'Skyrim Special Edition' audio took a step backward
Thankfully, there's a fix coming.
As a rule, remasters of classic video games are supposed to be clear steps forward in audiovisual quality. However, Bethesda didn't get that memo before launching Skyrim Special Edition. PC and Xbox One owners have noticed that their version of Skyrim is using highly compressed audio that's noticeably worse than in the original release. You're fine if you have the PS4 version (or are willing to modify your PC copy), but it's a rude surprise for everyone else.
Mercifully, you won't have to put up with this downgrade for too long. Bethesda is testing a patch that improves audio quality, and might have the update available by early November. It's not certain what prompted the use of compression in the first place (it's possibly a size reduction measure), but it's safe to say that Bethesda will be careful with any remasters going forward.
[Thanks, Kristy]
