The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

For the original game, see The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

For the Alexa game, see The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Very Special Edition.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is a 2016 remastered version of the 2011 game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the fifth installment of The Elder Scrolls series. It was released for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 on October 28th, 2016.^[1] It was also later released for the Nintendo Switch on November 17th, 2017.

Steam users who already owned all of the game's DLC or owned the Legendary Edition received a free digital copy of the remaster.^[3] Like the Legendary Edition, the Special Edition comes with the three DLCs Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn.^[4]

Upgrades

Graphical enhancements

Several graphical features of Skyrim were enhanced with the Special Edition, as follows:^[5]

Remastered art and effects
Volumetric lighting (“God Rays”)
Dynamic Depth of Field
Screen-space reflections
New snow and water shaders

The Special Edition also offers native 4K support for both PC and the PS4 Pro.^[6]

Console mods

In September 2016, Bethesda announced that Sony had blocked user-created mods from coming to the PS4 version of the game.^[7] However, in October 2016, they stated that Sony had rescinded their block and would allow the usage of player-made mods in the game, and explained the process by which players could create mods on console:^[6]

Mods on PlayStation 4 will allow you to modify and create your own content by using our Creation Kit available here. You will not be able to upload external assets with your PlayStation 4 mods, but you will be able to use any assets that come with the game, as most mods do. By creating a Bethesda.net account, you’ll be able to browse and try mods right from within the game.^[6]

Other improvements

Bethesda employee Matt Grandstaff stated on Twitter that the Special Edition would be 64-bit.^[8] The Special Edition is also the first game in the series to offer use of the Creation Club to purchase mods licensed by Bethesda.^[9]

Reception

The Special Edition did indeed offer slight graphical improvements over the original game, as demonstrated by PC Gamer.^[10] As of October 29th, 2016, the game has a 60% ("Mixed") rating on Steam. Many reviewers stated that the game did not perform well on their systems.^[11]

On October 28th, 2016, a post on /r/skyrimmods on reddit indicated that the Special Edition's audio quality was noticeably worse than in the original.^[12] Several online gaming journals also cited this post in articles of their own.^[13]^[14] Bethesda has since confirmed that they are looking to fix this issue by the following week.^[15]

System requirements

The following are the official system requirements for the Skyrim – Special Edition:^[5]

Minimum

Windows 7/8.1/10 (64-bit Version)
Intel i5-750/AMD Phenom II X4-945.
8GB of ram.
12 GB free HDD space
NVIDIA GTX 470 1GB /AMD HD 7870 2GB

Console storage needs

PS4

20 GB (North America)
33 GB (Europe)

Xbox One

17 GB (North America)
25 GB (Europe)

Videos

Skyrim Special Edition – Gameplay Trailer 2

Skyrim Switch – Official E3 Trailer

The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim – PlayStation VR E3 Trailer

Gallery

References

Start a Discussion Discussions about The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Console Commands for High Elf Werewolf and Vampire Lord (Skyrim Special Edition)
- Derpyrebound
  
  What are the console commands that I need to use to make my high elf a vampire lord and/or a werewolf? I am not asking so that I can be both... 2019-06-18T01:02:11Z
Skyrim and Skyrim SE: Postpone Dawnguard questline and vampire attacks

5 messages
- Geomodelrailroader
  
  Me I stay out of towns and don't warp because going into towns and warping spawns Vampires and the last time I did that I warped i... 2018-03-14T03:56:51Z
- Pwthesnell
  
  I Mainly Enter Cities/Villages At 8:00, Or 9:00. Mainly Since Those Are Not The Common Spawn Times As Them ; Although There's A R... 2018-09-18T01:13:41Z

See more discussions >

[Release-0] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 IGN: Skyrim Special Edition Officially Headed to PS4, Xbox One, PC This Year

[Switch-1] 2.0 ^2.1 IGN: Skyrim: Nintendo Switch Edition Release Date Announced

[2] Bethesda Game Studios on Twitter

[3] Skyrim Special Edition is Free to PC Gamers Who Own All DLC

[System-4] 5.0 ^5.1 Skyrim Special Edition – Gone Gold & System Requirements

[Mods4k-5] 6.0 ^6.1 ^6.2 Mods and 4K Coming to PlayStation 4 for Skyrim and Fallout 4

[6] PS4 Mod Update

[7] Matt Grandstaff on Twitter

[8] Creation Club official website

[9] Skyrim Special Edition settings, comparison shots, and performance

[10] The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition on Steam

[11] The Skyrim Special Edition features a significant audio quality downgrade.

[12] Skyrim Special Edition's audio is noticeably worse than the original's

[13] Skyrim Special Edition On Xbox One, PC Has Worse Audio Than The Original

[14] Matt Grandstaff on Reddit

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Main Series
Arena • Daggerfall • Morrowind (Tribunal \| Bloodmoon) • Oblivion • (Knights of the Nine \| Shivering Isles) Skyrim (Dawnguard \| Hearthfire \| Dragonborn \| Special Edition \| Very Special Edition) • VI
Spin-offs
Battlespire • Redguard • Eye of Argonia • Paradise Sugar Travels (Stormhold \| Dawnstar \| Shadowkey \| Oblivion Mobile \| Travels: Oblivion) • Online (DLC \| Online: Morrowind \| Summerset \| Elsweyr) Legends (Expansions) • Blades • Call to Arms
Strategy Guides
Arena Manual • Codex Scientia • Daggerfall Manual • The Daggerfall Chronicles Battlespire User's Guide • Battlespire Athenaeum • The Redguard Companion • Morrowind Manual The Morrowind Prophecies • Oblivion Game Guide • Skyrim Game Guide • Hero's Guides to The Elder Scrolls Online
Books
The Origin of Cyrus! • The Infernal City • Lord of Souls • The Art of Skyrim • Tales of Tamriel (The Land \| The Lore) The Skyrim Library (The Histories \| Man, Mer, and Beast \| The Arcane)

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