The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Guide#
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is an open-world action RPG developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks, with Todd Howard as game director. Set in Skyrim, the northernmost province of Tamriel, it opens with the return of dragons after a thousand years of silence — and you are the Dragonborn, able to absorb dragon souls and master the Voice, forging your own path through a dragon crisis and a civil war.
Everything in this section was rebuilt on online verification completed on October 8, 2026. Figures and lists cite their sources, and anything not yet verified item by item is explicitly marked “per UESP and other wikis” rather than filled in with speculation.
Initial release: November 11, 2011 — simultaneously worldwide on PC / PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360.
Platform and Version Timeline#
| Version | Release Date | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Original | November 11, 2011 | PC, PS3, Xbox 360 |
| Special Edition | October 28, 2016 | PC, PS4, Xbox One |
| Switch version | November 17, 2017 | Switch |
| Anniversary Edition | November 11, 2021 | PS5, Xbox Series X|S (PC players can buy the Anniversary Upgrade for the same content) |
| Switch 2 version | December 9, 2025 | Switch 2 |
Game Information#
All figures below were verified online (en.wikipedia.org, en.uesp.net, skyrim.fandom.com, and others; verification date October 8, 2026).
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Bethesda Game Studios |
| Publisher | Bethesda Softworks |
| Genre | Open-world action RPG, single-player |
| Engine | Creation Engine (an evolution of Gamebryo), upgraded to 64-bit from the Special Edition onward |
| Release | November 11, 2011, simultaneously worldwide on PC / PS3 / Xbox 360 |
| Holds | 9 |
| Playable races | 10 |
| Skills | 18, split across the Warrior, Mage, and Thief trees |
| Dragon shouts | 20 in the base game; 27 in total with the official DLC (Dawnguard +3, Dragonborn +4) |
| Daedric quests | 16, of which 15 artifacts count toward the “Oblivion Walker” achievement |
| Main quest | 17 required quests + 2 optional quests |
| Achievements | 75 achievements totaling 1,550 gamerscore in the Special Edition |
Sales and Critical Reception#
- More than 3.5 million copies sold in the first 48 hours after launch.
- In June 2023, Bethesda announced sales had passed 60 million copies, ranking 7th among the best-selling single games of all time.
- In July 2026, Bethesda confirmed global sales had topped 65 million, tying The Witcher 3.
- Review scores (Metacritic, cited via ja.wikipedia.org): Xbox 360 version 96/100, PC version 94/100, PS3 version 92/100.
- Famitsu awarded a perfect 40/40 — the first Western game to earn a perfect score from the magazine.
Core Features#
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Open-world freedom | Skyrim is made up of 9 holds, each with a capital city, and the main quest runs alongside guild, Daedric, and civil-war storylines |
| Dragons and the Dragonborn | Killing a dragon lets you absorb its soul, and souls unlock words of power; souls only come from dragon kills, with no respawn cycle |
| Free-form skills | No class restrictions — all 18 skills grow through use, and the three trees mix freely |
| The shout system | Every shout is built from 3 words of power; the main quest hands you 15 words outright, while the remaining 44 must be unlocked with dragon souls |
| Faction questlines | The Companions, College of Winterhold, Thieves Guild, Dark Brotherhood, and Bards College each have a home base and a complete questline |
| Multi-version longevity | From the 2011 original to the 2025 Switch 2 release, Skyrim has kept arriving on new platforms for over a decade |
Getting Started Tips#
| # | Tip | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pick a race to match your playstyle | All 10 races have their own strengths, and the opening choice mostly shapes the early game — exact racial traits follow the UESP Races page |
| 2 | Follow the main quest to Whiterun | After escaping Helgen, report the dragon attack in Riverwood — the opening main-quest steps introduce the shout and dragon-soul systems |
| 3 | Buy a house early | Breezehome in Whiterun costs 5,000 gold and is the cheapest home in the game — a fixed storage point |
| 4 | Build a manual-save habit | Autosaves in Skyrim are limited, so always save manually before major choices (picking a side in the civil war, branching quests) |
| 5 | Don’t rush the main quest | The 17 required quests are short on their own; guild lines, Daedric quests, and exploring the holds are where the hours go |
| 6 | Watch your carry weight | Encumbrance affects exploring and fast travel — invest in Stamina on level-up to raise the cap |
| 7 | Use horses and carriages | Carriages connect the cities and save real time before the map is discovered |
| 8 | Find cover when a dragon shows up | Trading fire in the open is a losing game — duck indoors or behind rocks, then strike when it lands |
Main Quest Opening Path (in verified quest order)#
| Step | Location | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helgen | Escape the dragon attack and finish character creation — following either Hadvar or Ralof works |
| 2 | Riverwood | Report the dragon attack and receive supplies and an introduction |
| 3 | Whiterun | Report to the Jarl and trigger the next stage of the main quest |
| 4 | Bleak Falls Barrow | Destination of the third required main quest, “Bleak Falls Barrow” |
| 5 | Western Watchtower | Kill Mirmulnir — your first dragon kill, absorb its soul, and become the Dragonborn |
| 6 | High Hrothgar | Learn Unrelenting Force from the Greybeards |
| 7 | Anywhere | Skyrim is now fully open — guilds, Daedra, the civil war, and exploration in whatever order you like |
Game Systems#
Leveling and Skills#
Skyrim has no class levels — you are what you practice. Improving any skill builds overall progress and drives character level-ups.
