Oblivion Remastered Reintroduces Paid Horse Armor DLC

In 2006, Bethesda was basking in the glory of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion's success. To keep the fans engaged in the world of Cyrodiil, the developer began releasing small paid DLC packages. However, they inadvertently stirred up a storm with their first DLC release in April: horse armor. Even if you weren't a gamer back then, you might have heard about the infamous horse armor controversy. Although DLC was not new, Oblivion's Horse Armor Pack, priced at 200 Microsoft Points on the 360 Marketplace (around $2.50 at the time), sparked outrage due to its perceived lack of utility.

Fast forward to 2025, and cosmetic upgrades like horse armor have become the norm. This shift has allowed Bethesda to playfully reintroduce horse armor with the release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. Alongside today's reveal and shadow-drop of the remaster, it was announced that Oblivion Remastered will come in both a base and a deluxe edition. For an additional $10, deluxe edition buyers will receive new quests for unique armors, additional weapon options, a digital artbook, a soundtrack app, and, yes, horse armor—two sets, to be exact.

The fanbase has largely taken this news in stride. Nearly two decades have passed since cosmetic DLC like horse armor was a novel and controversial concept, and gamers are now accustomed to paying for such enhancements. As Circana analyst Mat Piscatella noted on BlueSky, U.S. video game consumers spent over $10.4 billion on PC and console video game 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, appreciating the company's willingness to poke fun at what was once a significant 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 isn't just about horse armor; it's also compatible with mods. Just hours after the game's launch, a few community mods appeared on the popular site Nexus Mods, offering minor customization options.

While we await more mods, you can explore why some players believe today's release is more of a remake than a remaster and why Bethesda chose to label it as "Remastered."

For a deep dive into Oblivion Remastered, check out our comprehensive guide, which 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.