The next Skyrim: Special Edition patch may fix your missing NPC, wonky save file import and dodgy audio issues
A Skyrim: Special Edition update is currently in testing on Steam, hopefully ahead of a quick rollout.
Skyrim: Special Edition players on Steam can now opt-in to help beta test the next planned patch.
Visit Bethesda.net for instructions on how to give it a go, if you're keen. The 1.1.51 update makes the following changes to Skyrim: Special Edition:
- General performance and optimization improvements
- Fixed rare issue with NPCs not appearing in proper locations
- Fixed issue with saves erroneously being marked as Modded, even though no mods are active
- Updated some sound files to not use compression
Although not too many Skyrim: Special Edition players have encountered the missing NPC thing, it does break quests and progression, so it's great to see a fix rolling out quickly despite the rarity. The modded save files thing is also pretty annoying; you can't import modded saves from Skyrim to Skyrim: Special Edition, but clearly the check on this was a little too strict.
The final point is an interesting one, because much of Skyrim: Special Edition's audio seems to be compressed to hell and back. Bethesda says the patch "updates" some sound files to not use compression - does that mean they've been replaced with higher quality files? Will this be extended to the whole game?
Anyway, if Skyrim: Special Edition follows the same patterns as Fallout 4, we may see this patch go live for all PC users as early as next week, with consoles to follow in one or two additional weeks. Fingers crossed.