Skyrim Special Edition Getting Official Survival Mode

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is about to get a lot tougher. Bethesda is adding an official Survival mode to give players more challenges like weather effects, starvation, and disease. The mode is similar to one that was added to Bethesda’s Fallout 4 and will be released through Skyrim Creation Club, the studio said in a blog post today.

Survival mode will add gameplay features akin to many popular mods PC players have been using for a while, but this official mode will also be available to players on PS4 and Xbox One once it launches. A beta version of the mode is live now for PC gamers via Steam, and the full version will launch soon for an unspecified price. It will be available free of charge for its first week, and anyone who downloads it during that period will get to keep and play the mode for free.

There are a lot of changes Survival mode is adding to make the game more challenging. There are “treacherous climate zones” that could cause you to freeze to death, food poisoning from uncooked food, fatigue from not sleeping, reduced carry weight, and afflictions that stem from diseases and lessen the effects of certain abilities.

Additionally, health will no longer regenerate over time and must be restored with food and potions. Better get to cooking. The mode also disables fast travel, and even if you hire a carriage or boat to get to your destination, you might arrive fatigued and hungry.

Skyrim‘s Survival mode is set to release on PS4, Xbox One, and Windows PC in early October. Be sure to read over Bethesda’s rundown of all the challenges you’ll face before diving in. Let us know what new feature you’re most excited to experience in the comments below!