Home » Oblivion’s Infamous Horse Armour: Dev Admits “We Had No Idea What We Were Doing”

Oblivion’s Infamous Horse Armour: Dev Admits “We Had No Idea What We Were Doing”

Oblivion's Infamous Horse Armour
Oblivion's Horse Armour
Image Credit: CBR

In one of the most notorious moments in gaming history, the “Horse Armour” DLC for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion continues to resonate as a cautionary tale. Nearly two decades after its release, a developer from Bethesda Game Studios recently reflected on the controversy surrounding the Horse Armour DLC, admitting the team was caught off guard by the reaction and wasn’t fully prepared for the implications of paid content in games.

A Moment That Changed DLC Forever

When Oblivion launched in 2006, players were used to expansive RPGs from Bethesda, with deep worlds and a commitment to rich, detailed content. But the Horse Armour DLC, a purely cosmetic addition priced at $2.50, stirred a backlash that reverberated throughout the industry. Gamers were incensed by what they saw as overpriced, non-essential content—a stark departure from the free or substantial expansions they’d come to expect.

In a recent interview, a former Bethesda developer revealed the team’s mindset at the time: “We had no idea what we were doing,” they confessed. “We were trying to figure out how to navigate this new world of downloadable content, but we never imagined the backlash it would cause.”

The Start of Paid DLC Skepticism

Oblivion's Horse Armour available on Steam
Image Credit: CBR

The release of Horse Armour marked the dawn of paid downloadable content (DLC) in mainstream gaming, but it also opened up broader debates about the value of in-game purchases. While Bethesda may not have anticipated the backlash, it inadvertently set the stage for a growing skepticism toward microtransactions, which persists today.

The controversy also pushed developers to reconsider the value and impact of DLC. Bethesda quickly followed the Horse Armour release with more substantial content, including The Shivering Isles, which earned praise for its depth and storytelling.

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Lessons Learned and Industry Influence

Despite the negative reception, the infamous DLC left an indelible mark on the gaming industry. It forced developers and publishers to rethink how they package additional content and what players are willing to pay for. In hindsight, the developer admitted that the Horse Armour DLC served as a learning experience, not just for Bethesda, but for the entire industry. “It was the first time we dipped our toes into the DLC waters,” the developer said. “We learned that players want real value for their money, and Horse Armour just didn’t meet that expectation.”