A survey originating fromThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrimsubreddit shed light on some interesting trends in the classic RPG by Bethesda. The survey covered topics ranging from preferred game genres, chosen playstyle, and whether players prioritized engaging inSkyrim’s main story or focused on the game’s countless side quests.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimwas first released over ten years ago on Aug 02, 2025, and was an instant hit. Widely acclaimed for its sprawling, picturesque open world filled with side quests and adventures,Skyrimgranted players the freedom to pick a direction and inevitably stumble onto an ancient crypt, bandit lair, or vampire cult. Most recently, BethesdacelebratedSkyrim’s ten-year anniversarywith a modernized re-release that includes all three main expansions and every Creation Club DLC.
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With so much freedom built intoSkyrim’s design, it’s natural for players to find their own unique paths through northern Tamriel. The survey, initiated by Redditor u/AlfredoTayloro, has revealed some of the most popular as well as the lesser trodden paths. 70% of 7,500 participants said they prioritize side-quests over the main story and other content when starting a new playthrough, with only 10% of players opting to complete the story on every new character. When given the choice between the warrior, mage, or stealth playstyles, the sneaky approach was favored at 45%, with the aggressive warrior playstyle just behind at 35%. Unsurprisingly, 90% of participantsnamed RPGs their favorite game genre.
Survey participants were also asked to elaborate on their gameplay choices and over 6,500 players offered further insight. The Norse-inspired setting of the game inspired warrior-style players to emulate old Viking culture. Stealth archers cited the deadly nature of sniping from afar as a reason for their chosen playstyle, while others also felt that stealth archery was too easy. Mage-style players enjoy the powerful feeling of channeling lightning and launching fireballs from their very hands. Meanwhile, one warrior-style respondent simply replied, “Swords. Big swords.” The survey responses truly put the full range of player preferences on display.
In open-world RPGs, it makes sense for players to complete the main story only once or twice before focusing their efforts on the side-quests. For many players,Skyrim’s main story isn’t as interesting as its side content. Rising through the ranks of the shady Thieves Guild, the scholarly Mage’s Guild, or embarking on a quest tojoin the Dark Brotherhood assassinsare highly involved storylines in their own right. The main story has a lot of competition for players' attention, and those that have already completed it likely won’t be scrambling for yet another showdown with Alduin.
Despite the playerbase’s obvious preference for side content,Skyrim’s main story questshouldn’t be discounted altogether. Bethesda is famous for its world-building and the world ofThe Elder Scrollsis greatly expanded upon throughSkyrim’smain story. It’s also important to progress through the main story if players wish to take advantage of dragon shouts, powerful special abilities that the Dragonborn can use to slow time, teleport short distances, and control minds.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrimis available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
