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Short answer: Skyrim Special Edition and Skyrim Anniversary Edition are not two unrelated PS5 games. Special Edition is the core package, and eligible Special Edition owners receive the PS5 next-generation game-version upgrade at no charge. Anniversary Edition contains that Special Edition package plus a large Creation Club bundle. If you already own Special Edition, you do not repurchase the whole game: you buy the separate Anniversary Upgrade if you want its additional Creations.
That distinction matters because the free PS5 upgrade and the paid Anniversary content upgrade are separate entitlements. Your local PlayStation Store is the authority for the current price and the exact regional product listing.
![ELDER SCROLLS V 5 SKYRIM SPECIAL EDITION [M]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51QB2Ep+iFL._SL160_.jpg)
The two upgrades are different
Most confusion comes from treating “PS5 upgrade” and “Anniversary Upgrade” as the same thing. They are not.
Free next-generation game-version upgrade
Bethesda says owners of Skyrim Special Edition or Anniversary Edition on PS5 receive the next-generation upgrade free. This changes the game version available on the console; it does not automatically add every Anniversary Creation to a Special Edition entitlement.
#1 Best Overall
![The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Anniversary Edition) - [PlayStation 4] | kostenloses Upgrade auf PlayStation 5](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51WubchYsEL._SL160_.jpg)
- Die Skyrim Anniversary Edition umfasst die Skyrim Special Edition sowie 74 Creations (darunter 26 brandneue) mit über 500 einzigartigen Inhalten aus dem Creation Club, darunter Quests, Behausungen und mehr
- Die Anniversary Edition enthält das Spiel mit allen drei Erweiterungen und liebevoll überarbeiteten Grafiken und Effekten
- Die Erweiterungen umfassen Dawnguard, Heathfire und Dragonborn
Paid Anniversary content upgrade
Bethesda separately describes the Anniversary Upgrade as the purchase that lets Special Edition owners access the Anniversary additions. It is an optional content upgrade for people who already own the game, rather than a second purchase of the complete game.
| What you own or buy | What it gives you on PS5 |
|---|---|
| Special Edition | The core Special Edition package, with the free eligible PS5 game-version upgrade. |
| Special Edition plus Anniversary Upgrade | Your Special Edition entitlement plus the Anniversary Creation Club additions. |
| Anniversary Edition | The complete package: Special Edition plus the Anniversary Creation Club bundle. |
What Special Edition includes
Special Edition remains the base-game edition on which Anniversary Edition is built. It is not the original unremastered release. The PlayStation Store presents Special Edition as its own PS5 and PS4 product, while Anniversary Edition includes Special Edition as part of the larger package.
The official add-ons
The Anniversary Edition store listing names Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn among the included official add-ons. Those are the three major Bethesda add-ons associated with the Special Edition package. If your local store page displays the package differently, use that listing to confirm the entitlements attached to your account or disc.
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- Hearthfire: home building, land purchases, adoption and related features.
- Dragonborn: the Solstheim-focused expansion and its quest content.
Anniversary Edition does not replace these add-ons with separate remasters. It packages the Special Edition experience and then adds Creation Club content on top.
What Anniversary Edition adds
Bethesda Support describes Anniversary Edition as including Skyrim Special Edition and 74 Creations. The same support wording distinguishes 48 Creations as available at that point and 26 as to be released, so that count should be read as the description of the edition at the time it was published, not as a guarantee that the live catalog will never change.
Creation Club categories
The US PlayStation Store listing dates its included Creation Club catalog to content released on or before November 11, 2021. Its examples cover several kinds of additions:
- Fishing and Survival Mode.
- Saints & Seducers and Rare Curios.
- New armor sets, weapons and spells.
- Additional homes and other player spaces.
- New quests and smaller gameplay additions.
The catalog is a collection of individual Creations rather than one conventional expansion with a single storyline. Some items are cosmetic or equipment-focused; others add systems, locations, quests or survival mechanics.
