The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4 were two of the most popular western RPGs of the 2010s. Their unique settings, sprawling questlines, and prioritization of player agency garnered a large and dedicated following for both games. Despite their age and the mixed reactions to Fallout 4, the lifespans of these two games have far exceeded expectations.
Even now — 13 years after Skyrim's release and nearly 10 years away from Fallout 4's — both games continue to draw players back in. This legacy and longevity are due in part to the games' massive scales and the replayability encouraged by a plethora of branching storylines. Fallout 4 also got a boost thanks to this year's Amazon Prime Fallout series, a next-gen update, and the ongoing support of its multiplayer-centric cousin Fallout 76. However, another major factor that led to Fallout 4 and Skyrim having such a positive 2024 is the continued creativity of their fans.
Bethesda Could Be Sitting on a Fallout Goldmine if it Picks Up Where One Mod Leaves Off
Though one compelling mod is no longer in the works, its premise would serve as excellent inspiration for a future Fallout game.
How Modders are Breathing New Life into Two of Bethesda's Biggest Titles
Bethesda games and their modding communities go together like peanut butter and jelly. Many modders have been drawn to Bethesda games thanks to the company's accessible Creation Engine, and Bethesda itself has long encouraged this sort of experimentation. While many mods are only available through third-party platforms like Nexus Mods, Bethesda introduced its Creation Club in titles like Fallout 4, Skyrim, and Starfield so that players could directly download certain approved mods in-game — though many of them have a controversial price tag attached.
The content offered by these mods is diverse, to say the least. Some mods add modern guns to a game or reskin every Skyrim dragon to look like Thomas the Tank Engine. Others take a much loftier and story-driven approach.
Fallout: London
In July, Fallout 4 was used as the basis for the total conversion PC mod Fallout: London. The modders at Team FOLON leveraged the assets and gameplay mechanics of Fallout 4 to create an expansion-sized addition to the game. The mod recreates London in the Fallout aesthetic and explores what the post-apocalypse might look like across the pond. Fallout: London is filled with unique enemies, missions, and models. Even with base components that are almost a decade old, the mod has received praise from fans and critics alike. Fallout: London's player count has made it one of the most popular video game mods ever.
Coven of Crones
Coven of Crones is a new mod from High Tale Creations that was fittingly released this Halloween. Similar in scope to other Skyrim DLC like Dragonborn, Coven of Crones expands upon the story of the witch Anise, who can be found in the base version of the game. The mod crafts such a narrative with an eerie questline, a new dungeon-filled map region called the Blighted Marsh, new weapons, and plenty of frightening creatures for the player to clash with. The mod also brings voice-acted quests, custom lighting, and weather effects to provide an immersive experience. Unlike Fallout: London, Coven of Crones is available to Xbox users as well as those on PC.
Keeping Skyrim and Fallout 4 Fresh in 2024
The effort put into these mods is staggering. They aren't just composed of reused assets from the base games. Both Fallout: London and Coven of Crones feature vast storylines, a considerable amount of voice acting, and plenty of 3D models that were created from scratch by the modding team. The work by Team FOLON and High Tale Creations is admirable, and it shows off just how talented Bethesda's modding community is. Though fans will still be waiting quite a while for The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5, at least they'll have a constant influx of content from both franchises' dedicated modders to keep them busy in the meantime.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 83%
- Released
- November 11, 2011
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda Softworks
WHERE TO PLAY
Winner of more than 200 Game of the Year Awards, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim celebrates 10 years of adventuring in stunning detail. The Anniversary Edition includes a decade worth of content: the critically acclaimed core game and add-ons of Skyrim Special Edition, plus Creation Club content released on or prior to November 11, 2021.
EPIC FANTASY REBORN
Skyrim reimagines and revolutionizes the open-world fantasy epic, bringing to life a complete virtual world open for you to explore any way you choose.
LIVE ANOTHER LIFE, IN ANOTHER WORLD
Play any type of character you can imagine, and do whatever you want; the legendary freedom of choice, storytelling, and adventure of The Elder Scrolls is realized like never before.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU PLAY
Choose from hundreds of weapons, spells, and abilities. The new character system allows you to play any way you want and define yourself through your actions.
BATTLE DRAGONS
Battle ancient dragons like you’ve never seen. As Dragonborn, learn their secrets and harness their power for yourself.
- Engine
- Creation Engine
- Cross-Platform Play
- no
- Cross Save
- no
- Expansions
- Skyrim: Dragonborn, Skyrim: Hearthfire, Skyrim: Dawnguard
- Franchise
- The Elder Scrolls
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- yes
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- How Long To Beat
- 35 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium (Special Edition)
- File Size Xbox Series
- 29 GB (DECEMBER 2023)
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
