Bethesda Softworks will be commemorating Skyrim's fifth anniversary with the release of the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition on Oct. 28. This update will come for free to those who already own a specific title outlined in an official statement.
The upcoming content is primarily remastered so that it now has native 4K support and also gives the game a fresh makeover in terms of arts and effects. These include the new volumetric lighting approach also known as "god rays," screen space reflections and snow and water shaders.
The Skyrim Special Edition will also feature Mod support once it hits the consoles. This should prove delightful to Xbox and PlayStation users because the feature can let them modify almost every aspect of the game.
A grizzled Skyrim veteran will probably find the entire affair easy, so he could apply a difficulty mod. For those who are into more aesthetic pursuits, there are mods that will let them make the game's graphics more beautiful or with entirely different atmosphere.
With the range of new improvements, the Special Edition seems to be also aimed at attracting new players. In the official statement, Bethesda indicated that it is excited about this prospect, touting how new players will enjoy creating Skyrim memories and playing a Dragonborn for the first time.
To be eligible for the Special Edition update, you should own Skyrim and its three downloadable content (DLC), namely, Dawnguard, Hearthfire and Dragonborn. The update is also free to those who purchased the Skyrim Legendary Edition.
Gamers should ensure that they have purchased these titles on or before the Special Edition's release. Otherwise, the free upgrade will only kick in at least 36 hours after.
Bethesda's announcement included detailed system requirements for optimum gameplay.
For the PC, the minimum specs required include an Intel i5-750/AMD Phenom II X4-945 processor and 8 GB of RAM. The computer should also be running Windows 7, 8 or 10.
For Xbox One and PS4 users, it is imperative to have 17 GB and 20 GB storage, respectively. Bethesda also notes that if the player will be using Mods, they should have storage space in addition to those numbers.
For those who are not eligible for the free Special Edition update, the game costs $60 for Xbox One and PS4. Retailers such as Amazon are also offering discounted prices. Amazon has cut the price to $48 for its Amazon Prime members.
The unlock times for PC users, acccording to Bethesda, are region-specific:
Oct. 27
- 5pm Pacific Time
- 8pm Eastern Time
Oct. 28
- 1am British Summer Time
- 2am Central European Summer Time
- 11am Australian Eastern Time Zone
- 1pm New Zealand Time
