Skyrim Special Edition unlock times, free upgrade terms confirmed

Skyrim Special Edition arrives next week in time for the original game's fifth year anniversary. After announcing its system requirements last week, Bethesda has now revealed exactly when it'll unlock depending on where you are in the world. What's more, the developer has also outlined the prerequisites existing owners will need to ascertain in order to nab the HD remaster for free.  

Boasting a range of new features designed to make the fifth Elder Scrolls series entry "feel fresh again", the Special Edition will introduce things like remastered art and effects, volumetric lighting (better known as 'god rays'), and new snow and water shaders, among other aesthetical tweaks. It's universal release is set for October 28 at 12am UTC, which translates to:

  • 5pm Pacific Time (October 27)
  • 8pm Eastern Time (October 27)
  • 1am British Summer Time (October 28)
  • 2am Central European Summer Time (October 28)
  • 11am Australian Eastern Time Zone (October 28)
  • 1pm New Zealand Time (October 28th)
  • 2pm Japan (October 28th)

As per this Steam Community update, if you already own Skyrim and all three of its separate DLCs—that's Dawnguard, Hearthfire and Dragonborn—or the Skyrim Legendary Edition, you'll receive the Special Edition free-of-charge. A disclaimer notes that "if you do not complete your Skyrim [and] all DLC bundle until October 28th, your free upgrade to Skyrim Special Edition may take up to 36 hours to apply to your account." 

Deputy Editor, PC Gaming Show
Latest in The Elder Scrolls
Serana from Skyrim, modded to look like a desiccated corpse.
Skyrim realism mod fixes your vampire girlfriend, giving her a voice and look more suited to someone who just got out of a coffin after 2,000 years
Image of a sweetroll with a candle in it
Bethesda marks Oblivion's 19th with a sweetroll, a candle, and absolutely no happy birthday gift for fans eager for the still-unannounced remaster
Skyblivion
Fan remake of Oblivion in Skyrim has a new video, looks amazing, is set for release 'this year,' and I struggle to imagine the rumoured official Oblivion remake doing much better
Skyrim man fighting a wolf
Skyrim was 'personally rebalanced' by producer Jeff Gardiner just 2 weeks before launch: 'Well, I hope this is good'
Skyrim intro cinematic skill - Hey, you. You're finally awake.
A Skyrim dev broke the game before launch when they made thousands of tiny ants cast individual shadows: 'Why is the game running so slow?'
Gang wars in modded Oblivion
Bethesda refuses to announce that Oblivion remaster to spite me specifically, so I'm consoling myself with this gamejam based on its terri-brilliant persuasion wheel
Latest in News
Two brightly colored stormtroopers dressed like Run-DMC stand in front of PAX Australia's WELCOME HOME banner.
Tickets for PAX Australia 2025 are on sale now
An Enshrouded player in a recreation of Erebor from The Lord of the Rings
Kings under the Mountain! 33 Enshrouded players spent 10,000 hours to recreate this iconic location from The Lord of the Rings
A mech awakens.
Mecha Break developer is considering unlocking all mechs following open beta feedback
Lara Croft Unified Art
Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics lays off 17 employees 'to better align our current business needs and the studio's future success'
A long bendy arm stealing money from people in a subway car
'You're a very long arm. You steal things. It's a comedy game,' explains developer of comedy game where you steal things with a very long arm
The heroes are attacked by monsters
Pillars of Eternity is getting turn-based combat to mark its 10th anniversary, and that means PC Gamer editors will soon be arguing about combat mechanics again