Do People Still Play Skyrim? Yes, And Here’s Why

Do people still play Skyrim?

Last week, a new reader of our blog asked if people still play Skyrim. I feel this is a legitimate question. It’s already been six months since we celebrated Skyrim’s second birthday after all, and in terms of a video game’s lifespan Skyrim is getting long in the tooth. Since Skyrim’s debut, the next-generation gaming consoles have hit the market as well as new RPGs such as The Elder Scrolls Online — not to mention future releases like Witcher 3: Wild Hunt  that some pundits claim will be a Skyrim killer. With the passage of time and all the changes in the video game industry that have occurred in the last 2 1/2 years, is it any wonder that some may question whether people still play Skyrim?

People Still Play Skyrim

As editor of the Skyrim Fansite I can attest that people still play Skyrim — and it’s not just me or the fans who’ve become members of this community or joined our Facebook page. Each and every month our site receives upwards of 30,000 searches for terms directly related to Skyrim character building including: skyrim ultimate character, best skyrim race, how to raise your smithing skill quickly, and hundreds more. Based on our fansite’s traffic alone, I know that gamers are still actively playing Skyrim.

Modding Community

But our site isn’t unique — players are also flocking to Steam and Nexus to try out the latest mods. Skyrim boasts an active modding community with thousands of mods already created, and new ones being released weekly. Some mods are brilliant, like the Towns and Villages Enhanced Collection that add extra levels of detail and beauty throughout Skyrim’s cities (better lighting, new flora, etc.). Other mods aren’t so serious, but are simply crazy fun like the one that changes all the Dragons in Skyrim into Thomas the Tank Engine (watch the YouTube video at the end of this post and see if you don’t laugh!).

Silliness aside, the modding community is so involved with Skyrim that two major projects are in the works:

• Project Skywind is recreating the Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind from scratch with the Skyrim game engine.
• Beyond Skyrim is creating all the provinces in Tamriel within the Skyrim game.

These massive modding projects, and the hundreds of enthusiastic volunteers involved are further evidence that people still play Skyrim.

Why Do They Still Play?

So why exactly do people still play Skyrim? The simple answer is that Skyrim is an amazing game. There are other amazing games out there, so I would go one step further by claiming that Skyrim is a game that has defined a generation, blowing the doors off of any RPG that has proceeded it. Before you chalk this up as the crazy ravings of a rabid fanboy, consider this: Skyrim has sold over 20 million copies, and has earned over 200 Game of the Year awards (yes, Skyrim is that good).

Despite its age, Skyrim is still as fresh as the day it was released way back in 2011. People still play Skyrim because of its:

• Robust character creation and leveling system,
• Open world concept and immense world to explore,
• Graphics, music and immersive qualities.

The game is an additive masterpiece, a gateway into an imaginative world that gamers spend hundreds of hours getting lost in. Skyrim is not a game so much as it is a lifestyle, so yes, I’m happy to say that people still play. And you know what? I’m confident that people will continue to do so many years from now.

Final Thoughts

So what do you think? Do people still play Skyrim? Why or why not? I’ve started a special topic in our forums where you can share your opinions and ideas. Your fellow Skyrim Fansite members would love to hear what you have to say, so please make a post or two. Until next time! [youtube_sc url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNaTZV8qS1I”]