Skyrim turns fifteen on 11 November 2026. It launched on 11/11/11 and has been re-released for nearly every platform since, most recently as the Anniversary Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 in December 2025. As of mid-October, Bethesda has not announced anything for the fifteenth. This thread collects what is actually happening around the date, and members' own 11/11/11 stories.
Updated 14 October 2026. We will update this post if Bethesda announces anniversary plans.
Fifteen years in four dates
- 11 November 2011: the original release.
- 28 October 2016: Special Edition.
- 11 November 2021: Anniversary Edition, the Special Edition plus the Creation Club catalogue, timed for the tenth anniversary (Bethesda).
- 9 December 2025: Anniversary Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 (Bethesda).
If you are deciding which version to own in 2026, our Anniversary Edition guide weighs whether the upgrade is worth it.
What is happening around the anniversary
- ESO goes to Western Skyrim for free. The Greymoor chapter and the Markarth DLC become free for all Elder Scrolls Online players on 9 November 2026, with a Skyrim-themed Golden Pursuit running from 9 November to 2 December (ESO game director's message). Our solo ESO guide explains what a story-first player gets.
- SkyUI is back in active development. A community team took over the interface mod in February 2026, published the source, and shipped releases through to v6.11 in May (SkyUI Community on GitHub). A fifteen-year-old game whose most-used interface mod is being maintained again says a lot about its modding scene.
- No sign of TES VI on 11/11/26. The idea resurfaces every year, but there is no announced release date, and Bethesda's own statements describe the game as its primary development focus without giving a window. Our TES VI reference page tracks what has been confirmed.
Share your 11/11/11
We are collecting members' memories of first playing Skyrim, whether that was launch night in 2011 or a Switch 2 copy last December. After the anniversary we plan to publish a short retrospective built from replies here. We will only quote your post if your reply says we may, and we will credit you by username.
Where were you when you first played Skyrim, what was your first character, and what was the moment that hooked you?
