Oblivion Remastered “memory management” issue that makes the game run worse the more you play, but there’s a simple-yet-annoying fix

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While The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered offers an impressive visual and gameplay experience, it unfortunately grapples with a number of performance problems. On PC, users have turned to placebo mods that don’t provide any real benefits, and console gamers are simply left managing these issues on their own.

It’s been discovered that Oblivion Remastered encounters a problem related to “memory management” on all consoles, which means the game runs less optimally as you progress through play. Initially, the game operates at its best when you first start it up, but soon, its performance will deteriorate.

How to fix the Oblivion Remastered memory issue

According to Digital Foundry’s analysis, the present edition of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered experiences a “memory management” problem. This issue causes players who play for extended periods to encounter a significant drop in performance.

According to Performance Analyst Tom Morgan, the performance on PS5 and Xbox gradually decreases as playtime continues. For instance, starting the game afresh (closing the software, then reopening it and loading a saved game for the first time) typically provides a higher frame rate compared to prolonged gameplay.

In Oblivion Remastered, some players may encounter a decrease in game performance after playing for over fifteen minutes, and this issue worsens when numerous save states are loaded. Interestingly, an area that initially runs smoothly at 60fps in performance mode on a fresh start can significantly drop to the mid-30s during repetitive play.

Morgan pointed out that continuously moving from one location to another, or switching between different saved game points on a console, can strain both the engine and fuel efficiency. This issue applies to all types of gaming consoles.

It’s worth noting that as players delve deeper into the game without a fresh start, there’s a possibility of encountering newly emerging glitches. Over time, features such as Lumen lighting might malfunction, and the camera angle during horseback rides may unexpectedly adjust.

Whenever my game’s performance becomes a bit laggy or unresponsive, I’ve found that the best solution is to close and reopen it properly, then load up a saved game. It seems like this isn’t just an issue with the game I’m currently playing, but has been a recurring problem in other Elder Scrolls games as well. In fact, the port of Skyrim on PlayStation 3 was notoriously plagued by memory issues that were even more severe than what I’m experiencing now.

It would be great if the developers at Virtuos could resolve, or significantly minimize, this problem, thereby ensuring smoother gameplay experiences moving forward.

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2025-05-12 19:08