Is Skyrim Anniversary Edition Worth It in 2022?
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is one of the most beloved fantasy RPGs of all time. First released in 2011, Skyrim allows players to explore the vast open world of Tamriel as the Dragonborn – a hero born with the soul of a dragon.
Over a decade later, Skyrim still has an extremely active modding community and continues to draw in new fans. In November 2021, Bethesda released Skyrim Anniversary Edition to celebrate the game‘s 10 year anniversary. This version includes all previously released DLCs and over 500 elements from the Creation Club.
But is Skyrim Anniversary Edition worth buying or upgrading to in 2022? In this detailed guide, we‘ll compare Skyrim Anniversary Edition to the original and Special Edition to help you decide if it‘s worth it for you.
What is Skyrim Anniversary Edition?
Skyrim Anniversary Edition includes the base game, all three DLC expansions (Dawnguard, Hearthfire, Dragonborn), plus over 500 pieces of Creation Club content.
The Creation Club is an in-game store in Skyrim Special Edition that offers new quests, dungeons, mounts, spells, armor, and more made by Bethesda as well as outside partner creators. Previously, Creation Club content had to be purchased individually like DLC.
For Skyrim‘s 10 year anniversary, Bethesda compiled over 500 Creation Club elements totalling over 150GB of new content. This includes pre-existing Creation Club content as well as new items made specifically for Anniversary Edition.
Everything is included in one bundle rather than having to buy each piece individually. Anniversary Edition owners get access to all 74 Creation Club releases.
Is Skyrim Anniversary Edition a Remaster?
Skyrim Anniversary Edition is not a separate remaster of the game. It requires the Special Edition as a base.
The Skyrim Special Edition was a remaster released in 2016 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. It featured improved graphics, effects, and more advanced mod support compared to the original 2011 release.
The Anniversary Edition is essentially a content bundle for Skyrim Special Edition. It does not overhaul the graphics or engine. The visuals are the same as Special Edition, but new Creation Club content adds to the gameplay experience.
Key Differences Between Skyrim Editions
Here‘s a quick overview of the key differences between each edition of Skyrim:
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) – The original base game.
- Skyrim Legendary Edition (2013) – Base game + DLCs.
- Skyrim Special Edition (2016) – Remastered graphics and engine.
- Skyrim VR (2017) – Virtual reality port.
- Skyrim Anniversary Edition (2021) – Special Edition + 500+ Creation Club elements.
The Anniversary Edition is the most comprehensive version with the huge amount of new content added on top of the Special Edition improvements.
Is Anniversary Edition Worth It for Graphics and Performance?
Since Anniversary Edition uses the same graphics and engine as Special Edition, there is no major improvement in visuals or performance compared to the 2016 remaster.
The core visuals, textures, and technical aspects are untouched. Creation Club content adheres to Special Edition standards and does not overhaul the graphics.
If you are solely looking for visual/technical enhancements, Anniversary Edition is not worth upgrading for. It looks and runs the same as Skyrim SE. The value is in the new content.
However, Anniversary Edition does include some Creation Club elements that can enhance visuals and immersion like new weather systems, night skies, foliage, and landscape improvements. But the core graphics are the same.
What‘s New in Anniversary Edition?
Here‘s an overview of some of the key additions in Skyrim Anniversary Edition:
New Questlines
Over 20 new story quests have been added via Creation Club content. These include fully voiced narrative adventures with cutscenes and new characters to meet.
Notable ones include The Cause, Redguard Elite Armaments, Nix Hound, and Lost Wonders of Mzark.
New Locations
Anniversary Edition adds more than 20 new dungeons, areas to explore, player homes, and settlements through Creation Club releases.
New locations range from sprawling new territories to small hidden caves with quests attached. This expands the world and gives you more places to discover.
New Bosses & Enemies
Take on new supernatural foes like the Forgotten Seasons and Goblins, as well as new creatures to battle like the Nix Hound and Bone Wolf.
New world bosses have also been added through Creation Club content for high level players to find and defeat.
More Gear & Loot
Hundreds of new weapons, apparel, armor, and magic items have been added through Creation Club releases.
You can find new artifacts, craft new gear, and earn unique outfits through Anniversary Edition‘s Creation Club content. There are weapons and armor to fit different playstyles.
New Gameplay Mechanics
Some of the Creation Club releases introduce new gameplay mechanics to expand Skyrim‘s core systems.
Survival Mode adds a whole new survival gameplay loop requiring you to stay warm, sleep, and eat. The Rare Curios DLC lets you craft new items like potions and foods.
More Spells & Abilities
Dozens of new spells have been added in Anniversary Edition, including higher level magic schools, necromancy, sun based spells, druid magic, and more.
New perk trees and abilities are also available, like a Rogue skill tree focused on stealth gameplay.
