RATING / ESRB / A Created with Sketch. RATING / ESRB / E Created with Sketch. RATING / ESRB / E10 Created with Sketch. RATING / ESRB / M Created with Sketch. RATING / ESRB / T Created with Sketch.
RATING / PEGI / 12 Created with Sketch. RATING / PEGI / 16 Created with Sketch. RATING / PEGI / 18 Created with Sketch. RATING / PEGI / 3 Created with Sketch. RATING / PEGI / 7 Created with Sketch. icon_pin Created with Sketch.

The Elder Scrolls: Arena

in library

3.9/5

( 92 Reviews )

3.9

92 Reviews

English
FREE
Why buy on GOG.COM?
DRM FREE. No activation or online connection required to play.
Safety and satisfaction. Stellar support 24/7 and full refunds up to 30 days.
The Elder Scrolls: Arena
Description
Turmoil has engulfed the land of Tamriel, for the emperor, Uriel Septim VII, has been banished into another dimension and usurped by his imperial battlemage, Jagar Tharn. Tharn has impersonated the emperor and killed all that stood in his way, except one. Waking up in the prison, you are informed of...
Genre:
Role-playing - Action - Open World
Tags:
Action, Role-playing, Classic, Open World, Free Game
User reviews

3.9/5

( 92 Reviews )

3.9

92 Reviews

{{ review.content.title }}
Product details
1994, Bethesda Softworks, ...
System requirements
Windows 7/8/10, 1.8 GHz Processor, 512MB RAM, 3D graphics card compatible with DirectX 7 (compatible...
Time to beat
26 hMain
45.5 h Main + Sides
62 h Completionist
35 h All Styles

Game length provided by HowLongToBeat

Description
Turmoil has engulfed the land of Tamriel, for the emperor, Uriel Septim VII, has been banished into another dimension and usurped by his imperial battlemage, Jagar Tharn. Tharn has impersonated the emperor and killed all that stood in his way, except one. Waking up in the prison, you are informed of these nefarious happenings by the spirit of Ria Silmane, Tharn’s murdered apprentice. With all other threats unaware or removed, you are the last hope for restoring Tamriel’s true emperor and are freed by Ria to begin your quest. With her assistance, you must collect the scattered pieces of the Staff of Chaos and use it to return Uriel Septim from his dimensional prison. Using your wits, might and magic, you must explore the vast world of Tamriel and recover these pieces while battling Tharn’s forces. Can you defeat this imposter and rescue Uriel Septim from his prison?

As the first in the Elder Scrolls’ series, Arena introduces players to the captivating world of Tamriel and its inhabitants. Told from a first-person perspective, this RPG gives players full customisation over race, class, stats and method of battle. With an expansive world, there are over 400 locations to explore with many treasures to be uncovered and quests to complete. Providing a deep-lore and immersive story, this classic was a strong first step for the series, as evidenced by its continued dominance in the RPG-genre. This is a must-play for any fans of the Elder Scrolls series and for any players looking for an authentic RPG adventure.
  • Explore the world of Tamriel, completing quests, fighting monsters and recovering the scattered pieces of the Staff of Chaos
  • Fully customise your character down to the finest details, including race, class and stats
  • Create your own spells and equip yourself with the finest armour you can loot
Goodies
manual playguide quick reference card Codex Scientia
System requirements
Minimum system requirements:
Recommended system requirements:
Recommended system requirements:
This game is powered by DOSBox.
Why buy on GOG.COM?
DRM FREE. No activation or online connection required to play.
Safety and satisfaction. Stellar support 24/7 and full refunds up to 30 days.
Time to beat
26 hMain
45.5 h Main + Sides
62 h Completionist
35 h All Styles

