Bethesda has released the second official DLC for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and while it certainly isn't specifically in line with Todd Howard's comments about more "expansion-sized" DLC drops like they did with Dawnguard, its time-sink potential is daunting.

Hearthfire gives you the chance to buy a plot of land in the game and build your own dream house. You can even adopt kids, hire stewards, plant gardens and oh-so much more.

The content is currently only available on Xbox Live and will set you back 400 MS Points (around AUD$6). We'll update you as to the ETA for PC and PS3 as soon as we know.

If you grab Hearthfire, feel free to share your house-building experiences with us in the Comments section. And in case you missed it, check out the trailer for Hearthfire embedded below.