Skip to main content
If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Here's When The Skyrim Special Edition Unlocks

Arrows to many knees

Get ready for another 100 hour save file, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition [official site] is coming to Steam on October 28. Skyrim Special Edition will include all the RPG's DLC and feature remastered art effects, dynamic depth of field, and other graphical improvements, but all you probably care about is getting back into that sweet, sweet Dovahkiin action. As we overlooked these details before, hey, now's a good time to bring up the unlock times and system requirements.

For PC gamers this is a great time to play for the first time if you've somehow avoided entering the world of this meme machine. If you've already dragon shouted your way through the frozen vistas of Skyrim and Solstheim and own The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and the Dawnguard, Hearthfire, Dragonborn DLC or the Skyrim Legendary Edition on Steam then on October 28 you'll receive the Skyrim Special Edition for free as a separate item in your games list.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition requires a bit more horsepower than the original release, as indicated in Bethesda's suggested system requirements:

Minimum

  • Windows 7/8.1/10 (64-bit Version)
  • Intel i5-750/AMD Phenom II X4-945.
  • 8GB of ram.
  • 12 GB free HDD space
  • NVIDIA GTX 470 1GB /AMD HD 7870 2GB

Recommended

  • Windows 7/8.1/10 (64-bit Version)
  • Intel i5-2400/AMD FX-8320.
  • 8GB of ram.
  • 12 GB free HDD space
  • NVIDIA GTX 780 3GB /AMD R9 290 4GB

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition unlocks at 12am UTC on October 28, so that's not much longer for you to have to wait. Region-specific times are:

  • 5pm Pacific Time (October 27)
  • 8pm Eastern Time (October 27)
  • 1am British Summer Time (October 28)
  • 2am Central European Summer Time (October 28)
  • 11am Australian Eastern Time Zone (October 28)
  • 1pm New Zealand Time (October 28th)

If you haven't purchased The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Legendary Edition or a base copy of Skyrim and the DLCs required to unlock the Skyrim Special Edition, you can buy them now on Steam on sale for £19.19.

Read this next