Gamers shocked as Elder Scrolls IV revealed and launched on same day

Video game studio Bethesda has announced the long-rumoured launch of a remastered version of its 2006 hit Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

The fourth instalment of the series has maintained a cult following among fans despite it being almost two decades since its original release.

Now, gamers have been surprised as a remaster of the classic game has not only been announced - but released to digital stores immediately.

It comes as fans await the next game in the series, with the most recent entry - Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - having been released in 2011.

More than 600,000 people watched the live announcement on YouTube.

And the reveal that the game would be available immediately drew shock and excitement from those watching, with many viewers writing "Praise be Todd" in the comments - in reference to Bethesda director Todd Howard.

In 2006, Oblivion launched on PC and the Xbox 360 console as the product of a co-publishing agreement between Bethesda and Take-Two Interactive's label, 2K Games.

"Oblivion was a really defining moment in the series," Howard said in the announcement.

"I think with a remaster, we want people to feel the way they did then - but it's still a game of its time, you want to keep the bones in place," he said.

Bethesda showed off a series of significant graphics upgrades in its launch video, with updated gameplay, user interface and audio systems.

Players will also be able to upgrade their characters in a new way, combining systems both from the original and the sequel.

One of the developers called the remaster "a love letter" to the original game.

Set in the open world of Tamriel, the game places players in an empire on the verge of downfall - after the mysterious death of Emperor Uriel Septim VII leaves behind a vacant throne and missing heir.

Rachel Howie, a content creator and Twitch partner, said the game was "long overdue the currently very trendy remaster treatment".

"It's such a great opportunity for the generation who grew up thinking Skyrim was peak role-playing game to meet its charming little brother," she added.

Oblivion racked up 9.5m sales according to gaming website Polygon, and is fondly remembered by fans.

Skyrim then released five years later to a massive response, selling more than 40 million copies across generations of consoles - it has been re-released on two generations of consoles since it first came out.

The news will now leave fans wondering if they may now soon see some news about Elder Scrolls 6, which was announced in 2018, some seven years after Skyrim's release.

Since then, information on the game has been sparse, and mostly limited to rumours.

But gamers have come to expect a long wait from Bethesda, which is facing demand for a new Fallout game as well - which remains under wraps despite the success of a hit Amazon TV show based on the series.