Indie Publisher Struggles as Oblivion Remaster Overshadows Their Release

The shadow-drop release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered on April 22 sent shockwaves through the gaming community. However, this unexpected launch left indie developers scrambling, particularly those who had planned to release their games on the same day.

Jonas Antonsson, co-founder of indie publisher Raw Fury, took to social media to voice his concerns. He explained how the "massive" shadow-drops from major titles like Oblivion Remastered can overshadow other releases, leaving them "buried." Antonsson expressed his personal excitement for the remaster, appreciating its introduction to a new generation of players, but highlighted the challenges it poses for indie developers.

"I loved (when younger) and still absolutely love Oblivion and I’m personally excited to see it get a breath of new life and being introduced to a whole new generation of players," Antonsson stated. He then elaborated on the difficulties indie developers face: "But from the perspective of indies and indie publishers, this is the problem with these sort of massive shadow drops. Everything more or less gets buried. We don’t have the cash nor muscle to throw around, so everything is carefully planned. Including when to release, based on other releases etc - to try to maximize the chances of getting attention."

Antonsson specifically mentioned Post Trauma, a puzzle horror game by Red Soul Games and published by Raw Fury on April 22. The game, inspired by PS2-era classics, involves navigating environments, confronting threats, and encountering other characters in the depths of the Gloom. Antonsson expressed empathy for his team and the developer who dedicated years to the project, feeling the impact of the shadow-drop.

Raw Fury's tweet on April 22 reflected their frustration: "Thank god Post Trauma was the only notable release of today and nothing else happened!"

From Bethesda and Microsoft's perspective, the Oblivion Remastered shadow-drop has been a resounding success. The game quickly gained traction on Steam, dominating online discussions with players relishing the return of its quirky character faces, nostalgic bugs, and beloved memes.

Even other games heavily marketed by Microsoft, such as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, have felt the impact of Oblivion Remastered. Publisher Kepler Interactive acknowledged the 'Barbenheimer' effect of launching the same week as the remaster, with both games available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Raw Fury had set the release date for Post Trauma without foreknowledge of Oblivion Remastered's shadow-drop, which may now be remembered as an unfortunate coincidence.

For those eager to dive into Oblivion Remastered, we offer a comprehensive guide that 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, every PC Cheat Code, and much more.