The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim It has a long history, and the latest good news is the much-needed 60FPS patch that the Nintendo Switch 2 received. This is a huge improvement for those who want to enjoy Bethesda classics on the go. A number of minor performance and graphical fixes have also been made, making the overall experience 1000x more enjoyable. Skyrim In 2026 for Switch 2, now might be a good time.
Skyrim: 23 Most Useful Glitches in the Game
Skyrim is notorious for having a lot of glitches and bugs that players will have to work through, but some of them can actually be very helpful.
However, while Skyrim is undoubtedly one of the most iconic games released in the last 20-plus years, and it's starting to show its age in some key ways that can make it quite difficult to fully enjoy in 2026. There are so many QOL changes and features in the new title that going back to a game made to 2011 standards can be a bit of a culture shock. Let's take a look at some of the reasons why, from outdated narrative design to a UI that fans almost always modify. Skyrim It's a little rough around the edges.
More important choices still need to be made
RPGs have come a long way in recent years when it comes to choice.
Descriptively speaking, Skyrim It lags a bit behind some of the newer titles because there's no real choice. The only major choice you make is whether to side with the Imperial Legion or the Stormcloaks. However, the main quest does not have multiple endings or branching paths. It stands in stark contrast to other Bethesda open world RPGs. fallout 4You are given several factions to choose from and several ways to handle the story at the end. cyberpunk 2077 In the final act, different endings are available depending on what choices you make, who you choose to be with, and whether you trust Hanako.
In addition to open world RPGs, other titles include: Baldur's Gate 3 This is where every little decision ripples into a butterfly effect. All this means is, Skyrim It was narratively superior, and even at the time, it was narratively weaker than titles such as: Fallout: New VegasFor example, released about a year ago Skyrim. Considering how well-crafted the world of Skyrim is, how good the dungeon design is, and how little repetition there is, this can feel jarring. Plus, there are some really good side quests, but it's a shame that the main story is so lackluster.
Companion management feels outdated
More options, more tracking methods, etc.
Skyrim There are a ton of characters you can recruit as companions. This is good, but the depth of the story isn't always the same. But the main problem is managing these followers, so that's a discussion for another day. They often become trapped in their environment. They can be difficult to use effectively because they trigger traps and you have to talk to them to get them to do something. It would be easier to have shortcuts at your disposal that point to specific items or interactable objects in your environment.
Moreover, in an open world environment it is absolutely essential to keep track of where these companions are. With all the housecarls you find, it's a bit annoying to look around for them in each stronghold's city if you haven't purchased a house to send them to. Maybe this is tricky, but considering the amount of mods we have that solve this problem, SkyrimIt's safe to say that players generally find it quite annoying. in fallout 4For example, sending recruited companions to a specific settlement makes management much easier.
Find all 10 pairs
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Find all 10 pairs
Grappling and climbing are missing.
Simple things that can make a big difference
There have been amazing open world games (not necessarily RPGs) with incredible mobility and travel options. breath of the wild and Tears of the Kingdom These are two great examples of the different ways you can move around the world and explore the terrain freely. for Skyrim's Hills and mountains were a selling point, but it's disappointing that there are no simple features like climbing or grappling. cyberpunk 2077for example.
Best Skyrim mods, ranked
Skyrim has been around for years and fans have become more and more creative with mods. These are the best ones.
That game, to be fair, has a lot more verticality, but if Bethesda wants to deliver better experiences in the future, this could be a game to look at for inspiration. star field Of course, we solved this problem by introducing a boost pack suitable for our setup, but all this depends on: Elder Scrolls The game desperately needs new ways to traverse the world to keep things interesting. at least SkyrimYour Horse is the ultimate climbing machine, even if it's a little less immersive.
UI that requires SkyUI
Skyrim's UI was one of its biggest flaws
UI is an element that can have a big impact on the enjoyment of a game, even if it doesn't come to mind directly to gamers. A UI that distracts you from your task, no quick way to sort items, wastes time, and breaks immersion. You can do some quick looting here later, but the way the inventory works and looks, with categories moving horizontally from one submenu to another rather than vertically, is a bit disappointing.
A good UI is intuitive and allows you to visualize everything with just a few glances. This is why SkyUI is probably one of the most popular mods in the world. Skyrim Because many people think the vanilla version of the game's inventory is too vague and messy. It also requires an obscene amount of scrolling compared to the long lists provided by SkyUI, which organizes information in a more concise and neat manner. Bethesda's UI was very different from game to game. star field It features a kind of radial menu, fallout For RPGs that use Pip-Boys and require a robust UI for the amount you usually get, it's not easy for any game to work well even in 2026.
Janky NPC Movement
The pacing is off, you get stuck or lost, or you get outdated animations.
Video games are getting prettier every year, and animation is one way things are improving. take a look Skyrim It immediately tells you how outdated the game is, with NPCs walking pretty much the same way regardless of their build and how much armor they have.
Skyrim: 32 Best Light Armor Sets, Ranked
Light armor in Skyrim may not offer the same protection as heavy armor, but it has its advantages, especially for players who want to be cunning and stealthy.
This can break the immersion a bit, and in games like cyberpunk 2077 Showcasing various walking styles, Skyrim It definitely shows its age. But that's not the main problem. Typically, NPCs will walk slowly with you, forcing you to walk slowly with them to keep up, a trope that's been in games for a while. But it especially stands out in: SkyrimNPCs may be standing around or on top of obstacles.
No quick loot except mods
Looting disrupts the game
Changes that will probably happen next time Elder Scrolls The game is a quick plunder. This is the biggest prize. Skyrim Two of Bethesda's later released open-world RPGs, both of which feature fast looting, are starting to get old mechanically. This is essentially hovering over a container or body, which will pop up a small window that lets you quickly grab the item you want without having to access the entire container or pause the game.
We all love loot, but no one wants to spend a lot of time acquiring it while delving through a dungeon. You'll most likely want to kill enemies, grab loot, and move on to the next part as quickly as possible, and that flow will be interrupted if you end up in an entire paused container screen. As you can see in the picture above, there are mods that add this as an option, so if you're in a position to modify the game, definitely consider getting quick loot on top of SkyUI to create a more modern experience.
- released
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November 11, 2011
- ESRB
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M For adults 17+ due to blood, gore, intense violence, sexual themes, alcohol consumption
- developer
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bethesda game studio
- publisher
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Bethesda Softworks
