In 2006, Bethesda was basking in the glory of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion's success. To keep the excitement alive in Cyrodiil, they began rolling out small paid DLC packages. Little did they anticipate the stir they would cause with the release of their first DLC in April: horse armor. Even those not deeply engaged with gaming at the time likely remember the uproar over the Horse Armor Pack, priced at 200 Microsoft Points on the Xbox 360 Marketplace, roughly $2.50. This pack was controversial due to its perceived lack of utility.

Fast forward to 2025, and cosmetic upgrades like horse armor have become a standard in the gaming industry. This has enabled Bethesda to playfully reintroduce the concept with The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. Alongside today's announcement and immediate release, we discovered that Oblivion Remastered offers both a base edition and a deluxe edition. For an additional $10 on top of the base price, the deluxe edition provides new quests for unique armors, additional weapon options, a digital artbook, a soundtrack app, and, yes, horse armor once again. This time, it comes in two sets.

The fan reaction has been largely positive and humorous. Nearly two decades after the initial shock of cosmetic DLC, players are accustomed to spending on such enhancements. As Circana analyst Mat Piscatella noted on BlueSky, U.S. video game consumers spent over $10.4 billion on PC and console digital add-ons in 2024. "Horse Armor walked so Battle Passes could run," he quipped, highlighting the evolution of the industry.

The general sentiment among fans is one of amusement at Bethesda's nod to a once-scandalous move. Social media reactions reflect this light-hearted take:

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 not only brings back the horse armor but also quickly embraced the modding community. Just hours after its launch, a few mods appeared on the popular site Nexus Mods, focusing mainly on minor customization options.

While we await more mods, delve into why some players consider today’s release more of a remake than a remaster and Bethesda's reasoning behind the "Remastered" label.

For an in-depth look at what Oblivion Remastered offers, check out our comprehensive guide. It 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.