Gab Hernandez 
Bethesda Game Studios has announced its next Elder Scrolls project but it’s not the Skyrim sequel fans wanted, it’s a mobile game named The Elder Scrolls: Castles.
The Elder Scrolls 6 has reached Half-Life 3 meme status with gamers. The sixth entry into the Elder Scrolls franchise marks the longest gap between sequels in its history, at a whopping 13 years and counting. Bethesda’s focus on Starfield left the fantasy franchise in the dust for the past decade.
Thankfully, Elder Scrolls 6 officially came out of pre-production in August 2023 after Starfield’s release. Although it’s still far away, fans are anxious for any news to come out of the Elder Scrolls franchise. In the meantime, Bethesda has given Elder Scrolls fans something new to play.
What is The Elder Scrolls: Castles?
The Elder Scrolls: Castles is a settlement simulator mobile game developed by the Fallout Shelter team. The game puts players in charge of building up their castle and dynasty. It’s essentially a fantasy clone of Fallout Shelter, and if Castles is anything like that game, it’s probably going to be well-received. The mobile harbinger of Fallout 4’s release received decent reviews for its mobile and Nintendo Switch versions. Fans were lukewarm about the news, however.
For starters, the last foray into the mobile scene by The Elder Scrolls franchise was Elder Scrolls: Blades, which had a negative reception among fans of the franchise. It was criticized for its underwhelming gameplay and its leveraging of The Elder Scrolls’ name despite not being a proper part of the series.
Despite this, ans are speculating that this means Bethesda will be all-in on the Elder Scrolls franchise for the foreseeable future.
After all, Fallout Shelter was released just a few months before Fallout 4’s launch. While it’s very unlikely that The Elder Scrolls 6 will follow Castles immediately, it does mean Bethesda is easing people onto the Elder Scrolls hype train.
When is The Elder Scrolls: Castles coming out?
The Elder Scrolls: Castles is set for a 2024 release, according to the App Store. It’s worth noting that the specific month mentioned is December 2024 which may be a placeholder while Bethesda finalizes development.
The Elder Scrolls: Castles was already in beta back in late 2023, so a release could come sooner. While it’s no TES 6, it may still be a good way to kill some time in Tamriel.
With Skyrim likely still years away from getting a sequel, fans may want to revisit the game with some extra Creations to liven up the experience. Either that or just wait for Avowed, a spiritual successor made by the team behind Fallout: New Vegas.
