The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Special Edition will get weather, hunger and more in the new update. The new updates are part of Survival Mode, in which the player also battles zombies and dragons. Skyrim Survival Mode will arrive on the Xbox One, PS4 and PC. The beta version is available now for anyone who wants to play it on PC, whereas PS4 and Xbox One players will get it “early next month.”
In the updated version, the map is designed to show the climate, and players need to survive through the rough climate to avoid freezing to death. There are different climate zones, and a player needs to be ready to tackle each one. Players will get the opportunity to survive in the extreme conditions with armor and clothing or standing near a fire.
Similarly, players will need to eat to stay alive, and they can also get a “well fed” bonus. The kind of food they eat will also determine their health. Eating raw food will make them sick, whereas cooked meat will be good. If a player is tired, their Magicka meter will run down, and they will need to sleep to raise the meter.
Another addition is freezing water, which can reduce the health meter of a player drastically, and taking a dip for too long can also cause death. To survive the water, one needs to have the flame cloak or Dunmer Ancestor’s wrath.
Further, fast travel is disabled, and players now carry less gold than what that could earlier. Shrines are not free anymore, and players will need to pay gold to use them. Now, players get only 50 extra carry weight for the Extra Pockets and The Steed Stone perks. In addition, the Skyrim Survival Mode will see the vampire or werewolf process increasing the amount of time to get cold. Players can also eat victims as a werewolf or vampire to increase their well fed status.
The amount of weight that a player can carry has been reduced drastically. Now arrows and lockpicks also carry weight. Carrying too much weight will kick in fatigue. If the player is low on diet and stays unhealthy for too long, it might result in more suffering, harming their strength, agility skills and spellcasting.
Skyrim Survival Mode, however, might now be available for free. As per the announcement, “Both PC and console players will get Survival Mode free for one week once it launches on their preferred platform.” After a one-week trial, it will be premium Creation Club content. As of now, there is no word on the pricing for the new mode, but it is quite clear that players need to make some effort to unlock it.
Another development for the game is also in the works. The update set for release in October will allow players to invite friends to the game. In other Skyrim-related news, the game will come to the Nintendo Switch in November.