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It's time to celebrate the 14 years of making games last forever. We're doing that by releasing one of the most anticipated games by the community – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

The game is widely considered one of the best video games of all time and has received credit for popularizing large open-world role-playing games. After many requests from our users and being released on almost every appliance that is able to run the game, the acclaimed RPG is available on GOG in two versions – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition (-50%) and Special Edition (-67%).

It is worth mentioning that Skyrim on GOG comes with a dedicated build, to give users the best possible adventure in Tamriel. The game is entirely playable offline thanks to GOG’s DRM-free nature and gives users the Anniversary Edition content without the need for Creation Club access.

As the game is recognized as one of the most modded titles in the history of video games, support for community-created content in Skyrim was one of our top priorities. The GOG version is compatible out of the box with most modifications mods via Nexus Mods Vortex v1.6.12 and newer. Support for mods requiring Skyrim Script Extender will be added later today. Additionally, GOG is preparing something special to provide an even smoother experience with mods – expect more details soon.

Take the chance to travel to Tamriel before the discounts on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim editions end on 13th October, 10 PM UTC. Also, join us in celebration of the 14th GOG Anniversary which will last until October 9th, 2022, at 10 PM UTC.
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richlind33: GOG has everything to do with it when they claim that the game works with most mods right out of the box. I"m not sure why they'd make a harebrained claim like that but they did.
I'm using many mods right now without problems. Even mods that do use SKSE and load .dlls surprisingly. They are all working fine. I heard that some .dll mods are not working though - not loading their libraries, but I'd say that GOG's claim is true. Most mods are indeed working out of the box because many mods don't even use SKSE and all mods that I've tested that don't use SKSE work completely fine.

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AB2012: I bought Skyrim SE here yesterday, and SKSE and many important SKSE based mods like SkyUI work fine for me. It was SKSE itself that needed a "special GOG version" and that was uploaded from day one. I don't doubt there are a few mods that don't work but people are blowing this way out of proportion by claiming "every mod needs to be rewritten just for GOG". That just isn't true.
Many Non-SKSE mods are working out of the box with direct installation. Some SKSE mods are working 100% fine. Some SKSE mods require a little bit more of thought and patience to work - but they do work. Some SKSE mods aren't even loading, because their dlls point to different calls that are different on GOG's version. But I'd say that's the minority.

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dtgreene:
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.Keys:
Also, someone made a bat script for Mod Organizer 2:

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/76615

In this case though, it copies plugins.txt and loadorder.txt.
I'd suggest people set their game and MO2 paths manually, because there's a chance "Skirim Special Edition" folder mght not be present in your installation and therefore his script will not be able to copy those files.

This is the path for both of them:

Mod Organizer 2/profiles/Default/plugins.txt
Mod Organizer 2/profiles/Default/loadorder.txt

Those 2 files must be copied/symlinked to:

%username%\AppData\Local\Skyrim Special Edition GOG\

And your mods will load perfectly. if you're using MO2 for modding.
Post edited October 06, 2022 by .Keys
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richlind33: GOG has everything to do with it when they claim that the game works with most mods right out of the box. I"m not sure why they'd make a harebrained claim like that but they did.
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.Keys: I'm using many mods right now without problems. Even mods that do use SKSE and load .dlls surprisingly. They are all working fine. I heard that some .dll mods are not working though - not loading their libraries, but I'd say that GOG's claim is true. Most mods are indeed working out of the box because many mods don't even use SKSE and all mods that I've tested that don't use SKSE work completely fine.
There's what, more than 50,000 Skyrim mods? Most would be something like two thirds of that, whereas you're talking about a number that's far, far less than that.

It's not a huge deal but it is an absurd and misleading claim to make.
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.Keys: I'm using many mods right now without problems. Even mods that do use SKSE and load .dlls surprisingly. They are all working fine. I heard that some .dll mods are not working though - not loading their libraries, but I'd say that GOG's claim is true. Most mods are indeed working out of the box because many mods don't even use SKSE and all mods that I've tested that don't use SKSE work completely fine.
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richlind33: There's what, more than 50,000 Skyrim mods? Most would be something like two thirds of that, whereas you're talking about a number that's far, far less than that.

It's not a huge deal but it is an absurd and misleading claim to make.
I agree with your maths, but, in practical terms, it's absurd to think someone would play with 10000 mods. This isn't even possible in a Steam installation. :P
So yes, I think, 'most mods' do work out of the box in GOG's version, because the user would need to mod their game accordingly to his taste.
This has been a joke in Skyrim community for years It seems. People would mod Skyrim until the game breaks, and that's around the 50 ~ 100 mods mark depending on the mods you choose to add to a Steam installation and how you set your loadorder. It's a puzzle in itself to install more than 50 mods without breaking the game, again, depending on the mods you do install. (You can search about it.)

So you can, in fact, mod your game reasonably with 'most' usable, in practical terms, mods, just as you can in Steam. That is, after some of the most famous mods gets updated. In this topic I do agree that some mods might never be updated for GOG's SKSE, and that would be sad, but I do think that they will update it for GOG, as the community is 'screaming' for it already.

Also, something curious:

You can free up to 12gb in your GOG Skyrim installation.
Post edited October 06, 2022 by .Keys
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LiefLayer: ...
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DropA: The Skyrim Legendary is not just about the older hardware. The Legendary offers a completely different gameplay experience than the Special Edition. The original Skyrim was kind of "gray on gray", partly with a lot of "drab" colors and unique weather. In contrast, look at the Special Edition with its bright and cluttered colors and Smurf-blue skies. It doesn't have much in common with the original Skyrim. Sure: the game is still the same - but the atmosphere is completely different.

I use in the Special Edition this Mods for the Legendary-Feeling:
- Skyrim Legendary Weathers
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/16725/
- Skyrim Distant Blur
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/40873/
Together with:
- Pouring Rain
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/6077/
Thanks for this.

(Turns out quoting it directly created another post. Sorry sorry! May any mod merge this post with the other? Thank you!)
Post edited October 06, 2022 by .Keys
There is an irony in that many SKSE64 mods changed to have Address Library as a requirement, so that as long the AL mod is updated for your current SKSE64 version you are 99% likely to be ok, without having to have the dll mod itself updated....except for version 1.6.640!
There is some change in there that requires not only an update to address library but also to the dll mod. Hopefully once mods like Papyrus Extender and stuff are updated for the 1.6.640 version then the fact that address library is already updated to the GOG version means that those mods will automatically work with 1.6.659.
Otherwise it's possible that there will be two streams of SkyrimSE.exe for SKSE64 mod authors to track, and I fear that they would be more likely to just track the steam one.

diziet
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richlind33: There's what, more than 50,000 Skyrim mods? Most would be something like two thirds of that, whereas you're talking about a number that's far, far less than that.

It's not a huge deal but it is an absurd and misleading claim to make.
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.Keys: I agree with your maths, but, in practical terms, it's absurd to think someone would play with 10000 mods. This isn't even possible in a Steam installation. :P
So yes, I think, 'most mods' do work out of the box in GOG's version, because the user would need to mod their game accordingly to his taste.
This has been a joke in Skyrim community for years It seems. People would mod Skyrim until the game breaks, and that's around the 50 ~ 100 mods mark depending on the mods you choose to add to a Steam installation and how you set your loadorder. It's a puzzle in itself to install more than 50 mods without breaking the game, again, depending on the mods you do install. (You can search about it.)

So you can, in fact, mod your game reasonably with 'most' usable, in practical terms, mods, just as you can in Steam. That is, after some of the most famous mods gets updated. In this topic I do agree that some mods might never be updated for GOG's SKSE, and that would be sad, but I do think that they will update it for GOG, as the community is 'screaming' for it already.
Is there a Top 100-500 mods list floating around somewhere? If there is it might be helpful if GOG were to link it.
Post edited October 07, 2022 by richlind33
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richlind33: Is there a Top 100-500 mods list floating around somewhere? If there is it might be helpful if GOG were to link it.
Not that I know. :P But I do know it's sad that GOG users are many times treated as second class citizens, but, since the game came here already, next steps are going to flow. :)
I decided to bite the bullet and buy it again for the Anniversary Edition content + DRM-free of course. Between Anniversary Edition and GOG version compatibility I'm concerned about modding, but I guess if it's really unworkable with the mods I want to use, I'll ask for a refund.

One thing that's bugged me about Galaxy for the longest time - why am I apparently not able to choose not to download the DLC when I'm first downloading a game through Galaxy? The checkboxes are grayed out, so I have to get all the DLCs with the initial download and then turn them off if I don't want them (granted, I should have gone with the offline installer anyway). And if I then uncheck the DLCs, does this uninstall them or just disable them?
Post edited October 07, 2022 by Lesser Blight Elemental
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Thurkar: If I may ask another clarification, does purchasing Skyrim on GOG give access to the Creation Kit ? I am only familiar with the Legendary (32bit original) edition but I understand Bethesda made some changes to how it can be accessed in the Special / Anniversary editions.
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Thiev: Not at this very moment, unfortunately, but we are looking into addressing that.
Hello
Just purchased AE version, but I was wondering if OG Skyrim (no mods) will ever be relased on GOG ?
I simply wanted to play it on Windows XP (x86) retro PC, but 64-bit only SE and AE versions currently available simply can't work in this case :(
Post edited October 07, 2022 by agent_x007
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Thiev: Not at this very moment, unfortunately, but we are looking into addressing that.
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agent_x007: Hello
Just purchased AE version, but I was wondering if OG Skyrim (no mods) will ever be relased on GOG ?
I simply wanted to play it on Windows XP (x86) retro PC, but 64-bit only SE and AE versions currently available simply can't work in this case :(
The Special Edition is the base game plus the official DLC's but no mods

You mean the Legendary edition?

Probably not. I have my doubts it is purchasable in Steam either.

Edit: Anyways take in account that the Anniversary or the Special edition are basically the same 64 bits revision at its core. The only difference is mod content in the anniversary edition
Post edited October 07, 2022 by Gudadantza
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Gudadantza: The Special Edition is the base game plus the official DLC's but no mods

You mean the Legendary edition?

Probably not. I have my doubts it is purchasable in Steam either.

Edit: Anyways take in account that the Anniversary or the Special edition are basically the same 64 bits revision at its core. The only difference is mod content in the anniversary edition
To be clear, I want version with Windows XP support (like this one) :
https://store.steampowered.com/app/72850/The_Elder_Scrolls_V_Skyrim/

I'm OK with 64-bit stuff (I bought it after all), but I would like an option to play on retro PC (which uses Windows XP 32-bit operating system in my case) in OG Skyrim (2011 release).

EDIT : Also, could 32-bit version support for GOG release (based on 2011 release) - allow for more mods to work without tweaks ?
Post edited October 07, 2022 by agent_x007
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agent_x007: EDIT : Also, could 32-bit version support (based on 2011 release) - allow for more mods to work without tweaks ?
32bit is limited to about 4GB memory in total (after hw, OS, running apps, and the game itself, there won't be much left) and beside some stability and performance issues, there's very little you can do... I wouldn't recommend it if you plan on modding it.
Post edited October 07, 2022 by sanscript
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agent_x007: EDIT : Also, could 32-bit version support (based on 2011 release) - allow for more mods to work without tweaks ?
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sanscript: 32bit is limited to about 4GB memory in total (after hw, OS, running apps, and the game itself, there won't be much left) and beside some stability and performance issues, there's very little you can do... I wouldn't recommend it if you plan on modding it.

And no, unless you find a copy on eBay or used or from a friend you won't be able to play it on XP.
The link he posted from Steam is the regular Skyrim version, the non Special one. I wasn't aware it was still available, It is compatible with Window XP.

And I said it in a previous post. It is not a matter about a better version or not, It is about if the game runs in your rig or not. I own The Legendary edition and he Special edition on Steam. The Special Eition was added in our accounts for those who owned all DLC's. And I am limited to play the Regular Eition but not the Special one because one runs decently but the other is uplayable for low resources computers.
Post edited October 07, 2022 by Gudadantza
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Gudadantza: The link he posted from Steam is the regular Skyrim version, the non Special one. I wasn't aware it was still available, It is compatible with Window XP.
Right, Bethesda hid it shortly after SE was ready, just like Doom 3.
Post edited October 07, 2022 by sanscript
I'm a little late. I still want to wish you, the GOG team, all the best for the 14th! I am very happy that there is such an offer as GOG.

I have created an account here to be able to purchase Skyrim. It's great - to be able to play Skyrim without extra client software and offline (or CD in the drive^_^).

And thanks also for such a great realease without the Creation Club but everything in an offline installer. Skyrim runs great and I have no complaints about any mods - all my 40 mods work. I am very satisfied.

So, if now maybe the Creation Kit would come, maybe also the Legendary or also Fallout 4 ... that would also be quite great.

Best regards from the here and now!