The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind is the game that saved Bethesda and started the series’ sprint towards the mainstream. While far from the most popular game in the series, the 24-year-old RPG has a very devout audience, one that has even managed to rebuild the game in a brand-new engine.
I adore Morrowind, I think it’s still Bethesda’s best RPG from a role-playing perspective, but Skyrim lead designer Bruce Nesmith believes the game doesn’t hold up today. Speaking to Press Box PR (thanks IGN), Nesmith discussed the idea of a remaster for Morrowind, arguing that it doesn’t really make sense.
Nesmith explained that Bethesda may not even “have the original code” and, if they do, they may not be able to compile it. Additionally, the legendary game developer—who also designed some of the original Dungeons and Dragons adventure books—explained that “the game is so old” that modern audiences won’t click with it.
“I would say is go back and play Morrowind and tell me that’s the game you want to play again,” Nesmith said. “We all have these fond memories of things that were pivotal moments in our gaming fantasy histories that we absolutely love, but you go back and play a 20-year-old game and you will cringe.”
Nesmith said “the reality of playing Morrowind would not stand the test of time”, arguing that there was already a level of “cringe” for the Oblivion remaster last year. “They forgave it because they’re reliving something,” he said,” they’re enjoying the nostalgia. I worked on Oblivion, I’m even responsible for some of those cringe moments.”
The Skyrim designer explained that Bethesda could try to remake Morrowind, but argued that the “four-year development cycle” would be a waste when the team could “make something new”. If Bethesda was to return to Vvardenfell, Nesmith argues that they should “do a new story”, return to the locale but “make it new and avoid all the things that would not have survived the test of time.”
As someone who has a deep admiration and respect for Nesmith—I even interviewed him for the FRVR podcast—I don’t agree that Morrowind isn’t worth remastering. However, as someone who thinks Morrowind is brilliant the way it is, I also don’t think a remaster or remake would add anything to the game.
Morrowind is a testament to the time it was made in both good and bad ways, but it’s a game I think the true fans of it don’t really want changed. Oblivion was modern enough that a remaster could only be a boon to it, but Morrowind’s clunkiness is almost integral to its design. The way it moves and plays ties into the way its menus work, how its text-heavy story plays out, how you slowly explore the island via road signs and journal entries.
I think Morrowind does stand the test of time, but I think Nesmith is right that it doesn’t suit a remaster. Now, a revisit to Vvardenfell? That I could agree to, but why even make a remaster when Open Morrowind has done everything the real fans could ever want?
