Playing your favorite Elder Scrolls games became a whole lot easier with the fall release of The Elder Scrolls Anthology — a complete collection of all five classic Elder Scrolls games. This is the first time that all games have been released as one collection, and includes all addons in a premium boxed set. As a quick refresher, the Elder Scrolls games include:
Elder Scrolls I: Arena (1994)
Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall (1996)
Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002)
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006)
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)
The Elder Scrolls Anthology
With this collection, Bethesda Softworks really outdid themselves. The anthology was released soon after the Skyrim Legendary Edition hit the store shelves (for more about the Legendary edition, please be sure to check out my earlier article). The Elder Scrolls Anthology really is significant, for it allows gamers who’ve never had the opportunity to play some of the older ES titles to do so. In fact, according to a poll we conducted on the Skyrim Fansite back in September, 33% of respondents had never played an Elder Scrolls game besides Skyrim. For these players, scoring an original copy of Arena alone would cost at least $60 and upwards to $200 on eBay. That’s a serious amount of money to spend on an old DOS-based video game. With The Elder Scrolls Anthology however, Bethesda has all five games wrapped up in one neat package for around $60 — definitely a good bargain.
What’s Included
Besides the five games, Bethesda also includes all released addon expansions, including a DOS emulator so Arena and Daggerfall can be played on modern PCs.
In total, there are nine CD-ROM discs included in the Anthology as well as five maps printed on photo paper. Bethesda also includes an Elder Scrolls Online sticker just like they did for the Skyrim Legendary Edition. In all, The Elder Scrolls Anthology is a sharp-looking boxed set that not only proves to be a boon for gamers looking to play older ES titles, but for fans and collectors alike.
Things To Know
The Elder Scrolls Anthology is released for PC gamers only — there is no console version available for Xbox and Playstation.
Arena and Daggerfall require a DOS emulator to be played on your computer (DOSBox emulator is included in the Anthology).
Skyrim requires a Steam account for activation (note: you do not have to be connected to the internet in order to play Skyrim).
No physical game manuals are included, but can be downloaded.
If you’re looking to play Arena and Daggerfall, Bethesda has made the games available without having to purchase the Anthology (cool!). Click here to download Arena and here to download Daggerfall. You’ll also need the DOSBox emulator here.
Shane Scarbrough is the founder of the Skyrim Fansite. He's a business owner, video game journalist, and role playing game aficionado. When he's not working he enjoys reading, writing, and playing video games. He's currently on his third playthrough of Skyrim, and is playing as a Templar in The Elder Scrolls Online. You can find Shane on Google+ and FaceBook.
Yes, the Anthology contains the Legendary edition of Skyrim. I double-checked the official website just to make certain it is Legendary and not simply the original game DLC addons. According to http://www.elderscrolls.com/anthology/ :
“The Elder Scrolls Anthology features all five critically-acclaimed PC games, plus official add-ons in a premium collectible box set – beginning with The Elder Scrolls: Arena and concluding with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Legendary Edition.”
Is the Legendary edition included in the Anthology?
Hi sameul,
Yes, the Anthology contains the Legendary edition of Skyrim. I double-checked the official website just to make certain it is Legendary and not simply the original game DLC addons. According to http://www.elderscrolls.com/anthology/ :
“The Elder Scrolls Anthology features all five critically-acclaimed PC games, plus official add-ons in a premium collectible box set – beginning with The Elder Scrolls: Arena and concluding with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Legendary Edition.”