Oblivion Remastered Faces Challenges on Steam Deck

The much-anticipated release of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered has hit a snag for gamers keen on playing it on the Steam Deck. Right out of the gate, many are encountering performance hiccups, including low frame rates and unexpected dips. To get to a smooth experience close to 30 frames per second, players will need to dive into settings adjustments, specifically enabling XeSS upscaling along with other tweaks.

Bethesda finally introduced this remastered version to players on April 22, signaling a thrilling return to Cyrodiil, now almost two decades after its original debut. Built using Unreal Engine 5, this iteration keeps the classic voicework and beloved RPG mechanics intact but introduces a whole new level of visual splendor. However, all this graphical enhancement has its cost—especially taxing on hardware systems like the Steam Deck due to its sophisticated lighting and shadow features.

Upon firing up the game on Steam Deck, you’ll notice the default low graphic settings accentuated by Intel’s XeSS set to Balanced—yet, even these aren’t sufficient for a consistent 30 FPS. To push for a more seamless experience, users have to opt for further settings adjustments. Upgrading to Performance or Ultra Performance modes can help maintain a steady frame rate but may come at the sacrifice of visual clarity and possibly introduce other issues such as input lag.

For those unwilling to compromise, Nvidia GeForce Now presents a viable alternative. Subscribing to this service allows players to stream the game, providing smoother and visually superior gameplay compared to local Steam Deck performance. Additionally, those with an Xbox Game Pass can enjoy streaming through Xbox Cloud Gaming, offering more flexibility for players.

Before downloading, players should consider their device’s capacity; the game demands a hefty 125 GB of storage and recommends 16 GB of RAM for optimal conditions. While the Steam Deck does contain the suggested 16 GB, achieving the best results would likely require double that RAM coupled with robust GPUs and CPUs. Interestingly, there’s buzz in the air suggesting that the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 could deliver an even better on-the-go gaming experience with this beloved remastered title.