiced by Patrick Stewart), accompanied by a trio of Imperial bodyguards known as "the Blades", at the Imperial City prison. They are fleeing from a group of assassins, known as the Mythic Dawn, through a secret underground exit in the city sewers. By chance, the exit is located in the cell occupied by the player. The player follows the party into a series of catacombs. There, the group is attacked by assassins, who are staved off by the Blades. Meanwhile, Uriel entrusts the player with an item known as the Amulet of Kings, an ancient artifact traditionally worn by the ruler of Cyrodiil. He orders the player to take it to a man known as Jauffre. Presently, an assassin ambushes and kills the emperor, before being defeated. The sole surviving guard—Baurus—explains that Jauffre is the Grandmaster of the Blades and can be found at Weynon Priory. The player then proceeds to the open world of Cyrodiil.[18]

The Oblivion Gate outside of Kvatch

It is soon revealed that the lack of an heir for the fallen Emperor has broken an old covenant. Multiple gates to Oblivion open and a Daedric invasion of Tamriel begins. The only way to close down the gates permanently is to find someone of the royal bloodline to retake the throne and re-light the Dragonfires in the Imperial City. Fortunately, there is still an heir to the Septim throne: an illegitimate son named Martin (voiced by Sean Bean), who resides in the city of Kvatch. Upon arriving at Kvatch, the player is greeted by a fleeing refugee, who explains that the Daedra have destroyed the city and killed many of its inhabitants. The leader of the town guardsmen, Savlian Matius, says he saw Martin escape into the chapel along with a few others, but cannot get into the city, as the Oblivion Gate is obstructing the main city gate. After venturing into the Planes of Oblivion and closing the gate, the player assists Savlian Matius in a counter-attack against the Daedra within the city walls. With the area secured, the player enters the Kvatch chapel and persuades Martin to come to Weynon Priory.[18]

Upon their return, the player finds Weynon Priory under the attack of the Mythic Dawn and discovers the Amulet of Kings has been stolen. Jauffre orders the player to escort himself and Martin to Cloud Ruler Temple, the stronghold of the Blades in the Northern mountains called the Jerall Mountains, north of the city of Bruma. At Cloud Ruler Temple, Martin is recognized as the Emperor and is given command of the Blades, and the player is sent off in search of the Amulet. After gathering information with the help of Baurus, the player is tasked with infiltrating the secret meeting place of the Mythic Dawn. When the player manages to infiltrate the inner circle of the Mythic Dawn, their leader—Mankar Camoran (voiced by Terence Stamp)—escapes to his Paradise through a portal, taking the Amulet of Kings with him. The player takes Mankar Camoran's book (the Mysteriam Xarxes), which has the power to open a portal to the Paradise, before escaping the shrine. Back at Cloud Ruler Temple, Martin deduces that the only way to recover the amulet is to create a portal to the Paradise and follow Camoran. A "collect-the-pieces" plot begins, as the player seeks out three key artefacts necessary to recreate the portal.[18]

Martin Septim, as voiced by Sean Bean

With all three retrieved, Martin reveals that a final ingredient is needed: a Great Sigil Stone from a Great Gate similar to the one that devastated Kvatch. Martin and Jauffre hatch a plan that involves allowing Bruma to be attacked by the Daedra so that a Great Gate can be opened. The player then must venture into the gate and obtain the Great Sigil Stone. Arriving on the battlefield before Bruma, Martin gives a moving speech before charging into battle against the Daedra. Many men are lost but a Great Gate is finally opened. After a timed run though the Oblivion world, the player enters and recovers the stone.[18]

Upon returning to Cloud Ruler Temple, a portal is created and the player arrives at Camoran's Paradise. After fighting through Camoran's men and Daedra, the player confronts him in his throne room and slays him and his family. When the player takes the Amulet from Camoran's neck, the Paradise evaporates. The player returns the Amulet to Martin, and the Blades travel to the Imperial City to re-light the Dragonfires and end the Daedric invasion. There, the Daedra begin a desperate final assault of their own and overrun the Imperial City. The player and several others fight their way to a small temple named the Temple of the One, in the Imperial City Temple District, to find that a 200-foot tall being is wreaking havoc in the city, revealed to be the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon himself. The player and Martin fight their way into the Temple, where Martin shatters the Amulet of Kings to merge himself with the spirit of Akatosh, the Dragon-God of Time, and become his Avatar. After an epic fight, the Avatar defeats Dagon in a final confrontation, before turning to stone. Martin disappears, the gates of Oblivion are shut forever, and the throne of the Empire again lies empty. In a final monologue, Martin describes this in an optimistic light, claiming that the future of Tamriel is now in the player's hands. After the battle, Lord Chancellor Ocato of the Elder Council proclaims the player Champion of Cyrodiil, and the player is given a set of Imperial Dragon Armor as a reward.[18]