More Character Customization
From tattoos to scars to face paint and more jewelry options, Anniversary Edition expands the character customization tools through various Creation Club releases.
You can make your Dragonborn look truly unique thanks to the sheer volume of appearance options added.
500+ New Elements Total
In total, Skyrim Anniversary Edition includes over 500 pieces of Creation Club content, from small additions like new mounts or pets, to expansive new quests and areas to explore.
It would take weeks to experience everything new available in Anniversary Edition. There is a massive amount of content.
What is Included in Anniversary Edition?
To summarize, Skyrim Anniversary Edition includes:
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
- All 3 DLC expansions: Dawnguard, Hearthfire, Dragonborn
- 500+ pieces of Creation Club content, including:
- New quests and storylines
- New dungeons, locations, and player homes
- New creatures and enemies
- Hundreds of new weapons and armor
- New spells, magic, and abilities
- New gameplay mechanics like Survival Mode
- More customization options
- And much more
Existing Special Edition owners on PC, PS4, and Xbox One can upgrade to Anniversary Edition for $19.99 USD.
For those who have never played Skyrim before, Anniversary Edition is also available as a standalone purchase for $49.99 USD. This contains the full package.
Overall, you‘re getting the complete Skyrim experience plus hundreds of hours of new content for a fairly affordable upgrade price.
Is Anniversary Edition Worth It for First Time Players?
If you have somehow never played Skyrim before, the Anniversary Edition is absolutely worth purchasing as your first dive into the game.
It contains the full base game, all expansions, and an absurd amount of additional content for only $50. You‘d easily spend double that or more buying all Creation Club elements individually.
Anniversary Edition removes the need to worry about buying DLCs or extra content. Everything is included immediately, which is ideal for new players.
Given the enormous volume of content available, Anniversary Edition is an incredible value for anyone who has yet to play Skyrim. It‘s the definitive way to experience this legendary RPG.
Is Anniversary Edition Worth Upgrading For?
For those who already own and have played Skyrim Special Edition, the decision is a bit more nuanced. Here are some factors to consider:
Have you played with mods?
If you have heavily modded Skyrim SE, upgrading may not add as much new content since popular mods already add quests, gear, mechanics, etc.
However, Anniversary Edition can still be worth it for introducing new stories, lands, and gear made directly by Bethesda. Mods and Creation Club content nicely complement each other.
Do you enjoy the core gameplay loop?
How much you enjoy repeating Skyrim‘s core open world gameplay loop will determine if the 500+ hours of new adventures in Anniversary Edition are worth experiencing.
If you‘ve drained hundreds of hours from the base game, upgrading may not provide enough fresh experiences to warrant paying again. But if you still love playing Skyrim after all these years, the new Creation Club content will give you more to enjoy.
Have you played recently?
If you put dozens or hundreds of hours into Skyrim years ago but haven‘t touched it for a long time, Anniversary Edition is a great excuse to jump back in.
The new content will make it feel fresh again for returning players. It‘s a nice change of pace after not playing for an extended period.
Do you have Special Edition already?
Owners of the 2016 remaster can upgrade to Anniversary Edition for only $20, a huge savings compared to non-owners.
Already having access to Special Edition makes the upgrade extremely affordable. You still get all the Creation Club content at a discount.
Are you a completionist?
For players who love completing every quest and experiencing all content, Anniversary Edition is appealing to scratch that completionist itch.
The hundreds of new items and quests added provide so many more checkboxes to tick off the list to hit 100% completion.
Is Anniversary Edition Worth $20 For the Upgrade?
At only $20 to upgrade, Skyrim Anniversary Edition is likely worth the price for most Special Edition owners. Even just a few of the larger Creation Club releases like Fishing, Survival Mode, or The Cause could individually cost $5-$15.
You‘d have to spend hundreds individually buying all Creation Club content ala carte. Getting access to everything for $20 is an absolute steal.
The upgrade is essentially 20 DLCs in one bundle. In terms of value for money, this is a great proposition for Skyrim fans.
Unless you have zero interest in ever playing more Skyrim, the Anniversary Edition upgrade is absolutely worth it.
What are the Best New Creation Club Releases?
While there are over 500 new pieces of content, some of the Creation Club releases really stand out. Here are some of the best and most expansive releases included:
Fishing – Adds a deep fishing system with new cooking recipes and gameplay mechanics.
Survival Mode – Requires eating, sleeping, staying warm in harsh climates to survive.
Saints & Seducers – Epic new storyline with unique characters and locations.
Gray Cowl of Nocturnal – All new storyline with cutscenes and voiced characters.
Rare Curios – Lets you cook and craft powerful new potions and foods.
The Cause – Investigate a deadly plague sweeping Skyrim in this detailed questline.
Forgotten Seasons – Battle scary new monsters from Celtic lore.
Sunder & Wraithguard – Craft the legendary tools of Kagrenac the Dwemer.
