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Skyblivion Is Still Aiming For 2025, Even As Former Dev Calls It A "Massive Mistake"

The ambitious mod Skyblivion is still aiming to release in 2025, according to the mod's developers, even as one former developer on the project called it quits after nine years, claiming it's "less of a passion project and more of a crunch project."

Skyblivion, which has been in development for 13 years, looks to recreate Bethesda Softworks' Oblivion in the more modern engine of its sequel, Skyrim. However, far from just an engine port, Skyblivion has been described by the TESRenewal mod development team as "a full-scale remake" of Oblivion, one that features new areas, dungeons, music, gameplay enhancements, item changes, and more.

In a lengthy statement posted to X on August 30, former Skyblivion level designer Dee Keyes aired a list of grievances against those in charge of the mod's development, stating the 2025 release date first announced in 2023 was a "massive mistake" and that the project was "never in the state that the videos would show off."

According to Keyes, the team did what he described as "fake" polish on parts of the game featured in the trailers, but it became clear that the team was "never gonna be allowed" to achieve that same level of polish across the entire project. He said voicing concerns to those in charge fell on deaf ears, and that those came from a place of realism rather than pessimism.

"We are unpaid and part time: This would be a massive undertaking for a paid dev team and yet every attempt we make to beg them to postpone we are ignored," Keyes said. "It's a sad time when even passion projects are getting rushed and have devs crunching."

Keyes finished his statement by comparing Skyblivion to Game of Thrones' infamous Season 8, stating two lead developers, one of them being project lead Rebelzize, are "forcing it out the door before it's finished despite everyone else on the team looking to do their best."

While the Skyblivion team has not addressed Keyes' concerns directly, communications lead Evan Flatt said on Reddit in response to a concerned fan that the project is still aiming to release this year.

"We've made it clear our goal is to release this year; that being said, there is still work we need to finish," Flatt said. "Ultimately, Skyblivion will be released when the team is confident with it--our goal has been to have it ready to release this year.

"Now, what is 'ready?' That is an ongoing conversation we have been having because the nature of a fan-made passion project is that there has to eventually be a cut-off of adding cool new things. Right now, we all agree Skyblivion isn't ready (otherwise we would release it today). Our aim is that it will be by the end of the year, if we as a team decide that it isn't we will be sure to share that."

The latest development diary video, titled "The Final Stretch Towards Release", looked to make a case for the mod's existence in light of the official Oblivion Remastered releasing in April, emphasizing how the mod "reimagines Oblivion from the ground up, bringing it in line with modern RPG standards." The team most recently released a video spotlighting the first 15 minutes of Skyblivion, once again describing it as an Oblivion remake. The trailer was uploaded a day after Keyes' statement.

In the video's description, Rebelzize said Skyblivion development has been an "uphill battle."

"This last leg of development has sometimes been harder than the totality of our previous years combined," Rebelzize said. "The team is not quitting until we have a game for you all to play and neither am I."

Skyblivion, when it does arrive, will be free to download for those who own Skyrim: Special Edition and Oblivion: GOTY Deluxe on PC.