From memes to actual gems. Which Oblivion DLC is still worth your time in 2025?
Alright, let’s talk Oblivion. Bethesda’s 2006 RPG is a classic, but its DLCs are remembered for all kinds of reasons, some good, some not so much. With Oblivion Remastered out now, it’s a great time to look back and figure out which add-ons actually hold up.
Oblivion didn’t just give us a giant world to explore. It also helped shape what post-launch content became for RPGs. Some of its DLCs set the bar. Others, not so much.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
| Release date: | 2007-09-11 |
| Genre: | Role-playing (RPG) & Adventure |
| Developer: | Bethesda Game Studios |
You start in a prison cell. The emperor is dead. Oblivion Gates are popping up all over Cyrodiil. And somehow, you’re right in the middle of it.
Oblivion was a huge leap forward when it dropped. A full open world. Real-time physics. Dynamic AI. You could ride across the map, join guilds, become a vampire, or assassinate nobles for the Dark Brotherhood. There were eight cities, hundreds of dungeons, and no handholding.
It’s one of those games where people still remember the weird side quests, the strange NPCs, and the time they got chased by guards for stealing a spoon.
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Shivering Isles
| Release date: | 2007-09-11 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Bethesda Game Studios |
This is the one everyone talks about. And yeah, it deserves it.
You enter a portal and end up in the realm of Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of Madness. The place is split into Mania and Dementia, each with its own vibe, characters, and chaos. You help Sheogorath deal with an incoming threat from Jyggalag and eventually take over as the new ruler.
It’s weird in the best way. Everything feels hand crafted, from the quests to the NPCs to the monsters. The loot is great. The writing is sharp. And the world is unforgettable.
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Knights of the Nine
| Release date: | 2007-09-11 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Bethesda Game Studios |
This one gave us a proper storyline.
You take on the role of a noble champion trying to stop Umaril the Unfeathered, an ancient enemy of the gods. It’s all about reclaiming holy relics, becoming a knight, and restoring a lost order. There’s a pilgrimage, trials, a full questline, and solid loot.
It’s not as big as a full expansion, but it felt like more than just a quick cash in. It came included with later versions of the game and the GOTY edition.
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Horse Armor Pack
| Release date: | 2007-09-11 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Bethesda Game Studios |
The famous Horse Armor.
Released early on, it let you put steel or elven armor on your horse for 500 gold. That’s it. Minimal stats, minor boost to horse health. The first one is technically free if you do the mini quest, but still, this was the moment everyone started yelling about microtransactions.
Players hated it. Then they memed it to death. Now it’s basically a joke that won’t die.
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Oblivion’s Place in the Series
Oblivion came between Morrowind and Skyrim, and you can feel that in every corner of it. It brought the series into HD graphics, gave us fast travel, voice acting for every NPC, and a more user friendly interface.
Its DLCs helped define what expansion content would look like in the future. The backlash to Horse Armor told publishers what not to do. The praise for Shivering Isles showed what was possible when you aim high.