"Oblivion Remastered: Few Complete Main Quest, Are You Sidetracked Too?"

A month after its launch, a small percentage of players have completed the main questline of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. This isn't surprising, though, as fans are deeply engaged in exploring the game's vast world and tackling numerous side quests.

I'm among those fans who've been captivated by Oblivion Remastered since its surprise release on April 22. After escaping the sewers and handing over the Amulet of Kings to Jauffre at Weynon Priory, I've deliberately avoided the main questline. Instead, I've immersed myself in joining the Fighters Guild, exploring the expansive region of Cyrodiil, and completing countless side quests. I've even attempted to break out of the map boundaries, inspired by another player's adventurous spirit.

Why the detour? The side quests in Oblivion are not only fun but also allow me to savor the game at my own pace, avoiding the potentially challenging parts of the main quest, like Kvatch, and keeping my character's level progression under control.

It seems many players share this approach. For instance, the aptly named redditor MrCrispyFriedChicken humorously noted, "I'm BUSY doing OTHER STUFF like hunting for SLAUGHTERFISH in Lake Rumare." Roffear added, "I spend 160 hours in already and Kvatch is still waiting for me." Ellert0 shared their unique goal: "I'm one of those weirdos who actually likes the Oblivion gates so I purposefully don't finish the main quest until I've found all 60 gates in my world and closed them." PlayaHatinIG-88 chimed in with, "44 hours and an actual in-game year, and I haven't even been to Weynon Priory. Those poor Kvatch city guards never stood a chance."

At the time of this article's publication, only 2.97% of Xbox players and 4.4% of Steam players had completed the main questline. The difference may be attributed to Xbox's Game Pass, which attracts casual players who might not fully commit to the game. Steam players, having purchased the game outright, are more likely to be dedicated fans.

Ranking the Best Races in Oblivion

Despite these low completion rates, Oblivion Remastered has attracted over 4 million players. It's a common trend across many video games, where even shorter campaigns like those in Call of Duty see low completion rates. Many gamers don't stick around beyond the first hour or tutorial.

For Oblivion Remastered, the completion stats might be influenced by its status as a remaster of a beloved classic. Players who finished the original game years ago might be more interested in enjoying the enhanced graphics and new features rather than repeating the main quest. Some, like one player who spent seven hours arranging books for a domino effect, are exploring the game's creative possibilities.

Thaddeus122, for example, has logged nearly 100 hours without completing three main quests, focusing instead on the Arena, the Mages Guild, and other activities. They've been busy leveling up, amassing wealth for homes, closing Oblivion gates, and completing the Nirnroot quest, all while avoiding fast travel to fully experience the game's world.