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Original Oblivion Developer Admits That Adding the World-Scale Leveling System Was a Mistake
Find out what former The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion developer Bruce Nesmith had to say about the game’s infamous leveling mechanics and how the remaster improves upon the classic RPG experience.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Changes Applauded by Former Dev
Bruce Nesmith, one of the original designers behind Oblivion, recently admitted that implementing the world-scale leveling system was a misstep—despite its inclusion in Oblivion Remastered. In an exclusive interview with VideoGamer, Nesmith shared his insights on the evolution of the game’s systems and the reception of the newly released remaster.
With experience spanning titles like Fallout 3, Skyrim, and Starfield, Nesmith offered a unique perspective on the design choices made during Oblivion's development. He praised Bethesda's updated approach to the leveling system in the remaster, calling it a "brave" move that better aligns with modern RPG expectations.
In the original game, players were required to repeatedly level up major skills, rest to progress further, and manually manage attribute growth—a mechanic Nesmith described as clunky and outdated. The new system now resembles Skyrim’s XP-based progression, where every skill use contributes to overall advancement. This change has been widely welcomed by fans and developers alike.
World-Scale Leveling Remains in Oblivion Remastered
Despite this praise, Nesmith expressed regret over the decision to retain the world-scale leveling feature. This mechanic dynamically scales enemy levels based on the player’s progression, often leading to situations where enemies become stronger at the same rate as the player.
Nesmith explained, "I think the world levelling with you was a mistake—and that’s proven out by the fact it did not happen the same way in Skyrim." Many longtime fans echoed this sentiment after the original release in 2006, prompting the creation of mods to disable the feature. Now that Oblivion Remastered retains this mechanic, players are once again turning to modding communities to adjust or remove world scaling altogether.
Oblivion Remastered Is More Than Just a Visual Upgrade
When news of Oblivion Remastered first surfaced, many—including Nesmith—expected little more than a texture pack update akin to Skyrim: Special Edition. However, the final product far exceeded those expectations.
Speaking to VideoGamer, Nesmith remarked, "It’s a staggering amount of remastering. It almost needs its own word, quite frankly. I’m not sure 'remaster' actually does it justice."
Powered by Unreal Engine 5, Oblivion Remastered brings Cyrodiil into the modern era with enhanced visuals, improved performance, and deeper environmental detail. These upgrades have allowed developers to break free from the limitations of the original engine, resulting in a more immersive and visually stunning open world.
The community response has been overwhelmingly positive, with Game8 awarding the title a score of 90 out of 100. Our review praises the game for its respectful yet ambitious reimagining of a beloved classic. For more details, read our full Oblivion Remastered review [here].
