Skyrim's 1.7 update is on Steam-beta mode

Steam users, according to a Bethesda Blog post today, can download the 1.7 beta update for Skyrim.  
No date has been given yet for an official release, so PS3 owners and Xbox players will have to wait  through the beta-phase. 

"Someone stole your sweetroll?" 

Unlike some previous updates, which deliciously included several new finishing animations, this brand new patch fixes general bugs and some crashing issues. Also, mounted combat will finally be available for PS3 Skyrim players once the 1.7 patch is finally released.

The fixes are intended for all systems except otherwise specified:

• General memory and stability optimizations
• Fixed crash related to new water shaders
• Fixed rare crash related to dragon landings
• Fixed logic error with loading screens from add-ons (Xbox 360)
• Using vampiric grip and swimming no longer prevents swimming animation from playing afterwards
• Improved recognition with Kinect voice commands (Xbox 360)
• Kinect-enabled dragon language shouts for French, German, Italian and Spanish work properly (Xbox 360)
• Fixed issue with Dawnguard Kinect-enabled dragon shouts for French, German, Italian and Spanish (Xbox 360)

• Fixed issue with Dawnguard Kinect-enabled dragon shouts for French, German, Italian and Spanish (Xbox 360)

Bethesda offers a word of warning for those who choose to participate in the beta: If you opt into the Beta, be sure to back up your saved games or simply be careful not to overwrite your existing saves. If you decide to opt out of the beta program, your old saves will still work with the current release of Skyrim on Steam (v 1.6).

For more information on all things Bethesda, readers may glance, creep or comb the pages of Bethesda's unofficial blog.

Stay tuned for Subculture!