The best version of Bethesda's biggest RPG is finally finished, and it's free for everyone

GamesRPGThe Elder ScrollsThe Elder Scrolls II: DaggerfallThe best version of Bethesda’s biggest RPG is finally finished, and it’s free for everyoneWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Cliffworms (Nexus Mods))

Screenshot from Daggerfall Unity - Finding My Religion mod

It’s been a long time coming, but the big day is finally here: Daggerfall Unity, the best version of Bethesda’s nearly 30-year-old open-world RPG, has nowhit version 1.0and is “considered complete.”

We all talk about Skyrim and Morrowind and Fallout 4, but I would argue that none of them were as influential as Daggerfall. It set the tone for three decades of RPG history: It was huge, it was open, it was epic, it was buggy as hell, and it was a hit that set Bethesda on a course it continues to follow today. Playing it these days, though, is a challenge: It looks rough (although it still sounds great), but the bigger issue is its straight-out-of-the-’90s interface, which has not aged well.

That’s where Daggerfall Unity comes in. It’s a fan-made, open source rebuild of Daggerfall in the Unity engine that brings the game to modern PCs with WASD-based controls, improved graphics, lighting, and widescreen display support, greater draw distances, and numerous other enhancements. You can opt to play in “retro mode” if you’re looking for the old-school experience, but Daggerfall Unity also supports “hundreds of incredible mods” that add everything from improved graphics and audio to new classes, quests, and geographical regions.

To run the game, you’ll need a copy of the original Daggerfall, which is now free onSteam, and of course Daggerfall Unity itself, available fromGithub. Extract the Daggerfall Unity archive into its own folder and run the .exe, then point it toward the Steam install when prompted. Set your resolution and image quality as you like, and then have at it. If you run into trouble or uncertainty, detailed instructions for setting it all up can also befound on Github.

Thank you everyone for all your kind words in the replies, I truly appreciate them. Happy new year!December 31, 2023

“[The GOG Cut] is buggy, slow, and completely changes how the game looks and plays,” developer Interkarma wrote. “The Daggerfall Unity development team did not assemble the ‘GOG Cut’ release and in no way recommend it to play Daggerfall Unity.”

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

If you already have the GOG Cut installed, instructions for uninstalling it (without also deleting your saved games) in order to get a fresh start with the latest release are up at dfworkshop.net. We’ve also got an in-depth guide of our own that covers setting up Daggerfall Unity and some choice mods that will give you thebest experience possible.

More about the elder scrollsHero modders take a break from their 25-year quest to make the rest of Morrowind to make the Oblivion we should have got insteadSkyrim finally playable as modder invents ‘coffins so comfy you’ll wish you were dead’LatestTeam Fortress 2 just had the single biggest trade in its history, with ‘the absolute best hat you can get’ going for around $40KSee more latest►

More about the elder scrolls

Hero modders take a break from their 25-year quest to make the rest of Morrowind to make the Oblivion we should have got insteadSkyrim finally playable as modder invents ‘coffins so comfy you’ll wish you were dead’

A foppish figure stands in fine clothes and a strange red mask.

Hero modders take a break from their 25-year quest to make the rest of Morrowind to make the Oblivion we should have got instead

A totally hair-free draugr in Skyrim.

Skyrim finally playable as modder invents ‘coffins so comfy you’ll wish you were dead’

LatestTeam Fortress 2 just had the single biggest trade in its history, with ‘the absolute best hat you can get’ going for around $40KSee more latest►

Latest

Team Fortress 2 just had the single biggest trade in its history, with ‘the absolute best hat you can get’ going for around $40K

A valuable TF2 hat shimmers in the moonlight.

Team Fortress 2 just had the single biggest trade in its history, with ‘the absolute best hat you can get’ going for around $40K

See more latest►

Most PopularThermaltake’s new 2000 W PSU is too powerful to be sold in the USA and comes with four PCIe 5.0 GPU power connectorsAMD accuses Intel’s Arrow Lake of being a ‘horrible’ product and implies a lack of options for consumers has caused the Ryzen 7 9800X3D shortageThis Jinx-inspired gaming PC is my favorite of CES 2025 and I’m head over heels for the hardwareHarrowing report alleges years of horrific abuse at Brandoville Studios, an Indonesian support studio that worked on Assassin’s Creed Shadows and The Last of Us RemakeTencent says it’s not a Chinese military company and is willing to sue the US Department of Defense if it isn’t removed from a blacklistAll Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 livestream codesAsus reveals three new Slash Travel Bags for carting around your ROG Ally—however, none of them are particularly fashion forwardToday’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10We may not have a roadmap or balance patch just yet, but at least Path of Exile 2’s bugfix patch notes are funnyDeus Ex: Mankind Divided writer didn’t like the ending either: ‘Nothing is resolved’It seems like Square’s finally consistently taking the PC ports of Final Fantasy seriously

Most Popular

Thermaltake’s new 2000 W PSU is too powerful to be sold in the USA and comes with four PCIe 5.0 GPU power connectors

AMD accuses Intel’s Arrow Lake of being a ‘horrible’ product and implies a lack of options for consumers has caused the Ryzen 7 9800X3D shortage

This Jinx-inspired gaming PC is my favorite of CES 2025 and I’m head over heels for the hardware

Harrowing report alleges years of horrific abuse at Brandoville Studios, an Indonesian support studio that worked on Assassin’s Creed Shadows and The Last of Us Remake

Tencent says it’s not a Chinese military company and is willing to sue the US Department of Defense if it isn’t removed from a blacklist

All Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 livestream codes

Asus reveals three new Slash Travel Bags for carting around your ROG Ally—however, none of them are particularly fashion forward

Today’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10

We may not have a roadmap or balance patch just yet, but at least Path of Exile 2’s bugfix patch notes are funny

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided writer didn’t like the ending either: ‘Nothing is resolved’

It seems like Square’s finally consistently taking the PC ports of Final Fantasy seriously

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

A bunch of the best Steam Deck accessories on a blue background.

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review

Thank Goodness You’re Here review

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review

Thank Goodness You’re Here! review

2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review

3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

4Ikea Utespelare desk review

Ikea Utespelare desk review

5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals