Skyrimis one of the most popular games withinThe Elder Scrollsfranchise to ever exist, with the cultural presence of the game being difficult to understate. The longevity of the title was further bolstered by the recent shock release of the game’s Anniversary Edition for the Nintendo Switch, much to the delight of fans of the platform.
While this new release ofSkyrimhas its hiccups, it serves to further establish the massively impressive level of success that the game has achieved over its 11-year life cycle. As well as this, the way in which this new Nintendo Switch release further broadens the scope of potential players to the title is undoubtedly important and makes the release a bigger deal than it might initially seem to be.
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A History of Skyrim’s Many Releases
Skyrimoriginally released in November 2011and brought with it the predictable level of hype and acclaim that installments inThe Elder Scrollsfranchise are known for. However,Skyrimwould quickly surpass the usual level of success for the franchise, leading to an unprecedented and even controversial amount of ports and re-releases of the game over the years.
In 2013, the title received its first major re-release withSkyrim - Legendary Edition, which included the base game as well as the three major DLCs.Skyrimthen received a remaster for theXbox OneandPS4generation of consoles in 2016,known asSkyrim - Special Edition.
Following this,Skyrimreceived a VR releasefor PlayStation VR in 2017, as well as an original Nintendo Switch port of the base game. In 2021, the game even received aSpecial Editionversion for the Xbox Series X/S and the PS5 under the moniker Anniversary Edition, further establishing a consistent level of re-releases concerning the title that have played a huge role in the game’s post launch success and continued relevance.
Most recently,Skyrimreceived a surprising Anniversary Editionrelease for the Nintendo Switch, 11 years after the title’s original release. While this only stokes the controversy of repeated releases within the game’s community, there is an undoubted benefit to this latest release that can be easily overlooked.
The Hidden Benefit of Skyrim: Anniversary Edition On the Nintendo Switch
Due to the high frequency ofSkyrimre-releases, the latest Switch version of the title’s Anniversary Editionis not without its critics. With many debating the need for the game on the platform, many have reported seriousframe rate issues on the Switch version ofSkyrim: Anniversary Edition, only further adding to the controversy surrounding the release.
That being said, these newer releases of the game have an inherent added benefit as time goes on that should not be overlooked. WithSkyrimoriginally releasing all the way back in 2011, more and more of the gaming community are becoming unfamiliar with the iconic title as time passes, with many never having played the game at all.
Not only does this new release bring a more contemporary version of the longstanding title to a platform that the game has comparatively neglected over the years, but it also fosters a potential first-time experience of the game to a massively increased catchment of players. While it is clear thatthis particular port ofSkyrimis in need of some performance fixes to provide a better experience, the utility it possesses in potentially allowing players to experience the game for the first time is massively important.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Anniversary Editionis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
