The unexpected shadow-drop release of *The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered* on April 22 sent shockwaves across the gaming community, but it left indie developers who had planned to launch their games on the same day struggling to stay afloat. Jonas Antonsson, co-founder of indie publisher Raw Fury, took to social media to voice his concerns about the impact of such massive releases on smaller games.
"I loved (when younger) and still absolutely love Oblivion and I’m personally excited to see it get a breath of new life and being introduced to a whole new generation of players," Antonsson expressed. However, he highlighted the challenges faced by indie developers, stating, "But from the perspective of indies and indie publishers, this is the problem with these sorts of massive shadow drops. Everything more or less gets buried. We don’t have the cash nor muscle to throw around, so everything is carefully planned. Including when to release, based on other releases etc - to try to maximize the chances of getting attention."
Antonsson specifically mentioned Red Soul Games’ *Post Trauma*, a puzzle horror game published by Raw Fury on the same day, inspired by PS2-era classics. Players navigate environments, tackle threats, and encounter other lost characters in the depths of the Gloom. "Love the game that dropped but feel the pain for our team and especially the developer we’ve worked with for years - who has poured his heart and soul into his game," Antonsson lamented.
Raw Fury tweeted sarcastically on April 22: "Thank god Post Trauma was the only notable release of today and nothing else happened!" This reflects the frustration felt by the indie community when overshadowed by a giant like *Oblivion Remastered*.
From the perspective of Bethesda and its parent company Microsoft, the shadow-drop of *Oblivion Remastered* has been a resounding success. The game saw a strong start on Steam, dominating online discussions as players revel in the return of quirky character faces, nostalgic bugs, and beloved memes.
Even other games heavily marketed by Microsoft, such as *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33*, have felt the impact of *Oblivion Remastered*. Publisher Kepler Interactive acknowledged the 'Barbenheimer' effect of launching the same week as *Oblivion Remastered*, with both games debuting on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
For Raw Fury, setting the release date for *Post Trauma* without prior knowledge of *Oblivion Remastered*’s shadow-drop may simply be chalked up to unfortunate timing. It's a reminder of the unpredictable nature of the gaming industry.
For those eager to dive into *Oblivion Remastered*, our comprehensive guide covers everything from an expansive Interactive Map to complete Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and every Guild Quest, tips on How to Build the Perfect Character, Things to Do First, every PC Cheat Code, and much more.
