Oblivion Remastered Reintroduces Paid Horse Armor DLC

In 2006, Bethesda was riding the wave of success from The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. To keep fans engaged with the world of Cyrodiil, the company began releasing small paid downloadable content (DLC) packages. Little did they anticipate the controversy that would arise with their first offering in April: horse armor.

Even if you weren't closely following the gaming industry at the time, the horse armor controversy has likely reached your ears. While DLC was not new, Oblivion's Horse Armor Pack, priced at 200 Microsoft Points on the Xbox 360 Marketplace (roughly $2.50), sparked a significant reaction due to its perceived lack of utility.

Fast forward to 2025, and cosmetic upgrades like horse armor have become the norm in the gaming world. This shift has allowed Bethesda to playfully revisit the concept with the release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. Announced and immediately available, the remaster comes in both a base edition and a deluxe edition. For an additional $10, the deluxe edition offers new quests for unique armors, additional weapon options, a digital artbook, a soundtrack app, and—yes—horse armor once more. This time, it includes two sets.

The gaming community seems to be embracing this move with humor. Nearly two decades after the initial shock of cosmetic DLC, players are accustomed to paying for aesthetic enhancements. As noted by Circana analyst Mat Piscatella on BlueSky, U.S. video game consumers spent over $10.4 billion on PC and console digital add-ons in 2024. "Horse Armor walked so Battle Passes could run," he remarked, highlighting the evolution of in-game purchases.

Many fans find Bethesda's nod to the past amusing and appreciate the company's willingness to playfully acknowledge what was once a major scandal.

PAID HORSE ARMOR DLC. OBLIVION IS TRULY BACK. pic.twitter.com/1DJFIPzHB0

— Many A True Nerd (@ManyATrueNerd) April 22, 2025

Honestly I have to respect it. New players won't know this, but releasing the horse armor as paid DLC again is a subtle reference to when they singlehandedly ruined the industry by selling it the first time around. I kneel, Todd. https://t.co/BGwBwL3VYX

— UGS | Ajay (@AJ34_SSB) April 22, 2025

£10 for Horse Armor in #OblivionRemastered ??? There's no way that's gonna catch on pic.twitter.com/E1jqpPZFYr

— Olive_Meister (@Olive_Meisterr) April 22, 2025

Oblivion Remastered is not just about the horse armor; the modding community has already sprung into action. Just hours after the remaster's launch, a variety of community mods appeared on Nexus Mods, offering minor customization options.

As we await further mods, delve into why some players consider this release more of a remake than a remaster and explore Bethesda's reasoning behind labeling it "Remastered."

For a thorough understanding of what Oblivion Remastered has to offer, check out our comprehensive guide. It 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, and much more.