A month after its launch, a small percentage of players have completed the main questline of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. This isn't surprising, as fans are deeply engaged in other aspects of the game. I'm among those fans who've been enjoying Oblivion Remastered since its surprise release on April 22. After leaving the sewers and delivering the Amulet of Kings to Jauffre at Weynon Priory, I've deliberately avoided the main questline. Instead, I've immersed myself in joining the Fighters Guild, exploring the vast landscapes of Cyrodiil, and tackling numerous side quests. I've even attempted to break out of the game's map boundaries, inspired by another player's success.

Why avoid the main quest? The side quests in Oblivion are incredibly engaging and fun, and I'm also trying to sidestep the more challenging parts of the main storyline, such as the siege of Kvatch, while keeping my level progression slow.

It seems many other players are doing the same. "I'm BUSY doing OTHER STUFF like hunting for SLAUGHTERFISH in Lake Rumare," said the aptly named redditor MrCrispyFriedChicken, commenting on the low completion stats of the main questline. "I've spent 160 hours in the game already, and Kvatch is still waiting for me," Roffear added. "I'm one of those weirdos who actually likes the Oblivion gates, so I don't finish the main quest until I've found and closed all 60 gates in my world," shared Ellert0. "After 44 hours and an in-game year, I haven't even visited Weynon Priory," PlayaHatinIG-88 remarked. "Those poor Kvatch city guards never stood a chance."

At the time of writing, only 2.97% of Xbox players and 4.4% of Steam players have completed the main questline. The difference might be attributed to Xbox Game Pass, where players may have sampled Oblivion Remastered before moving on, whereas Steam players, having purchased the game, are more committed.

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Despite over 4 million players engaging with Oblivion Remastered, the completion rate remains low. This trend isn't unique to Oblivion; many video games, regardless of their length or genre, have low completion rates. The completion statistics might be further skewed for Oblivion Remastered because it's a remaster of a beloved game. Players who completed the original game might now prefer to explore the enhanced visuals and new features rather than replay the main quest. Some, like one player who spent seven hours setting up a domino effect with books, are simply enjoying the game's sandbox nature.

Thaddeus122, who's almost 100 hours in, hasn't completed three of the main quests but has finished the Arena and the Mages Guild. "The rest of the time? Leveling, getting money for homes, closing all the Oblivion gates, the Nirnroot quest, a bunch of little quests. And I don't fast travel anywhere," they explained.