Development

Main article: Development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Work began on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion shortly after the release of Morrowind in 2002.[19] By mid-September, 2004, Oblivion had been officially announced and its title released.[20][19][21] The game was developed by American developing company Bethesda Softworks. The PC and Xbox 360 versions of the game were co-published by 2K Games and Bethesda.[22] While the official release date for the PC and Xbox 360 versions was originally November 22, 2005, developmental delays pushed it forward to March 21, 2006.[23] Bethesda had initially intended for the late 2005 publication so that the game could be an Xbox 360 launch title.[24] The PlayStation 3 version of the game (ported by 2K Studios) was released on March 20, 2007 in North America,[25] and on April 27, 2007 in Europe.[26] In the interim between the PC and Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 release, graphical improvements were made to the game and the PS3 version was subsequently praised for its enhanced visual appeal.[27][28]

While developing Oblivion, Bethesda concentrated on creating a system which allowed for a tighter and more realistic storyline with more believable characters and more meaningful quests than in the past. The game features improved AI (courtesy of Bethesda's proprietary Radiant AI),[29][30] and improved physics (courtesy of the Havok physics engine).[31][32] It sports impressive graphics for its time, taking advantage of advanced lighting and shader routines like high dynamic range rendering (HDR) and specular mapping.[16][31] Bethesda developed and implemented procedural content creation tools in the creation of Oblivion's terrain, leading to the expedited creation of landscapes more complex and realistic than those of past titles.[33][34]

Environment

An in-game screenshot showing Oblivion's user interface, HDR lighting and long draw distance, improvements made as part of a goal to create "cutting-edge graphics"

While designing Oblivion's landscape and architecture, developers worked from personal travel photographs, nature books, texture images, and reference photographs.[16] Procedural content generation tools used in production allowed for the creation of realistic environments at much faster rates than was the case with Morrowind.[33] Erosion algorithms incorporated in the landscape generation tools allowed for the creation of craggy terrain quickly and easily, replacing Morrowind's artificially smoothed-over terrain.[33] In accordance with a shift of graphical focus from water to flora, the Bethesda development team enlisted a number of technologies to aid in the production of large and diverse forests.[35] One such was IDV's SpeedTree package, which allowed a single programmer to generate a complete and detailed tree model in a matter of minutes through the adjustment of preset values. Designers used bloom effects to give the game an ethereal look—a design element that has been used in a multitude of recent games, including The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.[34]

Although Oblivion does not have deformable terrain, it has dynamic weather and time, shifting between snow, rain, fog, and sunny and overcast skies, along with the darkening red sky near Oblivion portals.[36] Oblivion also uses more multi-level environments than previous games, varying the topology to a greater extent than in Morrowind.[13] The game's view distance is far greater than its predecessor's, extending player sightlines to the horizon and giving views of distant towns and mountain ranges. According to a Microsoft press release, Oblivion's game world is approximately 16 square miles (41 km2) in size.[37] Wilderness quests, ruins and randomly generated dungeons were added to fill surplus space.[33] Content in the dungeons was densely packed, with an increase in the frequency of creature encounters, quest NPCs, and puzzles.[33] The populations represented in Oblivion, however, do not match the numbers attested in previous in-game literature—populations of ‘thousands upon thousands'. The development team decided to set the NPC populations at a level that would play well, rather than one that would match game lore, since the presence of multiple NPCs on screen can slow down the game.[38]

Oblivion (unlike previous series games) presents few loading screens as the player travels through the game world. Only when moving from interior to exterior environments, or when fast-traveling, does the game pause to load.[39] The game world is cordoned off at its edges by an invisible wall. In most places, the development team built this limit around a physical barrier, like a mountain. Wherever this was not possible, the screen displays a message stating "You cannot go that way, turn back" and prevents the player further access.[40]

Additional content

Further information: [[:Downloadable content for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion]]
Content from the "Horse Armor" content package had a mixed reception

Starting in April 2006, Bethesda released small packages of additional downloadable content for the game from their website and over the Xbox Live Marketplace for US$1–3.[41] The first update came as a set of specialized armor for Oblivion's ridable horses. It was released on April 3, 2006 and costs 200 Microsoft Points, equivalent to US$2.50[42] or GBP1.50;[43] the corresponding PC release cost was US$1.99.[44] Although gamers generally displayed enthusiasm for the concept of micropayments for downloadable in-game content,[42][45] many expressed their dissatisfaction at the price they had to pay for the relatively minor horse armor package on the Internet and elsewhere.[42] Hines assured the press that Bethesda was not going to respond rashly to customer criticism.[45] New releases continued into late 2006, at lower price points and more substantial content, leading to a better reception in the gaming press.[46] Oblivion's final content pack was released October 15, 2007.[47]

