Summary
The Elder Scrolls: Castlesis now available for download on select mobile devices. The first newThe Elder Scrollsgame in years released completely out of the blue, with Bethesda basing it on theimmensely successful gameplay formula ofFallout Shelter.
Not accounting for the ever-growing list ofSkyrimrereleases, the last new entry in the long-running franchise launched in the form ofThe Elder Scrolls: Bladesback in early 2019. That collection of bite-sized adventuring experiences didn’t go too well with the fandom, debuting to a lukewarm player reception and mixed reviews. It was hence immediately obvious thatTES: Bladeswon’t be able to reach the heights ofFallout Shelter, which has been going strong since 2015 and remainsBethesda’s most successful game everin terms of reach.
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The studio’s latest attempt at another mobile hit is calledThe Elder Scrolls: Castles. The management sim appeared on the Google Play Store in late September, with its listing revealing that the game is currently in early access. This preview version ofTES: Castlescan thus already be downloaded on select Android devices across the U.S. and several other countries. The developer has yet to provide a complete list of supported smartphones and tablets, although the game’s 2D visuals suggest it should run on most contemporary devices spanning every price bracket.
This newly debutedThe Elder Scrollsspin-off promises a chance for fans to build their very own dynasty. To that end, they will be tasked with building, expanding, and upgrading their titular castles as part of a gameplay loop that’s pretty much a carbon copy ofFallout Shelter. Given the similarities between the two, it’s likely thatTES: Castleswas also built on the Unity engine, a fairly popular choice among mobile developers.
WhileFallout Shelterreached iOS devices months ahead of its Android launch,TES: Castlesmight end up doing the opposite, as there’s currently no mention of the game on Apple’s App Store. The early access version ofTES: Castlesalso doesn’t appear to be compatible withGoogle Play Games for PC.
Fans unable to play this preview build ofTES: Castlesshould arm themselves with patience in anticipation of the game’s full-fledged release, at least if Bethesda’s track record with mobile titles is any indication. For example,TES: Bladestook around 14 months to leave early access, which finally happened in mid-2020. ThecutestDoomgame ever—Mighty Doom—took even longer, spending nearly two years in limited beta before going live globally back in March 2023.
The Elder Scrolls: Castlesis now available in early access on Android devices.
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