Rank #2
Not every listed Creation is exclusive to Anniversary
Do not interpret the Anniversary list as meaning every named item first arrives with the upgrade. The Special Edition store presentation identifies Fishing, Rare Curios, Saints & Seducers and Survival Mode as included with Special Edition. Bethesda’s original Anniversary announcement also referred to all previously released Creations, including four free Creations. Anniversary Edition’s value is the larger bundle and its additional catalog, not a claim that every Creation associated with the Anniversary page is new or exclusive.
Special Edition vs. Anniversary Edition on PS5
| Comparison point | Special Edition | Anniversary Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Core game | Included as the base Special Edition package. | Included because Anniversary contains Special Edition. |
| Official add-ons | The Special Edition package is the base package for the three official add-ons; confirm the exact entitlement text in your regional listing. | Dawnguard, Hearthfire and Dragonborn are explicitly named in the PlayStation Store Anniversary listing. |
| Creation Club content | Includes the Creations attached to your Special Edition listing, including the four free items identified in the store and announcement materials. | Includes the Anniversary bundle, described by Bethesda Support as 74 Creations; the dated count and current catalog may differ. |
| PS5 game-version upgrade | Free for eligible owners, according to Bethesda Support. | Free for eligible owners, according to Bethesda Support. |
| Anniversary content upgrade | Optional paid upgrade if you want the additional Anniversary Creations. | Already included; no separate Anniversary content upgrade is needed. |
| Digital ownership route | Use the in-game Anniversary Upgrade route if you want the extra content. | Download and install the included content through the game and platform account. |
| Disc ownership route | The disc must be installed and inserted for Bethesda’s upgrade purchase option to appear. | A physical copy can still require an internet download for included Creation Club content. |
| Current price | Varies by country, edition and sale; check the local PlayStation Store. | Varies by country, edition and sale; check the local PlayStation Store. |
Do Special Edition owners get Anniversary free?
You get the eligible PS5 game-version upgrade free, but the Anniversary content is a separate purchase. Bethesda’s support guidance directs existing Special Edition owners to the Anniversary Upgrade when they want the additional Creations.
In practical terms, owning Special Edition gives you the foundation. It does not automatically convert the account into the complete Anniversary package. The exception is that some Creations were already free or already included with Special Edition, so the upgrade does not represent a charge for every item shown on an Anniversary information page.
How to upgrade a digital Special Edition copy
Use this route when Special Edition is owned digitally on the PlayStation account currently being used on the PS5.
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- From the game’s menu, select the in-game notice labeled Available Now: Skyrim Anniversary Upgrade!
- Follow that notice to the PlayStation Store product page.
- Review the displayed edition, region and current price before confirming the purchase.
- Complete the transaction, then allow the Creation Club content to download and install.
- Restart the game if the new content does not appear immediately, and check that the download has finished rather than remaining queued.
The in-game route is useful because it connects the installed game to the platform store page Bethesda identifies for the content upgrade. If the notice is absent, verify that the installed title is Special Edition and that the account owns it; do not assume that seeing a PS5 game tile means the Anniversary content is already owned.
How to upgrade a physical Special Edition disc
Bethesda says the physical-disc purchase option depends on the disc being installed and present in the console.
- Insert the physical Special Edition disc into the PS5.
- Install the game from that disc and leave the disc inserted.
- Launch the installed game or open its available upgrade notice.
- Return to the PlayStation Store purchase flow while the disc is still in the console.
- Confirm the displayed Anniversary Upgrade product and the current regional price.
- Download the added Creations after purchase and keep the disc available whenever the console requires it to verify the game license.
If the upgrade option does not appear, the most likely first check is physical: the correct Special Edition disc must be installed and in the PS5. A disc copy does not turn into a digital license merely because the game is installed.