File:Oblivion GOTY.png
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition cover for PlayStation 3

The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine is an official plug-in for Oblivion released on November 21, 2006. Downloadable on the Xbox Live marketplace for the Xbox 360 and available for retail purchase for PC users, the expansion content was included in the original version of the PlayStation 3 version.[48] The plugin was developed, published and released in North America by Bethesda Softworks; in Europe, the game was co-published with Ubisoft.[49] The plot of Knights of the Nine centers on the rise of the sorcerer-king Umaril, and the player's quest to defeat him with the aid of the lost Crusader's relics.[50] Although it made little change to the basic mechanics of Oblivion, it was judged by reviewers to be a brief but polished addition to the game's main plot.[51]

The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles, the only expansion pack for Oblivion,[52] was released on March 27, 2007 for Windows and Xbox 360. The expansion offers more than 30 hours of new adventuring, and features new quests, new voice acting, monsters, spells, armor, and expanded freeform gameplay plus a new land "that [players] can watch change according to [their] vital life-or-death decisions".[53] A PlayStation 3 version was confirmed and released in 2007.[54] Shivering Isles takes place in the realm of madness ruled over by the daedric prince Sheogorath.[7] The player is tasked by Sheogorath with saving the realm from an approaching cataclysm known as the Greymarch.

At E3 2007, it was announced that a Game of the Year Edition for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion would be released in September 2007. The Game of the Year Edition includes the original game as well as the Shivering Isles and Knights of The Nine content packs,[55] but not the other downloadable content.[56] In North America, the game was released on September 10, 2007 for the for the Xbox 360 and PC,[57] and on October 16, 2007 for the PS3;[58] in Europe, it was released on September 21, 2007 for the Xbox 360 and PC, and on on October 8, 2007 for the PS3; and in Australia, it was released on September 28, 2007 for the Xbox 360 and PC, and on December 13, 2007 for the PS3.[57]

On the Internet, there exist many third-party modifications—also known as mods—for the Windows version. Made with the The Elder Scrolls Construction Set, these mods change many aspects of the game (including the visuals, gameplay, and user interface) and add original content such as new races, explorable game areas, armor, and weapons.[59]

Audio

Oblivion features the voices of Patrick Stewart, Lynda Carter, Sean Bean, Terence Stamp, Ralph Cosham, and Wes Johnson.[60] The voice acting received mixed reviews in the gaming press. While many publications characterized its voice acting as excellent,[17][61][62] others found fault with its repetitiveness.[63][64] The issue has been blamed on the small number of voice actors and the blandness of the dialogue itself.[65] Lead Designer Ken Rolston found the plan to fully voice the game "less flexible, less apt for user projection of his own tone, more constrained for branching, and more trouble for production and disk real estate" than Morrowind's partially recorded dialogue. Rolston tempered his criticism with the suggestion that voice acting "can be a powerful expressive tool", and can contribute significantly to the charm and ambience of the game. "I prefer Morrowind's partially recorded dialogue, for many reasons. But I'm told that fully-voiced dialogue is what the kids want."[66] Template:Sound sample box align right Template:Sample box end Oblivion's soundtrack was created by Jeremy Soule, a video game composer whose past scores had earned him a BAFTA award in the "Game Music Category" and two nominations for an AIAS award for "Original Music Composition". Soule had worked with Bethesda and Howard back during the creation of Morrowind, and, in a press release announcing his return for Oblivion, Soule repeated the words he had said during Morrowind's press release: "The stunning, epic quality of The Elder Scrolls series is particularly compatible with the grand, orchestral style of music I enjoy composing the most."[67] As in his compositions for Morrowind, Soule chose to create a soft and minimalist score so as not to wear out users' ears.[68] Soule stated that, while composing the music, he did not imagine any specific characters or events; rather, he wanted it "to comment on the human condition and the beauty of life." In a 2006 interview, he related that this desire came as a result of a car accident that occurred during his composition of the score. He said, "I ended up rolling in my car several times on an interstate while flying headlong into oncoming traffic ... I felt no fear ... I simply just acknowledged to myself that I've had a good life and I would soon have to say goodbye to all of it in a matter of seconds." Soule sustained only minor injuries, but commented that his feeling during the crash—"that life is indeed precious"—remained with him throughout the rest of the composition.[69]

