Skyrim is my first elder scrolls game, but everyone tells me oblivion was more fun to them because the quests were better and the world felt more fantasy-like/immersive. Looking at youtube videos it seems that way, but I can't really tell if those people are wearing nostalgia goggles.

Well I spent about 6 months playing Oblivion, but never joined a fan forum for the game. For me Skyrim was definitely more fun, I got to do more, I liked the game more, and I played it at least 3 times longer and am still playing it. I think more thought went into the guild stuff in Oblivion, and some of the other quests were a lot more detailed and interesting. Skyrim was a bit more streamlined.

Skyrim is more immersive. Oblivion has a cool environment but I think it's easier to sink 500 hours into Skyrim than Oblivion. Oblivion is an amazing game though, especially if you mod it. So if you haven't played it you're missing out

I find Skyrim to be more fun than Oblivion.

That said, a heavily modded Oblivion is one of the best games I have ever played.

Recently bought Oblivion. Couldn't get into it like Skyrim.

What makes you say that?

For what it's worth, I liked both. Oblivion, I felt had more gaming content and I liked the magic side better as crafting your own spells gave a lot of freedom to experiment. It was possible to chain 4 different spells so you were able to cast weakness to fire, fire and soul trap in a single spell and this held true for enchanting weapons. On the other hand the interaction with NPCs, I felt, was better in Skyrim. There are other pluses, such as hearthfire, being able to build your own homes and marriage. The add-ons were good in both, I really enjoyed Knights of the Nine and I enjoyed Dragonborn. But my opinions are my own and you may feel differently. Try both...

I played through 5 characters in Oblivion and am on my third in Skyrim. Many players use more characters and mods to enhance their experience but I think you would probably enjoy either game or better yet, both.

It might be the graphics. I understand that graphics might not mean much to some, but it helps me get immersed into a game. Best looking part about Oblivion was looking at the night sky.

Skyrim has it's fun moments but pushing the Adoring Fan off Dive Rock never gets old.

I can honestly say I've had more fun In Oblivion, I've done some weird stuff in that game

Just talking vanilla here, because all bets are off once mods are introduced:

I find Skyrim more fun. Two main reasons: (i) world design, atmosphere and aesthetic. (ii) I don't need to meta-game my character to compensate for the enemy scaling.

Of course Oblivion did some things better, but overall I find Skyrim the more enjoyable game to play.

Oblivion's MQ is, imho, better than Skyrim's. (Morrowind's of course is generally considered the best, before someone else says it.) As far as other quests go it's really a toss-up, both have winners and losers. Skyrim's combat is more fun, and I like its ruin and cave design much more since there's more opportunity to throw something off a high place, always a plus in my book. However Oblivion can be modded to get that too, so it's a wash.

If anyone hasn't tried it, I highly recommend a total conversion of Oblivion called Nehrim. It makes a whole new game and story out of it and is a lot of fun (once it picks up, anyway, it starts slow).

The one thing I don't like about Oblivion... The combat is horrendous and so is the level scaling and leveling in general but other than that it's a great game.

Oblivion was my first Elder Scroll.

It's my favorite.

I have lots of fun in Skyrim too. My mage likes to do bear tumbling in Oblivion, where you paralyze the bear, then, using a very, large fireball, launch them offa the side of a hill, cliff, mountain. Never gets old.

I'm only on my first play, but I'm sure I will find something equivalent to bear tumbling in Skyrim.

Skyrim, and it isn't really even a contest in my eyes.

Oblivion does some things right, but the things it does bad are so glaring that I won't ever touch it unmodded. And even then, I haven't once felt the need to play it after my last playthrough of Morrowind (shortly before Skyrim was released).

As a vanilla experience I think it might be pretty close. Skyrim with Dawnguard, Hearthfire and Dragonborn is just excellent and I think it's a bit better than Oblivion with KOTN and Shivering Isles, as cool as those add-ons were (especially SI obviously).

Oblivion is in 1 word: BORING.

There, I said it.

Yeah, ask in the Skyrim Forum. You will get an objective answer.

For the scope of his question, yes, yes he will.

Oblivion is a ton of fun. I could bet on the Arena for hours. I won't win anything, but I still have fun.

On the other hand, I enjoy Skyrim more. I can't explain it. It's just better for me.

I'm finding it pretty hard to pick which one of the two I had more fun playing, but in the end I'm going to have to settle for Skyrim. The environment and certain dungeons such as Dwemer Ruins and Nordic Ruins were really key points for me!

Needless to say, I got both of the games when they first came out so in reality, I had as much fun playing Oblivion when it was released as I did with Skyrim; the only difference being the ability of the game lasting me this long.
Regular breaks on my part keep them both fresh, though it's harder for me to go back to Oblivion now.

I think both are great games. Overall, I like Skyrim more. But, I don't think Oblivion deserved as much negativity as it got from time to time. There were things Oblivion did better and there are things Skyrim did better.

I think most people who were introduced to TES through Oblivion will say they enjoyed it more than Skyrim.
I know I did.
I can't really explain it , but the memories from that game are dear to me.
Fun times.

Yeah, Fus Ro Dah Elenwen or Delphine over the cliff at the top of the throat of the world after doing Season Unending, I hear it's a barrel of laughs.

As for which I prefer it would be Skyrim hands down. I've started characters twice in OB, this last time I was enjoying it till I cleared cache and solved my freezeups on 360. Immediately dove back into Skyrim like a salmon heading home to spawn or a lemming during their run. I couldn't help myself.

I actually enjoy the quest lines in OB better, especially guilds but when I saw how many Oblivion gates there were to close I dropped it like a wet noodle. Next time I'll avoid the meat of the MQ longer and have more fun. Maybe at some point I'll feel like closing them all. I'm OCD on that, I hate leaving things undone which is perhaps why I was crying as loud as anybody when Beth shut down the DLC's. My nature demanded some kind of closure beyond killing Miraak.

I don't know about most people, but this is not true of me. I started with Oblivion and I like Skyrim more. (Though I do also like Oblivion).