And some may say Р Р†Р вЂљР’ВdonР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћt fix what isnР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћt brokenР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћ is a fine philosophy to have with a game as fondly remembered as Skyrim. Even the Anniversary Edition wonР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћt be a true next-gen port, with the Playstation 5 only receiving a backward-compatible Playstation 4 version of the game. However, the experience is still fundamentally the same one weР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћve been replaying over and over, with Bethesda making no serious attempts to evolve the game past its 2011 release. Getting to explore Skyrim in VR and having the ability to take it on the go with the Switch release are genuinely novel ways to experience the adventures the game has to offer. Beyond a suite of new HD textures and a graphical coat of paint, the game hasnР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћt really evolved visually either. Each time a new edition of Skyrim is released, online message boards are continuously flooded with reports of crashes and sometimes game-breaking bugs, many of which have been around since the original 2011 release. However, it has become increasingly difficult for Bethesda to justify each passing re-release and remaster. With all this in mind, is it any wonder that Skyrim is released so frequently? The market size alone of gamers who look back fondly on their time with Skyrim is enough to justify the decision.

RELATED: 'The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim' Is Getting an Anniversary Re-Release - and Now, You Can Actually Fish As soon as a console generation ends, gamers are left with a wishlist of potential remasters, hoping to relive their favorite experiences in a way that isnР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћt marred by their increased graphical standards. Adding to this nostalgia, console manufacturers have made increasingly large steps away from backward compatibility, meaning thereР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћs no easy way to replay your favorite games without holding onto a growing pile of aging hardware and accessories. Combined with how quickly hardware progresses and is often left in the dust after only a few years, this ends up leaving many gamers with a warped sense of nostalgia.

Graphics and game mechanics that were revolutionary only 5-10 years ago often seem shoddy and underdeveloped when compared to modern titles. Gaming is a much more disposable medium when compared to other entertainment media. Whether you were young or old, hardcore veteran or casual hobbyist, you could find something to love about Skyrim. A massive open-world combined with an ingeniously approachable level of playability, in retrospect its success seems almost inevitable. Taking the world by storm after its 2011 release, it was difficult to turn anywhere online without bumping into a Skyrim reference, discussion, or even passing mention of how great it was. There are few games that one could truly describe as Р Р†Р вЂљР’ВbelovedР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћ to the gaming community as a whole, but Skyrim is indisputably one of them. This begs the question, why does Bethesda see fit to keep releasing Skyrim over and over again?

But just like any good joke, there does come a point where it becomes less and less funny with each repetition. The remasters and re-releases of this singular title have been so prolific that theyР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћve become a running joke for much of the gaming community. With the recent announcement of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition, Bethesda has once again seen fit to re-release the much-beloved RPG for the 7th time (including the original 2011 release). Few things are certain in life besides death, taxes, and Skyrim being remastered yet again.

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