Rank #3
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered modernizes the 2006 Game of the Year with all new stunning visuals and refined gameplay. Required Content Download
- Explore the vast landscape of Cyrodiil like never before and stop the forces of Oblivion from overtaking the land in one of the greatest RPGs ever from the award-winning Bethesda Game Studios.
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Physical Deluxe Edition includes the base game, unique digital Akatosh and Mehrunes Dagon Armors, Weapons, and Horse Armor Sets, Shivering Isles and Knights of the Nine story expansions, access to the Digital Artbook and Soundtrack App, and additional downloadable content: Fighter’s Stronghold, Spell Tomes, Vile Lair, Mehrune’s Razor, The Thieves Den, Wizard’s Tower, The Orrery, and Horse Armor Pack.
- Journey through the rich world of Tamriel and battle across the planes of Oblivion where handcrafted details have been meticulously recreated to ensure each moment of exploration is awe inspiring.
- From the noble warrior to the sinister assassin, wizened sorcerer, or scrappy blacksmith, forge your path and play the way you want.
Buying the full Anniversary Edition
Buy the full edition when you do not already own Special Edition, or when the price and format make the complete package more convenient than purchasing an upgrade. The official store listing identifies an Anniversary Edition product for both PS5 and PS4.
Digital purchase
A digital purchase attaches the product entitlement to the PlayStation account used at checkout. Before buying, check whether the store page says PS5, PS4 or both, and read the included-content section rather than relying only on the product title.
Physical purchase
A physical Anniversary Edition can still require internet access. Bethesda’s FAQ says internet access is required to redeem and download the Creation Club content included with the physical edition. The disc therefore should not be treated as proof that every Anniversary file is already present on the disc.
What does it cost?
There is no single current worldwide price. The amount depends on the local PlayStation Store, the currency, the product format and any sale running when you check out. Use the store page for your country instead of relying on an old article or a launch-era screenshot.
Bethesda’s Anniversary Edition FAQ listed these launch upgrade MSRPs: USD $19.99, EUR €19.99, GBP £15.99, AUD $29.95 and RUB 1429. Those figures describe the 2021-era launch offer and are historical, not a current price promise.
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| Price information | How to interpret it |
|---|---|
| Current regional price | Not established here; check your local PlayStation Store listing. |
| USD launch MSRP | $19.99, listed by Bethesda’s 2021-era FAQ. |
| EUR launch MSRP | €19.99, listed by Bethesda’s 2021-era FAQ. |
| GBP launch MSRP | £15.99, listed by Bethesda’s 2021-era FAQ. |
| AUD launch MSRP | $29.95, listed by Bethesda’s 2021-era FAQ. |
| RUB launch MSRP | 1429, listed by Bethesda’s 2021-era FAQ. |
Downloads, internet access and installation
Creation Club content is delivered as downloadable content, so an internet connection is part of the setup even when the game is bought on disc. Plan for the download before starting a new save or assuming that an Anniversary quest, item or mode is available.
- A physical Anniversary copy may need internet access to redeem and download the included Creations.
- An Anniversary Upgrade purchase must finish downloading before its content is usable.
- A physical Special Edition owner still needs the disc inserted for the upgrade purchase flow Bethesda describes.
- If a title is installed but content is missing, check the console’s download queue and let pending content complete before troubleshooting the save.
The official materials do not provide a single storage requirement that applies to every platform-store listing, so use the size shown on your own product page rather than a generic number.
Rank #4
- ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware Inc. and produced by BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG and FromSoftware's largest game to date, set within a world full of mystery and peril
- Journey through the Lands Between, a new fantasy world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki, creator of the influential DARK SOULS video game series, and George R. R. Martin, author of The New York Times best-selling fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire
- Traverse the breathtaking world on foot or on horseback, alone or online with other players, and fully immerse yourself in the grassy plains, suffocating swamps, spiraling mountains, and foreboding castles
- Create your character in FromSoftware’s refi ned action-RPG and defi ne your playstyle by experimenting with a wide variety of weapons, magical abilities, and skills found throughout the world
- Charge into battle, pick off enemies one-by-one using stealth, or even call upon allies for aid - many options are at your disposal as you decide how to approach exploration and combat
Trophies and PS4-to-PS5 transfers
Bethesda’s Anniversary FAQ says trophy progress carries over, with an exception when upgrading the PlayStation 4 version to the PlayStation 5 version. That statement is a launch-era support caveat, not a guarantee for every current account or transfer scenario.