Umbra – Epic questline centered around the deadly Daedric Artifact sword.
Arcane Archer Pack – Devastating new archery abilities and weapons.
Camping – Set up camp anywhere and gain resting bonuses.
Slay Harpies at Swallow‘s Roost – Battle bird women and cleanse a haunted barrow.
Knights of the Flame – Join an order of holy warriors based out of a new castle.
Chrysamere – Retrieve the legendary Paladin‘s Warhammer.
Civil War Champions – New heroes join the war with powerful artifacts.
Staff of Hasedoki – Acquire this unique new staff with magical abilities.
Goblins – Battle the mischievous new goblin threat.
And much more! With 74 releases, there is almost too much to easily summarize. But needless to say there are dozens of excellent, high quality Creations here.
What Features are Missing in Anniversary Edition?
While Anniversary Edition packs in an absurd amount of content, there are still a few notable features it does not include:
- Enhanced graphics/engine – Uses original Special Edition graphics.
- Multiplayer – No way to play with friends. Mods required.
- Full mod support – Limited modding capabilities compared to original PC release.
- Performance improvements – Similar performance to Special Edition.
- VR support – Can‘t play in VR without mods.
Anniversary Edition is purely a content update. It doesn‘t significantly upgrade performance, graphics, or core systems.
What‘s the File Size for Anniversary Edition?
The sheer amount of new content included makes Anniversary Edition‘s install size massive – it clocks in at over 150 GB on Xbox Series X.
On PC, the download is around 70 GB. Make sure you have plenty of free disk space before buying.
For reference, the base Special Edition is around 15 GB – so Anniversary Edition over 10x larger. The 500+ Creation Club elements contribute heavily to bloating the file size.
Thankfully, Series X and PS5 owners at least can take advantage of fast loading times and mid-gen console performance. A beefy gaming PC is ideal to handle Anniversary Edition.
How is Performance on Xbox Series X/S & PS5?
Despite the huge 150GB+ file size, Skyrim Anniversary Edition runs fairly well on the latest consoles thanks to their increased horsepower.
On Xbox Series X/S, Anniversary Edition plays at 60 FPS just like Special Edition with improved loading times. Performance is solid.
Similarly on PlayStation 5, the game targets a 60 FPS framerate at 4K resolution. Load times are practically instant.
There are occasional dips during graphically intense moments, but overall Series X/S and PS5 can easily handle Anniversary Edition.
Make sure to install it on an SSD or internal storage rather than external HDD for optimal performance.
Is Anniversary Edition Worth it on Switch?
Skyrim Anniversary Edition is also available on Nintendo Switch, which is impressive given the weaker hardware. However, there are some caveats:
- Visuals are downgraded compared to other platforms
- Framerate capped at 30 FPS
- Much longer loading times
- Motion controls forced on handheld
Still, having hundreds of hours of Skyrim on the go may be worth the technical compromises. But PS, Xbox, or PC will provide a better experience. Check some comparisons first.
Frame rate is playable but noticeably choppier compared to 60 FPS on other platforms. Visuals are scaled back as well.
If you mainly play Switch, Anniversary Edition can still be worth it for portable Skyrim. But other versions are ideal.
Should You Buy Anniversary or Special Edition?
If you‘ve yet to play any version of Skyrim, absolutely get Anniversary Edition. It contains everything you could want as a new player.
For current Special Edition owners, the Anniversary Edition upgrade adds tremendous value at only $20. The amount of new content justifies the upgrade cost.
However, if you absolutely refuse to pay again and are satisfied with heavily modding, you could stick with vanilla Special Edition. But upgrading is recommended.
Unless you only care about enhanced graphics and performance (which the upgrade does not provide), Anniversary Edition is the definitive version of Skyrim to own in 2022.
Anniversary Edition Review Summary
Overall, Skyrim Anniversary Edition is absolutely worth purchasing – either as an upgrade for $20 or standalone for $50. Here‘s a quick summary:
Pros
- Insane value with 500+ pieces of content
- Dozens of new quests and storylines
- Massive amount of new weapons/armor/spells/abilities
- Nice refresh for returning players
- Attractive upgrade price for owners
- Great way to experience Skyrim as a new player
Cons
- No graphical/technical enhancements
- Potentially too much nostalgic repetition
- Core gameplay loop still the same
- Upgrade less appealing for heavy modders
- Large 150GB+ install size
For fans who still enjoy Skyrim‘s epic open world RPG gameplay, Anniversary Edition is a bounty of new adventures that could keep you playing for hundreds more hours.
The staggering amount of content added in one definitive bundle makes Anniversary Edition absolutely essential for diehard Skyrim fans. Casual players may be satisfied with the original.
But if you adore Skyrim and want an excuse to keep exploring Tamriel, Anniversary Edition is a worthy purchase in 2022.