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How It Works • Games & Tech

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a single-player open-world action role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Skyrim is an open-world RPG from Bethesda Game Studios, released in 2011. It is the fifth main entry in The Elder Scrolls series, set in the province of Skyrim.

What it is

Skyrim is set in the cold, mountainous province of Skyrim in Tamriel. The player controls the Dragonborn, a character with the power to absorb dragon souls and use shouts. The main story follows the Dragonborn’s fight against the dragon Alduin, but the game includes many side quests and exploration-based activities.

Why it matters

Skyrim became one of the most heavily modded games of its era, with a large community creating visual upgrades, gameplay changes, quests, and quality-of-life improvements. Mod availability depends on platform and edition. The game has been re-released in multiple editions, including Special Edition and Anniversary Edition.

Key details

The original game launched in 2011 for Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Later editions such as Special Edition and Anniversary Edition added technical improvements and bundled additional content. Skyrim has a significant Canadian player base and remains widely available on Canadian console and PC storefronts.

In short

  • Fifth main game in The Elder Scrolls series.
  • Player controls the Dragonborn with dragon soul absorption and shouts.
  • Set in the province of Skyrim.
  • Large modding scene.
Canadian angle

Skyrim has a significant Canadian player base and remains widely available on Canadian console and PC storefronts; Canadian readers may encounter edition differences, platform availability, and mod support that vary by retailer and subscription service.

Quick questions

What is Skyrim?
Skyrim is an open-world action role-playing game set in the fantasy world of The Elder Scrolls. Players take on the role of the Dragonborn and explore the province of Skyrim while completing quests and fighting dragons.
How long to beat Skyrim?
Main story completion is commonly around 25–35 hours, while a full playthrough with many side quests can take well over 100 hours. Completion time varies widely because the game is highly open-ended.
What is the Skyrim anniversary edition?
The Skyrim Anniversary Edition is a release of Skyrim Special Edition bundled with Creation Club content available at launch, including additional quests, gear, and gameplay additions.

Sources

  1. Bethesda — https://elderscrolls.bethesda.net/
    Supports: Anniversary Edition bundles Special Edition with Creation Club content released at launch.
  2. Simple English Wikipedia — https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_V:_Skyrim
    Supports: Skyrim is an action role-playing open-world video game by Bethesda Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks, released on November 11, 2011.
  3. Elder Scrolls Wiki (Fandom) — https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_V:_Skyrim
    Supports: Game is single-player, fifth main entry in the series, and set about 200 years after Oblivion.
  4. Fextralife — https://skyrim.wiki.fextralife.com/Skyrim
    Supports: Skyrim is an open-world action RPG set in the province of Skyrim with the Dragonborn main story.
  5. IGN — https://www.ign.com/wikis/the-elder-scrolls-5-skyrim/skyrim
    Supports: Skyrim is the primary explorable location in the game and is the homeland of the Nords.