The Elder Scrolls haven’t seen a new single-player installment for nearly six years, but Bethesda is doing everything they can to keep Skyrim relevant. Not only are they bringing the open-world fantasy adventure to the Nintendo Switch in November, but today Bethesda announced the PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 versions of Skyrim: Special Edition will be getting a new feature: Survival Mode.
Much like the survival modes featured in Fallout: New Vegas and Fallout 4, Skyrim’s survival mode will make players’ treks through the brutal frozen landscapes feel as treacherous as they look. According to the post on Bethesda’s blog, the mode will be available from the Creation Club in early October and be free for owners of the Special Edition for one week. After that, the mode will become a paid mod though there is no information yet as to the eventual price.
Survival Mode will introduce the following changes to the Skyrim experience:
- Hunger – Players will have to cook and eat foods to stave off starvation. Some foods also provide benefits to ward off other conditions.
- Fatigue – As players go without sleep, effectiveness of potions and maximum available magika will decrease over time. Sleeping outdoors will no longer grant the Well Rested bonus.
- Warmth/Cold – As players get colder, the ability to do dexterous things like pick locks will decrease. player can also die of exposure. Things like fire, hot soup, or warm clothes can negate this.
- Freezing Water – Icy waters will now immediately cause damage and increase the cold condition.
- Fast Travel – Fast travel is disabled and travel via carriages or boats can leave players exhausted or starving on arrival.
- Regeneration – Health will no longer regenerate over time. Food, spells and potions will be the only way to recover lost health.
- Leveling – Players will have to rest in a bed in order to access the benefits of gaining a level.
- Carry Weight – Carry weight is significantly reduced and previously weightless stacked items like lockpicks and arrows now have weight. In addition, benefits such as Extra Pockets or The Steed Stone have reduced effectiveness.
- Disease – New diseases have been added, including Food Poisoning which can be contracted from eating uncooked meat. Shrines will no longer cure diseases for free, a gold donation will be required.
- Afflictions – Secondary conditions to diseases that occur if your character spends too long unwell. New afflictions include Weakened, Addled, and Frostbitten.
- Vampires and Werewolves – Transformed players will be forced to feed on victims to satisfy their hunger.
Players who already have Skyrim Special Edition on Steam can opt into the Survival Mode beta now.