Indie Game Launch Overshadowed by Oblivion Remastered Release

The surprise launch of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered on April 22 captivated online audiences, but indie developers releasing their game on the same day were left struggling for visibility.

Jonas Antonsson, co-founder of indie publisher Raw Fury, shared on social media how major shadow-drops like Oblivion Remastered can overshadow smaller titles, leaving them “buried” in the market.

“I loved Oblivion in my youth and still cherish it, and I’m thrilled to see it revitalized for a new generation,” Antonsson said.

“But for indie developers and publishers, these massive shadow-drops pose a challenge. We lack the resources to compete, so we meticulously plan our releases around other launches to maximize visibility.”

Antonsson highlighted Post Trauma by Red Soul Games, published by Raw Fury on April 22. This puzzle horror game, inspired by PS2-era classics, invites players to “explore eerie settings, confront dangers, and encounter other lost souls in the Gloom’s depths.”

“I admire the game that launched, but my heart goes out to our team and the developer who poured years of passion into this project,” Antonsson added.

Raw Fury tweeted with irony on April 22: “Good thing Post Trauma was the only major release today and nothing else stole the spotlight!”

From the perspective of Bethesda and its parent company Microsoft, the Oblivion Remastered shadow-drop has been a triumph. The game saw a strong debut on Steam, sparking lively online discussions about its quirky character designs, nostalgic bugs, and memes.

Even other titles heavily marketed by Microsoft have struggled to compete with Oblivion Remastered. This week, Kepler Interactive, publisher of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, noted the 'Barbenheimer' buzz of launching alongside Oblivion Remastered, both available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

For Raw Fury, unaware of Oblivion Remastered’s surprise launch when setting Post Trauma’s release date, the timing was an unfortunate coincidence.

Explore our detailed guide to Oblivion Remastered, featuring an interactive map, full walkthroughs for the main quest and guild missions, character-building tips, early-game priorities, PC cheat codes, and more.