| Skill Tree | Skills |
|---|---|
| Warrior | One-Handed, Two-Handed, Archery, Block, Smithing, Heavy Armor |
| Mage | Destruction, Restoration, Alteration, Illusion, Conjuration, Enchanting |
| Thief | Sneak, Lockpicking, Pickpocket, Light Armor, Alchemy, Speech |
- Each level-up grants 10 points to split among Health, Magicka, and Stamina, plus 1 perk point.
- Perk points are limited — you cannot max out every skill tree, so settle on a build first and invest accordingly.
- A skill at 100 can be made Legendary, resetting it to 15 to grow again (see the Races and Skills guide).
Combat System#
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Left and right hands | Weapons, shields, and spells can go in either hand freely — dual-wielding, sword-and-board, or spell-plus-weapon all work |
| Sneak attacks | Melee sneak attacks deal 2x base damage; 6x with the Backstab perk, and 15x with daggers plus Assassin’s Blade |
| Dragon shouts | Usable as soon as they are unlocked, each with a fixed cooldown; only one shout can be equipped at a time |
| Followers | You can take one follower along at a time to soak damage and carry extra weight |
Difficulty Options#
Skyrim offers multiple difficulty tiers, and difficulty only scales damage dealt and taken — the exact multipliers are not verified here, so defer to the in-game difficulty notes and the UESP Difficulty page. Every tier can finish the game, from a relaxed story walk to hardcore survival (Survival Mode ships with the Anniversary Edition), and achievements are not tied to a difficulty setting — when in doubt, start in the middle.
Versions and Pricing#
| Version | Steam Price (current) |
|---|---|
| Special Edition | $39.99 |
| Anniversary Edition bundle | $49.99 |
| Anniversary Upgrade | $19.99 |
The Anniversary Edition launched at ¥149 with a ¥79 upgrade path for Special Edition owners on November 11, 2021 — the lowest regional price in the world at the time (ithome.com, gamersky.com). It bundles more than 500 Creation Club elements: new quests, dungeons, bosses, weapons, and spells, plus Survival Mode and fishing.
What to Play First#
| Content | Why |
|---|---|
| The first 6 main-quest steps | Unlocks the two core systems — shouts and dragon souls |
| All five faction questlines | Each has a full story and its own exclusive rewards |
| The 16 Daedric quests | 15 Daedric artifacts count toward the “Oblivion Walker” achievement |
| Pick a side in the civil war | It changes hold ownership and is one of the few irreversible choices in the game |
| The Standing Stones and shout collection | Two long-term collection lines that shape your growth path |
Related Games#
- Fallout 4 — Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic open-world RPG
- Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Remastered — the series’ classic pirate-era entry
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 — the medieval open-world RPG sequel
- God of War — a Norse-mythology action RPG
- Horizon Zero Dawn — a sci-fi open-world action RPG
FAQ#
Which version of Skyrim should I buy?#
The Anniversary Edition bundle ($49.99 on Steam) includes the base game with 500+ Creation Club elements plus Survival Mode and fishing; existing Special Edition owners can add the same content through the $19.99 Anniversary Upgrade.
How many dragon shouts are there?#
27 in total — 20 in the base game, plus 3 from Dawnguard and 4 from the Dragonborn DLC.
How many Daedric quests are there?#
16, and 15 of the Daedric artifacts count toward the “Oblivion Walker” achievement.
How long is the main quest?#
17 required quests plus 2 optional ones — the main storyline is a fraction of the full game, since guild lines, Daedric quests, and exploring the holds take far longer.
How many achievements does the Special Edition have?#
75 achievements worth 1,550 gamerscore in total.
How many playable races are there?#
10 — the choice mainly shapes the early game, and exact racial traits follow the UESP Races page.
Does difficulty affect achievements?#
No. Achievements unlock on any difficulty tier, and every tier can complete the game.
What is the cheapest house in Skyrim?#
Breezehome in Whiterun, at 5,000 gold.
Related Rankings#
Best RPGs of All Time, Ranked · Best Open-World Games of All Time: Top 10 · Open World Map Sizes Compared · Hardest Bosses of All Time, Ranked
Full Guides#
In-depth sub-guides — beginner basics, the full main quest, every faction and Daedric questline, builds, dragon shouts, and collectibles — are available in Chinese on NTGame’s Skyrim section.