Skyrim's Surprise Switch Release is a Big Deal
The massively popular Elder Scrolls title Skyrim recently received a shock release for the Nintendo Switch, further denoting the success of the game.
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Skyrim is one of the most popular games within The Elder Scrolls franchise 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 of Skyrim has 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
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Skyrim originally released in November 2011 and brought with it the predictable level of hype and acclaim that installments in The Elder Scrolls franchise are known for. However, Skyrim would 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 with Skyrim - Legendary Edition, which included the base game as well as the three major DLCs. Skyrim then received a remaster for the Xbox One and PS4 generation of consoles in 2016, known as Skyrim - Special Edition.
Following this, Skyrim received a VR release for PlayStation VR in 2017, as well as an original Nintendo Switch port of the base game. In 2021, the game even received a Special Edition version 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, Skyrim received a surprising Anniversary Edition release 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 of Skyrim re-releases, the latest Switch version of the title's Anniversary Edition is not without its critics. With many debating the need for the game on the platform, many have reported serious frame rate issues on the Switch version of Skyrim: 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. With Skyrim originally 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 that this particular port of Skyrim is 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.
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