Is Skyrim Legendary Edition still worth it in 2023?
The quick answer – yes, absolutely. Despite being over a decade old, the Legendary Edition of Skyrim continues to offer tremendous value and enjoys an active community in 2023. Between its bundled DLC content and endless mods, it provides potentially hundreds of hours of adventure.
As a long-time Elder Scrolls fan who has logged several thousand hours across Skyrim editions on PC and consoles, this article offers an in-depth analysis explaining why Legendary Edition remains highly relevant in 2023 for both newcomers and veterans.
What is Skyrim Legendary Edition?
The Legendary Edition includes the huge original 2011 release plus its three major DLC expansions – Dawnguard, Hearthfire and Dragonborn:
| Edition & Year | Base Game | Dawnguard DLC | Hearthfire DLC | Dragonborn DLC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legendary Edition (2013) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Released as a "Game of the Year" bundle, it represents incredible value with vast content – made even bigger by mods.
How Does It Compare to Special & Anniversary Editions?
The 2016 remastered Special Edition and 2021 Anniversary Edition made notable visual improvements through updated engines, but the core content remains very similar outside creation club mods:
| Edition & Year | Graphics/Engine | Content | Mod Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legendary (2013) | Original | All DLCs | PC & Consoles |
| Special (2016) | Enhanced | All DLCs | PC & Consoles |
| Anniversary (2021) | Enhanced | All DLCs + CC Content | PC & Consoles |
In terms of core content, Legendary Edition is on par with other editions but at a fraction of the cost – explaining its enduring popularity.
Skyrim Remains Incredibly Popular in 2023
Over a decade since launch, Skyrim still draws ~13-15k concurrent players on Steam in 2023. And this is only accounting for one platform‘s original release, excluding console numbers:
Skyrim Legendary Edition also enjoys Overwhelmingly Positive reviews with recent praise on Steam highlighting its active mod scene keeping the game refreshingly replayable.
Critically, Skyrim retains an 85 Metascore after over 10 years – matching that of the newer Special Edition showing its core quality and appeal transcends graphical fidelity.
Simply put, Skyrim remains hugely popular thanks to its stellar open world gameplay – still inspiring players new and old to dive in.
Key Factor 1: Unparalleled Mod Support
The Skyrim modding community has been prolifically supporting Legendary Edition for over a decade, massively expanding its scope through quests, overhauls and total conversions like Enderal.
On NexusMods alone, Skyrim LE features over 50,000 mods and 1.5 billion downloads – dwarfing the numbers for more modern Bethesda games like Fallout 4 and Skyrim Special Edition.
Mod support has given Skyrim incredible longevity – allowing players to tailor or transform the experience to their interests across countless playthroughs in ways unmatched by virtually any other singleplayer game.
In 2023, Skyrim LE‘s mods offer endless gameplay possibilities for all players ranging from visual upgrades to new stories better than some AAA RPG narratives. Mods push Skyrim far beyond its age.
Key Factor 2: Multiplayer & Co-Op Mods
In 2023 there are fully-featured multiplayer mods that let you adventure across Skyrim together with friends – effectively adding an incredible co-op mode that transforms and modernizes gameplay.
The two most popular examples are Skyrim Together Reborn and Tamriel Online, both allowing for shared progression, questing, combat and exploration for lively new adventures revisiting Skyrim.
This multiplayer capability also hugely expands Skyrim‘s accessibility and fun factor for couples, friends or families wanting to enjoy its rich world together. Skyrim LE‘s multiplayer potential can‘t be understated.
Key Factor 3: Core Gameplay Mastery
Graphical advancements in newer titles are irrelevant when Skyrim Legendary Edition delivers an intricate open world built on equally strong gameplay foundations spanning combat, stealth, magic and more.
As one of the highest rated games ever made, Skyrim offers perhaps unmatched freedom through its non-linear exploration and dynamic questing backed by finely crafted lore driving the adventure – qualities shared across all editions.
Emergent storytelling sees no two playthroughs playing out the same either. This emphasis on player agency, discovery and depth keeps Skyrim feeling fresh and engaging even after 10+ years playing.
Ultimately Skyrim endures as a masterclass in open world first-person RPG design, artfully blending action and immersion highlighted by PackB1993‘s viral "Arrow in the Knee" meme with 140+ million views:
Skyrim has undoubtedly stood the test of time better than most contemporaries – explaining Legendary Edition‘s enduring worth.
Final Verdict: Still Fantastic Value in 2023
Offering the complete Skyrim experience bundled with all expansion content out of the box, the Legendary Edition absolutely remains worth playing in 2023 for a number of compelling reasons:
- Unrivaled scope through endless mods adding unlimited quests and overhauls
- New multiplayer potential for shared adventure co-op gameplay
- Timeless open world design rooted in player freedom and mystery
For curious newcomers and series veterans alike, Skyrim Legendary Edition promises potentially thousands of hours of adventure at a great value – made infinitely replayable through mods and multiplayer to craft your perfect personalized journey.