Reception

Reviews
Publication Score
Famitsu 38/40 (Platinum)
Game Informer 9.5/10 (Xbox 360), 9.5/10 (PS3)[70]
GameSpot 9.3/10 (PC), 9.6/10 (Xbox 360), 9.5/10 (PS3)[71]
GameSpy 4/5[72]
IGN 9.3/10[73]
Gamepro 5/5
PC Gamer US 95/100
OXM 9.5/10
Compilations of Multiple Reviews
Compiler Score
Game Rankings 94/100 (based on 102 reviews)[74]
Metacritic 94/100 (based on 53 reviews)[75]
X-Play 5/5
Awards
Award Publications
Overall
Game of the Year 		G4, Spike TV[76],
Golden Joystick awards, Shacknews[77]
PC/Xbox 360
Game of the Year 		GameSpy Gamer's Choice awards, IGN Reader's Choice,
Gamespot Reader's Choice, Interactive Achievement Awards,
360 Gamer Magazine
RPG of the Year IGN, IGN Reader's Choice, G4
GameSpy, GameSpy Gamer's Choice awards,
GameSpot, Gamespot Readers Choice
Game Revolution, Interactive Achievement Awards
Editor's Choice IGN, GameSpot,
PC Gamer US, PC Gamer UK[78]

Reviewer reaction to the English version of Oblivion was almost entirely positive. At Game Rankings, the game holds an average review score of 94% for the Xbox 360,[79] 93% for the PC, and 93% for the PlayStation 3 version. Most reviewers praised the game for its immersiveness and scope—traits which won it awards from a number of outlets.[6] The television program X-Play awarded the game a 5/5, and Eurogamer stated that the game "successfully unites some of the best elements of RPG, adventure and action games and fuses them into a relentlessly immersive and intoxicating whole". In Japan, game magazine Famitsu awarded Oblivion a 38/40, giving it their "Platinum award". GameSpot called the game "simply one of the best role-playing games ever made." Gamepro gave the game a 5/5.[80]

1UP.com and several other publications criticized the repetitive and occasionally absurd nature of conversations between in-game NPCs: "...when an NPC greets you with a custom piece of dialogue (such as a guard's warning) and then reverts to the standard options (like a guard's cheerful directions just after that warning) it's more jarring than the canned dialogue by itself."[81] Reviewers also criticized the leveling system of Oblivion, pointing to its clumsiness and the nonsensical skill-leveling. Official Xbox Magazine said that the Xbox 360 version of the game suffered from occasional frame rate drops, though they were not as frequent as the Windows version, as well as longer loading times on a Core system which lacks a hard drive.[82] Although the Xbox 360 version is slightly more favored by critics, many noted that when tested on a high-end system, graphics and performance on the PC were better than those of that console's version.

With reference to these flaws, IGN stated "none of those minor criticisms hold back Oblivion from being a thoroughly enjoyable, user-friendly, gorgeous experience with enough content to keep you returning time and time again", awarding it a score of 9.3.[83]

In addition to the awards won by the game itself, Patrick Stewart's voice work as Uriel Septim won a Spike TV award,[76] and the musical score by composer Jeremy Soule won the inaugural MTV Video Music Award for "Best Original Score" through an international popular vote. The game was nominated for five BAFTAs.[84]

Rating change

Main article: ESRB re-rating of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

On May 3, 2006, the Entertainment Software Rating Board in North America changed Oblivion's rating from T (Teen 13+) to M (Mature 17+), citing game content not considered in the ESRB review. "The presence in the PC version of the game of a locked-out art file that, if accessed by using an apparently unauthorized third party tool,[85] allows the user to play the game with topless versions of female characters."[86][87] In response to the new content, the ESRB conducted a new review of Oblivion, showing to its reviewers the content originally submitted by Bethesda along with the newly disclosed content. The ESRB reported that Bethesda Softworks would promptly notify all retailers of the change, issue stickers for retailers and distributors to affix on the product, display the new rating in all following product shipments and marketing, and create a downloadable patch rendering the topless skin inaccessible.[85] Bethesda complied with the request, but disagreed with the ESRB's rationale.[88] Although certain retailers began to check for ID before selling Oblivion as a result,[89] and one California Assemblyman used the event to criticize the ESRB's ability,[90] the events passed by with little notice from the public and gaming journalists.[86] Although the mod was only used in the Windows version, the rating was changed for all systems.

