One of the bits of Oblivion remake mod Skyblivion I'm most keen to explore is all sorted and ready to go. The modders have announced that they've finished making and QA testing their revamped versions of The Elder Scrolls 4's Ayleid ruins, marking another key step forward in their journey, even if the mod's still without a final release date following its delay last year.
The Skyblivion team celebrated this "huge achievement" with a post on the socials over the weekend. "We’ve completed and fully QA’d all of Oblivion’s Ayleid Ruins," they wrote. "Soon, players will be able to explore the ancient remains of the Ayleid Empire."
The screenshots of towering ancient elven cities stretched across underground caverns that the modders shared alongside their post do a good job of conveying why these revamped dungeons are one of the aspects of the mod I'm most keen to try for myself. Unlike uber-faithful Bethesda's Oblivion Remastered, the Skyblivion crew have made it clear for a while now that their goal in remaking TES 4's dungeons has been to substantially expand and visually liven up these baddie hangouts, using the advancements which come with working in Skyrim's engine to fuel level design closer in complexity to the likes of that game's Dwemer labyrinths.
— Skyblivion (@skyblivion.com) 24 May 2026 at 14:21☑️ Another huge achievement We’ve completed and fully QA’d all of Oblivion’s Ayleid Ruins. Soon, players will be able to explore the ancient remains of the Ayleid Empire. Credit: Penrutet
I already love the blend of elegant alabaster stonework and dark depths that makes up base Oblivion's decaying vestiges of a time before the Imperials ruled Cyrodiil, so seeing them reimagined and expanded with the help of modern hardware's long piqued my interest. Naturally, there's a chance something of that original appeal might be lost in the process, but to me, trying this sort of thing out are what revisits to beloved old games that aren't tough to come by are ideal opportunities for. Push the boundaries, try to see what this great creation can be when reforged in a manner that isn't afraid to deviate from simple imitation.
Anyway, regardless of this step, when Skyblivion'll be out remains up in the air at this point. "From what I see internally I am pretty optimistic," project lead Kyle 'Rebelzize' Rebel told RPS last month, around the time the modders were seeking volunteers to help get the mod over the line. "All quest locations are finished and QA'd, the Imperial City has gotten the breakthrough we needed to push that through and I hope soon™ to have the city completed in terms of level design. Mechanics are in good shape, and we are squashing bugs left and right. We still have work to do and of course as you [know] there's always the chance shit hits the fan and we suffer another major setback."
Here's hoping the modders can wrap things up soon, but without having to put too much strain on themselves right at the end.