The short verdict
Morrowind is the game many veteran players still call the series' best. Vvardenfell is alien and memorable, the factions are deep, and nothing is scaled to make your life easy. It looks and plays its age, but the open-source OpenMW engine and a huge modding scene make it far more approachable today — and it runs on almost anything.
Morrowind and Skyrim at a glance
| Morrowind | Skyrim SE | |
|---|---|---|
| Steam rating | 95% · Overwhelmingly Positive Steam | 92% · Very Positive Steam |
| Metacritic | 89 MC | 74 MC |
| Critics (OpenCritic) | Not rated | 81 · Strong OC |
| Platforms | PC | PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 |
| Steam Deck | Steam Deck Playable | Steam Deck Verified |
| Mods on Nexus | 16,347 Nexus | 141,888 Nexus |
| Steam release | Jun 16, 2009 | Oct 27, 2016 |
| Developer | Bethesda Game Studios | Bethesda Game Studios |
| Co-op | None | None (single-player) |
| Perspective | First & third-person | First & third-person |
Ratings, dates, developers, co-op modes and Steam Deck status from the official Steam store; critic scores and platforms from OpenCritic; mod counts from Nexus Mods. Refreshed automatically.
What feels like Skyrim
- Classic Elder Scrolls freedom: join many factions, ignore the main quest, become anyone.
- A world with a uniquely strange identity — giant mushrooms, silt striders, ash storms.
- One of the deepest modding communities in gaming.
What is different
- Dice-roll combat: early on you will miss a lot based on your character's skills.
- No quest markers — directions are written in your journal.
- Dated visuals and interface (mods and OpenMW help considerably).
Skip Morrowind if…
You need modern combat feel and quest markers to stay engaged.
Is Morrowind a good alternative to Skyrim?
On our five-trait comparison, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind scores 80% similar to Skyrim(very close) and ranks #8 of 13 on ouralternative Skyrim list. Classic Elder Scrolls freedom: join many factions, ignore the main quest, become anyone. The biggest adjustment for Skyrim players: dice-roll combat: early on you will miss a lot based on your character's skills.
Morrowind trailers & video reviews
Official trailerWhere to play Morrowind — price, Steam Deck & players
How long is Morrowind?
Playtimes vary hugely with how much you explore. See community-submitted completion times on HowLongToBeat.
Morrowind PC system requirements
Minimum
- OS *
- Windows ME/98/XP/2000
- Processor
- 500 MHz Intel Pentium III, Celeron, or AMD Athlon
- Memory
- 256 MB
- Graphics
- 32MB Direct3D Compatible video card with 32-bit color support and DirectX 8.1
- DirectX®
- 8.1
- Hard Drive
- 1GB free hard disk space
- Sound
- DirectX 8.1 compatible sound card
From the official Steam store page · verified October 14, 2026
Morrowind mods & community
Community links are fan-run spaces; opinions there are players’ own, not ours.
Community
What Skyrim players say about Morrowind
Reviews from players on this site, answering the questions Skyrim fans actually ask. Published instantly, moderated afterwards.
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Morrowind FAQ
Is Morrowind like Skyrim?
Partly — we rate it 80% similar to Skyrim. Classic Elder Scrolls freedom: join many factions, ignore the main quest, become anyone. The biggest difference: dice-roll combat: early on you will miss a lot based on your character's skills.
Is Morrowind on PS5 or Xbox?
We can only confirm the PC version on Steam. Check the developer’s official site for console versions.
Does Morrowind work on Steam Deck?
Valve rates it Steam Deck Playable, according to its Steam store page.
Does Morrowind have co-op?
No. Its Steam store page does not list co-op modes; like Skyrim, it is a single-player game.
Does Morrowind have mods?
Yes. Nexus Mods hosts 16,347 mods for Morrowind, downloaded 139,943,722 times.
Is Morrowind worth playing?
Steam players rate it 95% positive (“Overwhelmingly Positive”) from 28,759 reviews. Skip it if: you need modern combat feel and quest markers to stay engaged.
How long does it take to beat Morrowind?
It depends heavily on how much side content you do. See community-reported completion times on HowLongToBeat.
