Bethesda has brought The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim to nearly every platform since its 2011 debut, and now it's arriving on a new one: the Nintendo Switch 2.
Bethesda announced and immediately released Skyrim Anniversary Edition today, December 9, for the Switch 2, perfectly timed for the holiday season. See how Skyrim performs on the new hardware in the video below.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition includes the core game along with the three major expansions: Dawnguard, Dragonborn, and Hearthfire. Switch 2 players benefit from enhanced resolution, faster load times, performance optimizations, Joy-Con 2 mouse support, motion controls, Amiibo compatibility, and more, leveraging the console's increased power over the original Switch.
This edition also features exclusive Nintendo content inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, such as the Master Sword, Hylian Shield, and Champion's Tunic. Additionally, it includes hundreds of unique Creations Club items, offering new quests, weapons, armor, spells, dungeons, and other content.
Bethesda is selling Skyrim for the Switch 2 as a standalone title for $59.99. However, owners of the Skyrim Anniversary Edition on the original Switch receive a free upgrade. Those with the base Skyrim game on Switch can purchase the Anniversary Upgrade for $19.99 to access the enhanced version on both Switch and Switch 2.
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The arrival of Skyrim on the Switch 2 is bound to revive the popular jokes about Bethesda endlessly re-releasing the game on every conceivable platform. With so many ports and remasters, Skyrim has become one of the internet's most persistent memes.
Bethesda is currently focused on developing The Elder Scrolls 6, though studio director Todd Howard has suggested its release is still far off. In a recent interview, he hinted that Bethesda might surprise-launch The Elder Scrolls 6, similar to this year's shadowdrop of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and now Skyrim on Switch 2.
"I prefer to announce something and release it right away," Howard told GQ. "My ideal scenario—and I'm not confirming this will happen—is that we wait a while, and then one day, the game is just available." He described the Oblivion Remastered surprise release as "a test run," adding, "It worked out well."
