One highly talented Skyrim fan shows off their incredibly detailed cross-stitch rendering of the game’s massive and iconic map.
One skilled fan of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has shared their incredible artwork after creating a stunning cross-stitch replica of the game’s iconic map. The hard work and dedication put into labors of love such as this only reinforces just how much of an impact The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has had on the gaming community.
Since its release in 2011, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has captured the hearts and minds of gamers and fundamentally shaped the entire fantasy game genre. Despite Skyrim‘s many notorious bugs and glitches, which have become an almost endearing and essential part of the experience, Bethesda’s game has become a benchmark in open-world design. Through costumes, board games, and all manner of creations, Skyrim’s rich world and wealth of lore continue to inspire gamers today.
Redditor u/Valdorian83 shared their cross-stitched creation, a hand-made map of Skyrim’s massive open world. The incredible map features detailed motifs of Skyrim’s nine major holds and notable locations such as the Throat of the World. Made with 5900 stitches, one could easily imagine it adorning Jarl Balgruuf’s halls in Dragonsreach or being used by the Dragonborn as they traverse the frozen wilds of Tamriel’s most northern province. The cross-stitched map is also reminiscent of the exclusive cloth map that originally shipped with the Legendary edition of the game. Overall, the map is a perfect homage to one of the most immersive RPGs of all time.
Why Has Skyrim’s Legacy Endured So Well?
13 years and several re-releases since launch, Skyrim still enjoys a healthy active player base – higher at times than even Bethesda’s latest release, Starfield. Bethesda’s encouragement of Skyrim’s modding community has ensured the game has remained relevant and original. The Skyrim Creation Kit allows players free access to the game’s development tools. Since release, Skyrim’s modding community has worked tirelessly to turn the original game into something truly unique. Some mods vastly improve Skyrim’s swordplay and mechanics, which feel somewhat clunky by 2024 standards. Others overhaul the game’s outdated graphics, turning the 2011 game into a vibrant visual masterpiece capable of contending with even modern AAA titles – for those with a PC powerful enough to run them.
The game’s legacy was also secured by the exceptional mods that allow gamers to travel beyond Skyrim’s original map. Players can now battle through vast new dungeons and meet new companions as they complete challenging, hand-crafted questlines. With certain mods like “Beyond Skyrim,” the Dragonborn can even travel to Bruma and other areas visited in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. As the release of The Elder Scrolls 6 becomes a more and more distant prospect, mods such as these, and creations like u/Valdorian83’s cross-stitched map, allow gamers a respite from the agonizing wait until they can return to Tamriel once again.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Skyrim is the fifth major game in the Elder Scrolls series. Considered one of the greatest games ever made, it has been released on several generations of consoles. Since its initial release over a decade ago, Skyrim has become one of the bestselling video games of all time.
- Franchise
- The Elder Scrolls
- Platform(s)
- PC , PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Nintendo Switch , Xbox 360 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- November 11, 2011
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda Softworks
- Expansions
- Skyrim: Dragonborn , Skyrim: Hearthfire , Skyrim: Dawnguard
- Metascore
- 96
- How Long To Beat
- 35 Hours
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