The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, commonly known as Skyrim, is an action role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the fifth main instalment in The Elder Scrolls series, following The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006). The game was directed by Todd Howard and originally released on 11 November 2011 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

The game is set in Skyrim, a northern province of the fictional continent of Tamriel. The player takes the role of the Dragonborn, a character capable of absorbing the souls of dragons and using powerful abilities known as shouts. The main storyline concerns the return of dragons and the Dragonborn's attempt to defeat Alduin, an ancient dragon prophesied to destroy the world. A separate major storyline follows a civil war between the Imperial Legion and the Stormcloaks, a rebellion seeking Skyrim's independence from the Empire.

Skyrim uses an open-world structure that allows the player to explore most of the province freely and complete the main story, side quests and faction storylines in different orders. Unlike many traditional role-playing games, it does not use fixed character classes. Instead, skills improve through use, allowing characters to specialise gradually in combat, magic, stealth, crafting or combinations of these styles. Exploration, dungeon crawling, equipment, dialogue and character progression form the main elements of gameplay.

Three major downloadable expansions were released: Dawnguard, centred on a conflict involving vampires; Hearthfire, which introduced house building and adoption; and Dragonborn, which takes the player to the island of Solstheim and introduces another Dragonborn as its principal antagonist. All three were later included with Skyrim Special Edition, a remastered version released in 2016.

Legacy

Skyrim became one of the most prominent role-playing games of the 2010s and received numerous Game of the Year awards. Its emphasis on open-world exploration, player freedom and flexible character development influenced later action RPGs and contributed to the wider popularity of large-scale open-world games.

The game also developed an extensive modding community. Players have created new quests, locations, characters, graphical modifications and extensive gameplay overhauls, supported by Bethesda's Creation Kit and later its Creations platform. Community-created content has continued to expand the game for more than a decade after its original release.

Skyrim has been re-released on numerous platforms. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition appeared in 2016 with remastered graphics, all three major expansions and console mod support. A Nintendo Switch version and Skyrim VR followed in 2017. The Anniversary Edition, released in 2021 for the game's tenth anniversary, combined the Special Edition with additional Creation Club content. The unusually large number of re-releases has itself become a recurring subject of humour within video game culture.

Sources

  • Bethesda Game Studios. “Welcome to Skyrim.” Bethesda Softworks, 7 July 2025. Official overview of the game's setting, character development, open-world structure and Dragonborn storyline.

  • Bethesda Game Studios. “Skyrim Special Edition Now Available.” The Elder Scrolls, 28 October 2016. Official announcement describing the remastered edition, its three major add-ons and support for modifications.

  • Bethesda Game Studios. “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition FAQ.” Bethesda Softworks, 5 November 2021. Official information on the tenth-anniversary release and the content included in the Anniversary Edition.

  • Bethesda Game Studios. “Build, Share and Find Community-Made Content in Skyrim Special Edition with Bethesda Game Studios Creations.” The Elder Scrolls, 5 December 2023. Overview of Skyrim's long-running modding community and the Creations platform.

  • Nintendo. “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.” Nintendo UK, 2017. Official information on the Nintendo Switch release, including its open-world gameplay, character system and included expansions.

  • GameSpot. “Every GameSpot Game of the Year.” Retrospective listing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim as GameSpot's 2011 Game of the Year and discussing its scale, exploration and role-playing systems.