Following the success of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion's remaster, speculation has turned to whether Bethesda's earlier RPG, Morrowind, could receive similar treatment. While some, including former Bethesda developer Bruce Nesmith, doubt its dated systems would appeal to modern players, others are more optimistic.
Michael Douse, publishing director at Larian Studios, strongly believes in the project's potential. "There is a very technically qualified developer out there that would happily remake Morrowind with a modern combat system and it would sell like f*ing hot cakes," he stated on social media.
Douse's argument is supported by the recent success of complex RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3. However, a significant hurdle exists: Nesmith suggests the original source code for the 2002 game may be lost, making a simple remaster impossible. A full ground-up remake would be a multi-year project comparable to developing a new game.
The debate continues on whether modern audiences would embrace Morrowind's unique, challenging design or be put off by its lack of modern conveniences.