Controversy with Limbo of the Lost

On 11 June, 2008, GamePlasma, a gaming news site, posted an article showing certain places in Majestic Studio's Limbo of the Lost were identical to portions of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. It was revealed that content from Thief: Deadly Shadows, Sea Dogs, and World of Warcraft, among others, had also been plagiarised.[91] The Majestic Studio game depicts its lead character walking in numerous shops and offices drawn from Bethesda's source material for Oblivion.[92] After the plagiarism was discovered the game was pulled from sale and the developers issued a statement stating they were "shocked and mortified".[93]

Notes

  1. ^ "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 1.2 Patch". Shacknews. 2007-03-23. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  2. ^ Adams, David (2006-02-01). "IGN: Oblivion Specs Revealed". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-06.
  3. ^ "Bethesda Softworks Announces Oblivion for PLAYSTATION3 System Now Shipping". Bethesda Softworks. 2007-03-19. Retrieved 2007-03-21.
  4. ^ Boyes, Emma (2007-03-20). "Top titles to miss Euro PS3 launch". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-07-13.
  5. ^ "Oblivion Awards". Bethesda Softworks. 2007-05-07. Retrieved 2007-04-07.
  6. ^ a b Thorsen, Tor (2006-04-10). "Oblivion enjoying epic sales". GameSpot. Retrieved 2006-09-24.
  7. ^ a b "Bethesda Softworks Announces The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles — Official Expansion for Oblivion". Bethesda Softworks. 2007-01-18. Retrieved 2007-05-26.
  8. ^ Boyes, Emma (2007-07-09). "E3 07: Oblivion GOTY edition announced". GameSpot UK. Retrieved 2007-07-10. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ Magrino, Tom (2007-11-10). "Shippin' Out September 10—14: Heavenly Sword, NHL, Skate". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-11-13.
  10. ^ Pitts, Russ (2006-08-03). "Oblivion: The Dagobah Cave". The Escapist. Retrieved 2007-07-02.
  11. ^ "The Elder Scrolls IV: ame everOblivion Interview". GameBanshee. UGO. 2004-12-09. Retrieved 2007-06- th01. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); line feed character in |accessdate= at position 9 (help)
  12. ^ a b "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Q&A - Overview, Character Development, Fallout". GameSpot. 2004-10-28. Retrieved 2007-05-26.
  13. ^ a b Martin, Chris (2005-03-09). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - An Interview with Bethesda Softworks". GamesFirst!. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
  14. ^ Meister, Steve. "To the Death, or to the Pain?". Bethesda Softworks. Retrieved 2007-03-26.
  15. ^ Howard, Todd. "The RPG for the Next Generation". Bethesda Softworks. Retrieved 2007-03-26.
  16. ^ a b c dela Fuente, Derek (2005-07-20). "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Q&A". TVG. Retrieved 2007-06-02. Cite error: The named reference "TVG" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  17. ^ a b Kasavin, Greg (2006-03-25). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Review". Gamespot. Retrieved 2006-08-24.
  18. ^ a b c d e Bethesda Softworks (2006). Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Official Game Guide. Prima Games. pp. 77–133. ISBN 0761552766.
  19. ^ a b Thorsen, Tor (2004-09-10). "Elder Scrolls IV coming to PC, next-gen". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-05-26.
  20. ^ "New Job Openings". News 2004-2003. Bethesda Softworks. 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2007-05-26.
    Thorsen, Tor (2004-06-16). "Development of next-gen Elder Scrolls under way?". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-05-26. Obviously, we like candidates who understand RPGs and are familiar with the games we've made in the past.
  21. ^ "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion announced". News 2004-2003. Bethesda Softworks. 2004-09-10. Retrieved 2007-05-26.
  22. ^ "Bethesda Softworks Signs Co-Publishing Agreement with Take-Two Interactive for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion". Bethesda Softworks. 2005-02-03. Retrieved 2007-05-26.
    Thorsen, Tor (2005-02-03). "Take-Two to copublish Elder Scrolls IV, Cthulhu". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-05-26.
  23. ^ Thorsen, Tor (2005-10-31). "Elder Scrolls IV missing Xbox 360 launch". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-05-26.
    Valerias (2005-12-10). "Oblivion: Release Date Dramas". GameSpy. Retrieved 2007-05-27.
  24. ^ Surette, Tim (2005-10-06). "Nine more games target 360 launch". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-05-26.
  25. ^ Staff (2007-03-19). "Bethesda Confirms Oblivion PS3 Shipping". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2007-06-26.
  26. ^ Bishop, Stuart (2007-03-19). "Oblivion misses Euro PS3 launch". Computer and Video Games. Retrieved 2007-08-03.
    Boyes, Emma (2007-03-20). "Top titles to miss Euro PS3 launch". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-08-03.
  27. ^ Haynes, Jeff (2007-02-06). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Hands-on". IGN. Retrieved 2007-08-03.
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Further reading

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