A post by Bethesda in their official Oblivion forums confirms that the next Oblivion modification for the Xbox 360 and PC will be a full quest, and it will be less expensive than the Horse Armor mod that\'s currently available.

In yesterday\'s post, Bethesda said they will soon be releasing a new quest called The Orrery, and will be pricing it at less than the cost of the Horse Armor Mod. The Orrery will included access to a new location (the Imperial Orrery in the Arcane University), new rewards, and new powers that are based on the phases of the moon. According to the post, The Orrery will be downloadable for $1.89, or 150 points on Xbox Live.

It should be available by the 14th of April, 2006. As of the time of this writing, OblivionDownloads.com still lists The Orrery as \"Coming Soon\" for $1.99.

Many Oblivion fans have expressed frustration with the Horse Armor modification released by Bethesda, the first Oblivion mod to become available on Xbox Live, due to its high cost and relatively low value. The mod allows players to use a new type of armor for their horses. Most fans had hoped Bethesda would release additional quests as well as items, and were disappointed by Bethesda\'s initial offerings.

Some say that $1.99 is too much to charge for such a minor addition to the game.

In response, Bethesda Softworks has repeatedly said that they are still experimenting with downloadable content pricing, and that they are still listening to customer opinion.

\"We\'re still trying to find the right (price) spot,\" Bethesda\'s post reads. \"Tell us what you want to see, how much of it, and what it might be worth to you.\"

The Elder Scrolls series has become famous for its support of both user created and official content modifications, a tradition that players have come to expect from any game carrying the series name. Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind on the PC enjoyed an expansive player-made collection of downloadable content, some of which exceeded the hundreds of hours worth of gameplay that were included in the original game.

Early statements from Bethesda have suggested that the company hopes to keep the modding tradition alive, releasing additional quests and game content via Xbox Live and their website. In a move characteristic of the company, Bethesda has tried to address player concerns, asking for patience while they find a balanced model that benefits both the developer and their fans.