Game length provided by HowLongToBeat

Game details
Genre:
Role-playing - Action - Open World
Tags:
Action, Role-playing, Classic, Open World, Free Game
Works on:
Windows (7, 8, 10, 11)
Release date:
{{'1994-03-01T00:00:00+02:00' | date: 'longDate' : ' +0200 ' }}
Company:
Bethesda Softworks / Bethesda Softworks LLC
Size:
77 MB
Links:
Forum discussion
Game features
Cloud saves
Single-player
Languages
English
audio
text
You may like these products
In library In cart Soon GOOD OLD GAME Wishlisted
In library In cart Soon GOOD OLD GAME Wishlisted
Free
Play for free Coming soon
Users also bought
In library In cart Soon GOOD OLD GAME Wishlisted
In library In cart Soon GOOD OLD GAME Wishlisted
Free
Play for free Coming soon
User reviews

Posted on: August 15, 2025

nathanarel

Verified owner

Games: 628 Reviews: 6

Great First Game

Once you use a guide the game really isn't that hard or in depth. If you've gone back to Daggerfall and liked it, it's worth giving Arena a shot.

Is this helpful to you?

Posted on: August 18, 2025

Undeadblade

Verified owner

Games: 5 Reviews: 1

elder scrolls: Arena

one of the best rpgs ever made

Is this helpful to you?

Posted on: August 27, 2025

Lonestar907

Verified owner

Games: 37 Reviews: 1

First of it's kind, excellent game

Loving playing the Elder Scrolls games in Chronological order, excellent in every version so far.

Is this helpful to you?

Posted on: October 5, 2025

Moki00

Verified owner

Games: 48 Reviews: 4

Old - Classic

So this game is very old... expect difficult to use controls. Easy to die. I love watching the 58 minute version of a YTer playing it to the end.

Is this helpful to you?

Posted on: October 10, 2025

jkanaan

Verified owner

Games: 244 Reviews: 12

Just not as good as Daggerfall.

Arena just lacks the quality that Daggerfall has. You will constantly run into oddities that are simply a result of Bethesda's lack of game development experience at this point in time. I won't say that there is no point in playing it for a little bit but, for most people, it's probably not going to be worth more than an hour or two.

Is this helpful to you?

1
...
...
10
11
12
13
14
...
...
16

Something went wrong. Try refresh page.

This game is waiting for a review. Take the first shot!
{{ item.rating }}
{{ item.percentage }}%
Awaiting more reviews
An error occurred. Please try again later.

Other ratings

Awaiting more reviews

Add a review

Edit a review

Your rating:
Stars and all fields are required
Not sure what to say? Start with this:
  • What kept you playing?
  • What kind of gamer would enjoy this?
  • Was the game fair, tough, or just right?
  • What’s one feature that really stood out?
  • Did the game run well on your setup?
Inappropriate content. Your reviews contain bad language. Inappropriate content. Links are not allowed. Inappropriate content. Content contains gibberish. Review title is too short. Review title is too long. Review description is too short. Review description is too long.
Not sure what to write?
You cannot save your review due to the following reasons:
  • You need to select star rating
  • You need to enter review title
  • You need to enter the content of your review
Show: 5 on page 15 on page 30 on page 60 on page
Order by: Most helpful Most positive Most critical Most recent
Filters:

No reviews matching your criteria

Written in
English Deutsch polski français русский 中文(简体) Others
Written by
Verified ownersOthers
Added
Last 30 daysLast 90 daysLast 6 monthsWheneverAfter releaseDuring Early Access
View original
GOG Patrons who helped preserve this game
{{controller.patronsCount}} GOG Patrons

Error loading patrons. Please refresh the page and try again.

{{ patron.username }}

Delete this review?

Are you sure you want to permanently delete your review for The Elder Scrolls: Arena? This action cannot be undone.
Are you sure you want to permanently delete your rating for The Elder Scrolls: Arena? This action cannot be undone.

Report this review

If you believe this review contains inappropriate content or violates our community guidelines, please let us know why.

Additional Details (required):

Please provide at least characters.
Please limit your details to characters.
Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later.

Report this review

Report has been submitted successfully.
Thank you for helping us maintain a respectful and safe community.