Beloved Oblivion Meme Returns After 7 Years in Oblivion Remastered

When The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion burst onto the scene in 2006, it was an instant sensation. Fans adored its expansive open world, diverse and engaging quests, and the multitude of ways you could develop your character through magic, melee, and archery. These elements catapulted it ahead of its peers. But this fantasy RPG also became beloved for its unintentional comedy—thanks to those awkward NPC conversations, the strange behavior of non-player characters, quirky voice acting, and some wildly amusing physics glitches.

Even now, fans reminisce about this two-decade-old gem with a nostalgic smile. The amusing moments from Oblivion have sparked a series of memes and have kept YouTube channels like Bacon_ buzzing with clips of its more ridiculous antics. So, when Bethesda unexpectedly released Oblivion Remastered this week, I felt a pang of unease. Would Bethesda and Virtuos Games “fix” the accidental hilarity that contributed so much to the original’s charm?

Surprisingly, just a few hours post-release, it was obvious that Oblivion Remastered not only spruced up the visuals and mechanics of the classic RPG but also retained all those wonderfully entertaining quirks. A quick peek at the top posts on the Oblivion subreddit confirms this, though one of my favorite nods to the past is a meme by Bacon_ that he revisited seven years later using the new remaster.

Flash back to the original video from early 2018; it’s since amassed an eye-watering 18 million views on YouTube. It captures a fantastically bizarre moment in Oblivion where a thief NPC demands 100 Gold from the player, only to bizarrely disregard the player when they steal the gold right back, muttering it’s “worthless to him anyway.”

This scene highlights the delightful absurdity of the game. Seeing Bacon_ replicate this exact encounter in the remake—with no changes, in the same spot—was a joy. Oblivion Remastered might now flaunt stunning Unreal Engine 5 graphics and a smoother combat experience, but the essence of the original is very much alive within it.

Adding to the fun, Bacon_ has revisited another old favorite meme: a clip where Rena Bruiant gushes about her love for dogs, right before her husband unexpectedly goes after one with a battle cry. While the old “YEEHAUGH!” remains unmatched compared to the newer, tamer version, it’s still a trip down memory lane.

The faithful recreation of Oblivion’s iconic style is likely a big part of the remaster’s successful reception. It’s causing quite the stir on Steam, and younger players are treating it as if it’s a brand new entry in The Elder Scrolls series. It’s also available via Xbox Game Pass for Xbox and PC users, though unfortunately, PS5 players are left out. While the game is priced at $49.99, you can snag it for $41.49 on Fanatical if you’re playing on Steam.

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