The 2019 Oblivion expansion for The Elder Scrolls Online took players back to an iconic realm that Bethesda wasn’t ready to let go of.
Rich Lambert, the creative director, offered insights into why this setting was chosen and what it brings to the game. While it’s been many years since then, and it feels time to go back to another iconic part of Elder Scrolls IV—the Shivering Isles, and what Lambert had to say about it.
Why The Creative Director Chose Oblivion to Revisit
In an interview with PCGamesN, Rich Lambert discussed the motivations behind the decision to revisit the iconic realm of Oblivion.
Lambert is a huge fan of Mehrunes Dagon, the Daedric Prince of Destruction, and saw an opportunity to give the character more of the spotlight in the Elder Scrolls lore while putting their own spin to it:
Because he’s got such a soft place in my heart, and because Oblivion was my first game at Bethesda, I really wanted to do something fun, and kind of harken back to that sense of nostalgia, but with our own twist on it. So, I thought Mehrunes Dagon was the perfect story to tell next.
He spoke about how exactly Mehrunes Dagon’s realm would differentiate itself from previous Daedric stories in the series. Since he’s essentially the god of war and change, his story wouldn’t be the same as other Daedric stories that the MMORPG has relayed.
This is essentially a story about a deal with the devil, and Daedra, and deceit. It’s more of a murder mystery, if you will, that you’re trying to solve.
At the time, the expansion brought a fresh narrative to the game that it needed, while also bringing the nostalgia factor into play. Who wouldn’t want to go back to the demonic landscape in a more modern setting?
While it’s great to see the iconic realm return in Elder Scrolls Online, it’s not the only place that we desperately want to see. The lands of Mania and Dementia await.
We Need to Return to Another Iconic Location
The Shivering Isles, introduced as a DLC for fourth Elder Scrolls game, is widely considered one of the best expansions in gaming history for many reasons.
It had a widely unique setting for its time, gave us more interactions with Sheogorath (arguably one of the best Daedric Princes), and had so much to offer in terms of lore and sidequests, make it a high point in the Elder Scrolls franchise.
For this reason, it feel like returning to the realm of madness and chaos seems like a logical next step for Bethesda.
Bringing it back would tap into the nostalgia of long-time fans while introducing one of the series’ most beloved settings to a new generation of players.
Would you like to see the Elder Scrolls MMORPG put its spin on the realm? Let us know in the comments below!
