Why does Skyrim have no arena?

[Daemos Avetorii]

You'd think with all the violence the war the dragons bandits necromancers etcetera an arena would be a superb place for folks to vent their rage in gladiatorial combat.
In truth I'd think an arena in skyrim would be more realistic than one in cyrodil. Most npcs are bulky and muscular.
They could host bear/wolf vs men fights etc. it would be great.

[ZackyZombify]

I find that Nords don't tend to be as organized as the citizens of Cyrodiil. I'm sure if you could ask npcs about a lack of an arena they'd say something of "look around, skyrim IS the arena." Or something of the sort.

[Daemos Avetorii]

Yeah.. skyrim.. the ultimate free for all killfest arena.

[Br3admax]

I find that Nords don't tend to be as organized as the citizens of Cyrodiil. I'm sure if you could ask npcs about a lack of an arena they'd say something of "look around, skyrim IS the arena." Or something of the sort.

Uh, no they would not. Cyrodiil is just as unorganized as Skyrim, especially right now. Nords are not brutes. That is just really culture bias.

1. Tamreil is the Arena. It means Arena. That is why the first game, which held all of Tamriel, is called Arena(that and it was supposed to be about gladiators)
2.There is an arena, but like many things in the base game, it was cut. In the data files, there are plenty of npcs and dialogue for an arena in Windhelm.

[CBR JGWRR]

What bread said.

[ZackyZombify]

I'm talking about Cyrodiil in the 3rd era. Did they have an arena, yes, two. And I disagree, Nord customs are far more brutish. You find much less elegance and decoration than in Cyrodiil. True in the 4th era Cyrodiil might be in ruin and a lot less organized than it was in Oblivion. I'm saying Oblivion had 2 arenas, skyrim has none. Game files or not it wasn't included. Maybe cut at the last moment because it didn't fit their brutish ways. I love the Nords. Mostly because their Vikingish ways. But they do seem to be the "if you wanna fight something go search for it" type.

[Evil-i]

Brutish?

It seems to me that not making a public spectacle out of a lethal blood sport is a lot less brutish than officializing it by turning it into a social occasion and spectator event.

[Haravikk]

The Skyrim arena was supposed to be the Bloodworks in Windhelm which may have been part of Windhelm's prison.
My suspicion is that there would have been a quest that forced you to get arrested, similar to Markarth's, this forcing you into the Bloodworks and thus fighting in the pit.

There plenty of stuff there in the game files, so it probably wouldn't take much for a skilled modder to add it back into the game.

[ZackyZombify]

I would've actually liked to see an arena in skyrim. Since I think it would fit it pretty well. Especially in windhelm. Too bad I don't have a pc.

[Br3admax]

Nords are not brutish. I made a post in the technology thread covering that. I named quite a few npcs, off the top of head no less, who were not brutish in anyway. You assume too much from the brutes of previous games.

Things were cut because making it dlc is a lot smarter, and it is easier on the processor, console-wise.

[ZackyZombify]

True some Nords aren't brutish. But it's the same case with the Khajiits, some aren't thieves. One apple ruins the bunch.

[Xarnac the Conqueror]

Beth laziness. Or to nickel and dime us later with an Arena DLC.

[Mr.Argonian]

Nords aren't brutish no, but you'd be lying if you said that thye were more civilized than the Imperials. While I would love an arena in Skyrim, I think it just wouldn't fit much. It suits the Roman Empire theme given out in Oblivion much more.

[The SheoDovah]

It was cut in order for them to meet the 11.11.11 deadline which is disappointing as Skyrim is one of the few provinces that you would expect to have an arena. Nords love to fight, be it mudcrab to bears and watching other nords test/beat each in combat would be a favorite past time of theirs.And i can see Ulfric allowing nordic prisioners to earn their way to freedom via the arena.

In fact, i think Whiterun,Solitude and Windhelm should have had an arena. Whiterun's could have been the smallest and located outside of the city whilst Solitude's the largest due to it being the capital of Skyrim and Windhelm's the oldest as well as being known for hosting fights that lasts for hours. Seems a bit odd that the Imperials had one whilst the nords don't.

There is always the tavern brawls which don't actually turn into fully fledged brawls. I wanted to cause a massive bar brawl instead of it being a bet. >:)

[Haravikk]

Nords love to fight, be it mudcrab to bears and watching other nords test/beat each in combat would be a favorite past time of theirs.

