Skyrim fans, there's good news and bad news.
The good news is that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is getting a survival mode, in which changing weather, types of food, and different environments will affect gameplay.
The bad news is that when it launches, it'll only be available for free for a week. After that window is over, it'll become a premium purchase.
What The Heck Is Creation Club?
Skyrim's Survival Mode will be similar to the one Bethesda added to Fallout 4. The company said in a blog post Wednesday, Sept. 27, that it will be delivered via the controversial Creation Club, a collection of new content for Fallout 4 and Skyrim, including items, abilities, and gameplay. They're kind of similar to mods, in a sense.
Content from the Creation Club is paid — hence, the controversy among Bethesda fans. Some have called charging for company-approved mods greedy, but Pete Hines, Bethesda's marketing VP, said he thinks it's an example of the company making "smart bets."
Skyrim Special Edition Survival Mode
Survival Mode adds new features to Skyrim Special Edition that'll turn it into "a land of unrelenting cold and harsh wilderness," according to Bethesda. It has provided a map showing all the dangerous climate zones, in addition to safe landmarks that'll help the player survive. Check it out below, or download the high-res version directly from Bethesda's blog post.
Here are the specific changes to Skyrim with Survival Mode added:
There will be a hunger element, meaning the player will be hungry overtime, impacting their stamina and their ability to hold weapons. To restore health, the player needs to scour for food, but be careful — eating raw meat might give the player food poisoning, which disables the increase of stamina.
Overtime, the player will experience fatigue, meaning they would need to rest from time to time to restore health. Fatigue diminishes the total available magicka, and if it persists, potions will start getting less and less effective.
Cold climates will also have an effect on the player's health. Snow-covered areas will increase the total Cold level, which in turn will decrease total health. To warm up, stand near a fire, eat hot food, or move to a much warmer location.
Fast travel will be disabled in Survival Mode, meaning the player has to travel by foot or by riding a horse. Tough luck for those who frequently use fast traveling.
Make sure to check out Bethesda's blog post to learn more about Skyrim's Survival Mode, which comes out next month for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. PC players, on the other hand, can test the beta now via Steam. Again, Survival Mode will be free for a week upon its launch, after which players have to pay up.
