Okay, I know Skyrim is in the title, but this is a question about all the games where the Imperials have appeared as a playable race. And partially to catch attention since the words "Change" and "Skyrim" in the same sentence seems to attract a lot of it

I have just re-read the Pocket Guide to the Empire: Cyrodiil 1st Edition and I took notice of the differences between the Colovians and the Nibenese.

Accroding to the PGE the Colovians are known for keeping more in touch with their nordic ancestry and that "Their primitive ferocity was disinclined to magic or the need for industry, preferring bloody engagement and plunder instead". On the other hand, the Nibenese culture were/are known to have a mage and battlemage aristocracy.

So, the question is: Could it be that the playable Imperials in Morrowind and Oblivion are based on the Colovian, while the playable Imperials in Skyrim are based on the Nibenese? To me this seems likely, but more importantly, lorefriendly. Well, with the exception that the Imperials in Skyrim doesn't have Speech bonuses.

Maybe, that or many has changed in 200 years, the redguards have bonus in destruction while 200 years ago they used to hate magic.

Not the first time bethesda has done that we've played various different sub-races throughout the game in Arena we played the argonian variation that look more human due to drinking little hist during the naming ceremony, on the other hand, in Oblivion and Morrowind, our argonian look like lizards.