Noah Romsdal Hallundbæk Sørensen
Without fanfare or sweeping announcements, Skyrim has slipped onto Nintendo’s newest console.
A familiar fantasy world has slipped onto another platform, extending its long-running afterlife.
Bethesda revealed its latest Skyrim release just as holiday players size up new titles.
This time, the studio has delivered a surprise launch for Nintendo’s upgraded hardware, pushing a 13-year-old game into yet another generation.
New holiday drop
Bethesda announced on December 9 that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is now available on the Nintendo Switch 2, releasing it without advance warning.
The move mirrors the company’s recent habit of sudden game launches.
According to Bethesda, the Anniversary Edition bundles the original adventure with the Dawnguard, Dragonborn, and Hearthfire expansions.
The publisher says the Switch 2 version benefits from sharper resolution, faster load speeds, performance tweaks, motion inputs, Amiibo compatibility, and upgraded Joy-Con 2 features.
Nintendo fans also receive crossover items inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Those include the Master Sword, Hylian Shield, and Champion’s Tunic.
Exclusive extras
Bethesda notes that the package arrives with hundreds of Creations Club add-ons, bringing quests, weapons, armor, magic, and additional locations into the mix.
The standalone Switch 2 release is priced at $59.99.
Players who already own Skyrim Anniversary Edition on the original Switch can move to the new console at no additional cost, while base-game owners may purchase the Anniversary Upgrade for $19.99 for use on both systems.
Online, the drop has already revived long-running jokes about Skyrim’s endless ports. The RPG’s steady march across consoles has made it a meme in its own right.
Looking ahead
Meanwhile, Bethesda continues work on The Elder Scrolls 6. Development chief Todd Howard recently hinted to GQ that the studio might one day release the sequel in similar fashion.
“I like to just announce stuff and release it,” he told the outlet. Howard added that while there is no guarantee, his “perfect version” would involve the new game simply appearing after a long wait. He described this year’s sudden launch of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered as “a test run” that “worked out well.”
the road beyond
For now, Skyrim’s leap to Nintendo’s newest hardware shows Bethesda is still finding ways to extend the series’ reach.
Whether its next chapter will arrive without warning remains an open question.
Sources: Youtube/Bethesda Softworks, GQ, IGN Nordic