Well, they did mention duels in the run up to release; as far as I can tell though the closest the game gets are the generic "Nord" and similar NPCs who insult you and start combat if you tell them to stop. Not quite my ideal idea of a duel though since they show up a lot (for me at least) in populated areas which almost always means reloading multiple times to avoid a bounty just because I accidentally hit someone who is running around like an idiot in between me and my opponent.

Brawls were a little bit disappointing too as I was hoping for a full blown tavern brawl, but if you smack a non-participant in the face it just turns everyone hostile. Considering how tough Nords like to appear to be they're surprisingly sensitive about a stray blow, immediately calling in the psychic guards, even in the middle of a dragon attack you're trying to stop…

[TheManiac]

the ability to just walk up to somebody and start a non-lethal fist fight with someone would have been awesome. Instead, you go up to someone and punch them, they pull a sword out in retaliation.

[foggymischief]

the ability to just walk up to somebody and start a non-lethal fist fight with someone would have been awesome. Instead, you go up to someone and punch them, they pull a sword out in retaliation.

If you had a pocket knife, or a gun on you, then someone randomly punched you right in the kisser, would you fight hand-to-hand, or use one of your weapons? doesn't seem a logical thing to put in unfortunately.

[dragonfett]

How did Cyrodil have two arenas? Also, I had heard leading up to the release that there would not be an "Arena", but rather you would be able to participate in duels and bar fights.

[Mickey]

It made sense to me that the arena was an Imperial thing, as Cyrodil seemed the more "civilized" society, and violence as a spectator sport is a byproduct of that. Theres no market for it if life itself is a battle.

[DragonoftheNorth]

Am I the only one who thinks an arena would kind of ruin the game? Well maybe not ruin it but at least feel really out if place? There is enough violent killing already just walking down the road with the civil war, the bandits, the thalmor, tge dragons, the wild animals, etc. Also, as has already been said, it wouldn't fit Nord culture like it did the Roman style of Oblivion.

[Noah_The_Warlock]

Well what if bandits drugged and kidnapped people, and forced them to fight in an arena until you die? That would have been cool to have a quest where that happens to you, and you convince them you want to be a bandit and they let you because you are a good fighter, and you exact revenge on them. That.would be a cool arena, but I don't see an arena fitting in with the nordic oarchitecture or with how the cities are layed out.

[Musicman247]

In the Creation Kit there are lots of remnants of an Arena quest. From what it looks like it would be much like Fable's Arena in that you start with lower-ranked enemies and work your way up. I seem to recall beasts and maybe even Draugrs being on the list. I'll have to check.

But there is no doubt they intended to have an Arena at some point but it got either scrapped or moved to DLC.

[philfredobob]

How did Cyrodil have two arenas? Also, I had heard leading up to the release that there would not be an "Arena", but rather you would be able to participate in duels and bar fights.

Kvatch had an Arena before it was Destroyed

[Mattbott]

there are arenas in some skyrim vampire lairs - i remember at least one where the lord vamp sits on a throne overlooking a wolf pit with dead people around.. Some dwemer ruins also have the suggestion of torture or execution areas where a platform is surrounded by chairs for onlookers and the victim stands in the middle whilst machines chop them up - a bit arena like too and not very much fun for the 'players'.. so imo arenas in Skyrim are a degenerate and unholy practice.. death for entertainment instead of honour , not very nord like

Spoiler:

i also think an arena is not needed, not every TES has to have exactly the same elements in it.. favourites are one thing but a generic format might be the death of TES if they are not careful

Dragons also see the universe as an arena - their nature is to fight opponents and impress their dominance on the world, so i suppose i think the whole game is a sort of Dovah arena - foes going up as high as mega level dragons.. whats more awesomely arena like than that?

[Pilaf The Defiler]

the ability to just walk up to somebody and start a non-lethal fist fight with someone would have been awesome. Instead, you go up to someone and punch them, they pull a sword out in retaliation.

If you had a pocket knife, or a gun on you, then someone randomly punched you right in the kisser, would you fight hand-to-hand, or use one of your weapons? doesn't seem a logical thing to put in unfortunately.

I'd grab them by the back of the head and headbutt them in the nose really hard.