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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition vs The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR both land in RPG on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are RPG games on Steam. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition (2016) is 2 years older than The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR (2018). The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (94.7% positive) than The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR (74.3% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.

Which should you pick?

Choose The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Choose The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition if you want the Stereo Sound, Surround Sound, and Playable without Timed Input side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 94.7% positive across 125,909 reviews.

Choose The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR

Choose The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR if you want the SteamVR Collectibles, Tracked Controller Support, and VR Only side of the pairing. 7,277 Steam reviews back the pick.

Both The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR sit in RPG on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.

Side-by-side comparison

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition vs The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR — Steam metadata comparison
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition — Steam game coverThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special EditionThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR — Steam game coverThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR
Released20162018
GenresRPGRPG
PlatformsWindowsWindows
Steam DeckDeck UnsupportedDeck Unsupported
Price39.99 USD59.99 USD
Steam reviews94.7% positive (125,909 reviews)74.3% positive (7,277 reviews)
MultiplayerSingle-player onlySingle-player only
DevelopersBethesda Game StudiosBethesda Game Studios

Side by side

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition vs The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR — FAQ

Which is better, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition or The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR?
On Steam reviews The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition scores higher (94.7% positive) than The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR (74.3% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
Should I play The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition or The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR first?
If you want chronology, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition (2016) came out before The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR (2018). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
Are The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR similar?
They overlap on RPG on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition vs The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR · imho.run