Oblivion Remastered Reintroduces Paid Horse Armor DLC

In 2006, Bethesda was basking in the glow of their hit game, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. To keep fans engaged with the world of Cyrodiil, they began rolling out small, paid DLC packages. However, their first release in April—a pack featuring horse armor—unexpectedly stirred up a storm of controversy. Priced at 200 Microsoft Points (roughly $2.50 at the time) on the Xbox 360 Marketplace, the Horse Armor Pack was criticized for its lack of tangible benefits to gameplay.

Fast forward to 2025, and the landscape of video games has shifted significantly. Cosmetic upgrades like horse armor have become the norm, allowing Bethesda to cheekily reintroduce them with the launch of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. Alongside the base edition, a deluxe edition is available for an additional $10, offering new quests, unique armors, extra weapon options, a digital artbook, a soundtrack app, and, yes, two sets of horse armor.

Today's gaming community seems to take this in stride. Nearly two decades have passed since cosmetic DLC was a novel and controversial concept. Players are now accustomed to spending on cosmetic enhancements. As noted by Circana analyst Mat Piscatella on BlueSky, U.S. consumers spent over $10.4 billion on digital add-ons for PC and console games 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 embracing the modding community. Just hours after its launch, a selection of community mods appeared on Nexus Mods, offering minor customization options.

As we await more mods, delve into why some players believe this release leans more towards a remake than a remaster, and explore Bethesda's reasoning behind the "Remastered" label.

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.