If trophy continuity matters to you, record your existing progress and verify the behavior on the current PlayStation version before switching editions or moving from PS4 to PS5. Do not assume that buying the Anniversary Upgrade alone has the same effect as changing the installed game version.
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You already own digital Special Edition
Keep Special Edition if its existing game and included content are sufficient. Choose the Anniversary Upgrade when you specifically want the larger Creation Club bundle. You do not need to buy the full game again.
You own the Special Edition disc
Keep the disc and use the in-game or store route with the disc inserted. This is the least ambiguous way to expose the upgrade purchase option Bethesda documents.
You do not own Skyrim on PS5
Compare the current full Anniversary Edition price with the current Special Edition price plus the Anniversary Upgrade. The better value depends on the sale and region shown at checkout, not on the historical launch MSRP.
You only want the three major add-ons
Start by checking the Special Edition listing in your region. Anniversary Edition’s additional cost is primarily about the broader Creation Club bundle; it is not a separate replacement for Dawnguard, Hearthfire or Dragonborn.
You want the fewest downloads
Neither a physical Anniversary copy nor a digital purchase guarantees that every included Creation is already installed. Bethesda specifically says physical copies require internet access to redeem and download the included Creation Club content.
Best Value
- The Samurai style provides a gameplay experience similar to previous Nioh titles.
- Players can enjoy intense and deadly face-to-face confrontations!
- Ninjas can equip a variety of “Ninjutsu” to outmaneuver foes while delivering devastating speed attacks!
- Eliminate foes with a flurry of backstabs and secret techniques!
- SteelBook Launch Edition includes: Nioh 3 GAME, SteelBook, Bonus DLC (download code), Lucky Tanuki Netsuke Charm, Kusanagi Netsuke Charm
Common mistakes and fixes
Mistake: assuming the free PS5 upgrade includes Anniversary content
Fix: Treat the PS5 game-version upgrade and Anniversary Upgrade as two separate store entitlements. Open the Anniversary Upgrade notice or product page to see whether the additional content is owned.
Mistake: buying the full game again after owning Special Edition
Fix: Check for the separate Anniversary Upgrade first. Bethesda says existing Special Edition owners can purchase that content upgrade without repurchasing the complete game.
Mistake: expecting a disc-only installation to contain every Creation
Fix: Connect the console to the internet and allow the included Creation Club files to redeem and download.
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Mistake: quoting the launch price as today’s price
Fix: Use the local PlayStation Store price shown at the time of purchase. The USD $19.99, EUR €19.99, GBP £15.99, AUD $29.95 and RUB 1429 figures are historical launch MSRPs.
Mistake: assuming every Anniversary-listed Creation is exclusive
Fix: Remember that Fishing, Rare Curios, Saints & Seducers and Survival Mode are identified as included with Special Edition in the store and announcement materials. Anniversary adds the broader bundle, while some individual Creations were already available.
Mistake: treating performance claims as part of the edition comparison
Fix: Choose based on content and licensing. The official materials used for this comparison do not establish frame-rate or resolution figures, so no performance number should be used to distinguish the editions.
Bottom line
For a new buyer, Anniversary Edition is the all-in package: Special Edition, the three named official add-ons and the Anniversary Creation Club bundle. For an existing Special Edition owner, the PS5 game-version upgrade is free, while the Anniversary content remains an optional paid upgrade. Check the current local PlayStation Store listing, keep a physical disc inserted when Bethesda requires it, and expect an internet download for Creation Club content even with a disc copy.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
