Skyrim Special Edition update available in beta, fixes 'some' sound files

An update for the Skyrim Special Edition is now available, in beta form, on Steam. It includes general performance and optimization improvements, fixes an issue with saved games being marked as modded though no mods were active, and corrects issues with NPCs not appearing in their proper spots. Hopefully, that includes the horse that got in the way of the opening sequence when I played. Back to the stable, you scoundrel.

It also includes an update for "some sound files to not use compression," an issue we reported on last week that resulted in significantly downgraded audio in the SSE. Some sound files, but not all? We're not sure which sound files are no longer using compression, but if you're curious, simply join the beta, launch Skyrim Special Edition, and listen to every single sound in the game. Then report back to me. Thanks.

If you want to try out the update, you'll need to access the beta. Here's how, via Bethesda's post on the subject:

  1. Log into Steam.
  2. Right Click on Skyrim Special Edition in your Library.
  3. Select Settings.
  4. Select Betas.
  5. A drop down menu will appear. Select Beta.
  6. Select OK.
  7. Wait a few minutes for game to update.
  8. When done, Skyrim Special Edition [Beta] should appear in our Library.
Christopher Livingston
Senior Editor

Chris started playing PC games in the 1980s, started writing about them in the early 2000s, and (finally) started getting paid to write about them in the late 2000s. Following a few years as a regular freelancer, PC Gamer hired him in 2014, probably so he'd stop emailing them asking for more work. Chris has a love-hate relationship with survival games and an unhealthy fascination with the inner lives of NPCs. He's also a fan of offbeat simulation games, mods, and ignoring storylines in RPGs so he can make up his own.