In 2006, Bethesda was riding the wave of success following the release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. To keep the game's world of Cyrodiil alive and engaging, the developer began releasing small paid DLC packages. However, they stirred up a significant controversy with their first release in April: horse armor.

Even if you weren't a gamer back then, you might have heard about the horse armor controversy. While downloadable content (DLC) existed before this, Oblivion's Horse Armor Pack, priced at 200 Microsoft Points on the 360 Marketplace (roughly $2.50 at the time), caused a major uproar due to its perceived lack of utility.

Fast forward to 2025, and cosmetic upgrades like horse armor are now a standard part of gaming culture. Bethesda has playfully revisited this concept with the release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. Alongside today's reveal and shadow-drop of the remaster, it was announced that the game would come in both a base and a deluxe edition. For an additional $10 over the base game's price, the deluxe edition offers new quests for unique armors, additional weapon options, a digital artbook, a soundtrack app, and, yes, horse armor again—two sets, to be exact.

Interestingly, fans have largely embraced this move with humor and acceptance. Nearly two decades after the original controversy, gamers are accustomed to spending money on cosmetic enhancements. As noted by Circana analyst Mat Piscatella on BlueSky, U.S. consumers spent over $10.4 billion on PC and console video game digital add-ons in 2024. "Horse Armor walked so Battle Passes could run," Piscatella remarked, highlighting the evolution of the industry.

Many fans see Bethesda's move as a light-hearted nod to a past scandal, appreciating the company's willingness to poke fun at itself.

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 horse armor; it's already receiving mods. Just hours after its launch, a few community mods appeared on the popular site Nexus Mods, primarily offering small customization options.

While we anticipate more mods to be released, you can explore why some players believe today's release is more of a remake than a remaster and understand Bethesda's decision to label it as "Remastered."

For a detailed look at what Oblivion Remastered offers, we've prepared a comprehensive guide. This includes an expansive Interactive Map, complete Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and every Guild Quest, advice on How to Build the Perfect Character, Things to Do First, and much more.