20 Game Anniversaries Coming In 2026 That'll Age You Mercilessly

The Elder Scrolls series began in the nineties, if you can believe it, and has grown in scale, scope and stature over the years to become one of the most successful and widely played action RPGs of all time. And while Skyrim may (still) be the big hitter of the franchise, where would we be – indeed, where would Skyrim be – without the series’ fourth chapter, Oblivion?

Oblivion finds us in the fictional province Cyrodiil, as we attempt to thwart the fanatical cult Mythic Dawn, whose plan to open a portal to the demonic realm Oblivion threatens those of us who just want to raid a few dungeons and retire before we take an arrow in the knee. Cyrodiil is a massive open world environment, with side quests galore in which we can improve our skills and abilities while accumulating gold and gear – and while Oblivion didn’t invent this format, it is the game that most subsequent games of this kind were modelled on, and the game that got many of us – even those not inclined towards fantasy roleplay – deep into the franchise.

But hold onto your wrist irons and amulets, because it has been twenty whole years since Oblivion arrived. And, boy, does it not feel like it. Some anniversaries feel at least partly warranted, but Oblivion hitting the big two-O is like returning from the corner shop and discovering you’ve been gone for months.