A month after its release, only a small portion of players have finished the main storyline in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. For a game of this nature, that's hardly surprising — many fans report they're too caught up in other adventures.
Count me among them! I’ve been thoroughly enjoying Oblivion Remastered since it launched on April 22. After escaping the sewers and delivering the Amulet of Kings to Jauffre at Weynon Priory, I've deliberately ignored the central plot. Instead, I’ve joined the Fighters Guild, journeyed across Cyrodiil, and tackled numerous side missions. I even attempted to break through the map boundaries, as one creative player successfully did.
Why the delay? The side quests are incredibly entertaining (no spoilers here!), but I also want to steer clear of the main story — especially challenging segments like Kvatch — and keep my character’s level from rising too quickly.
My plan is simple: enjoy everything Oblivion has to offer until I’m ready to dive into the primary narrative. But with a Bethesda game, is there really a "right" way to play? That’s the beauty of it — you can follow your own path, and the world still feels alive and responsive.
It appears many others are on the same page. “I’m occupied with OTHER ACTIVITIES, like searching for SLAUGHTERFISH in Lake Rumare,” shared the hilariously named Reddit user MrCrispyFriedChicken, reacting to the main quest completion rate.
“I’ve logged 160 hours and still haven’t reached Kvatch,” added Roffear. Ellert0 chimed in: “As someone who actually enjoys the Oblivion gates, I make it a point to locate and seal all 60 before concluding the main quest.” PlayaHatinIG-88 noted: “After 44 hours and a full in-game year, I haven’t even visited Weynon Priory. The guards at Kvatch never stood a chance.”
At the time of writing, a mere 2.97% of Xbox players and a slightly higher 4.4% on Steam have completed the main story. Why the gap? It likely comes down to Game Pass on Xbox, where some players sample the game briefly before moving on. Steam users, having purchased the title outright, tend to be more invested.
Ranking the Best Races in Oblivion
Ranking the Best Races in Oblivion
Even so, the numbers are low for Oblivion Remastered, which has attracted over 4 million players. But this isn’t unique — many video games see modest campaign completion rates, whether it’s a sprawling RPG like this or a shorter title like Call of Duty. In fact, a significant portion of players typically drop off after the first hour or tutorial. Gamers can be a fickle bunch.
For Oblivion Remastered, the data might also reflect that it’s a refreshed version of a classic many completed years ago. If you finished the original two decades back, maybe you’d rather explore the enhanced graphics and new features than replay the central narrative. Or, as one dedicated fan demonstrated, spend seven hours meticulously arranging books for the perfect domino effect.
Thaddeus122 mentioned they were nearly 100 hours in, yet hadn’t completed more than three main quests. They did, however, conquer the Arena and the Mages Guild. The rest of their time? “Leveling up, saving for property, shutting every Oblivion gate, the Nirnroot quest, and lots of smaller tasks. Oh, and I never use fast travel.”
