What you need to know
- Bethesda Softworks has announced a new addition to its mobile gaming lineup from Bethesda Game Studios.
- More specifically, the developers behind the legendary mobile game Fallout Shelter are releasing its spiritual successor, this time set in The Elder Scrolls universe.
- The Elder Scrolls: Castles will have you build and manage your own kingdom, including designing a castle, ruling your subjects, and embarking on quests.
- This casual, free-to-play mobile game is just around the corner, too, launching on Sept. 10 for Android and iOS (with pre-registrations opening today).
I'm part of the millions that played Fallout Shelter, although I haven't downloaded the game in a couple of years now. The long-running mobile game enjoyed a bit of a resurgence following the release of the Fallout TV show, but Bethesda was already planning a spiritual successor for the game to capture our minds and (most importantly) our time and money. I'm talking, of course, about the latest project from the developers behind Fallout Shelter, except this time it's set in The Elder Scrolls universe.
In the announcement video above (that also doubles as a deep dive), it doesn't take long to see the numerous similarities between Fallout Shelter and The Elder Scrolls: Castles. It's evolved and matured with fresh features and gameplay mechanics, but the core is the same: design your community and take care of your people. TES: Castles will let you grow your kingdom, building your castle however you want while ruling your subjects and seeking out valuable rewards on harrowing adventures.
Of course, this is another free-to-play mobile game, and it's actually arriving sooner than you might expect. After spending time in early access across a few countries, The Elder Scrolls: Castles is launching on Android and iOS platforms on Sept. 10, 2024, and you can pre-register at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store right now.
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Another reason to spend hours on your phone
Where Fallout Shelter takes place in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by radiation, The Elder Scrolls: Castles will take place in the same world we explore in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. In fact, you'll see plenty of foes, locations, and even characters you'll recognize from other parts of The Elder Scrolls franchise (there's an example a little further down).
This means that, instead of building and managing an underground nuclear shelter, you're instead designing your very own castle keep from which to manage your kingdom. Bethesda Game Studios has massively updated the control you have over building, too, with more freedom in changing your designs, more flexibility in layouts, and even the ability to decorate individual rooms in whatever manner you choose.
You'll still grow a community of subjects that each have unique personalities and traits, and you can assign those subjects to various jobs to keep your kingdom running. Now, though, you're also the deciding factor in random, important decisions and judgements that can affect the morale of your subjects. Like with everything else, this gameplay is familiar but evolved.
That applies to quests, too. Combat looks a little more strategic, but ultimately involves equipping your subjects with gear and sending them on set adventures to seek out valuable rewards. It's all the casual, addictiveness of Fallout Shelter but with modern improvements and The Elder Scrolls skin.
The Elder Scrolls: Castles will be completely free-to-play, too, although there are absolutely going to be in-game purchases just like with Fallout Shelter, likely to obtain randomized packs of gear and subjects or in-game currency. It remains to be seen how aggressive these microtransactions will be.
The Elder Scrolls: Castles officially launches on Sept. 10, 2024, and will be available for Android and iOS phones and tablets on launch day. There's no word on a PC or Xbox version like Fallout Shelter enjoys, but I wouldn't hold my breath on that ever really happening. What we do know, though, is that TES: Castles is already available to pre-register right now, so you can download the game the moment it's available. You can follow The Elder Scrolls: Castles official account on X.com for updates.
Bethesda has also posted some pre-registration milestones, with all launch day players up to earn some exclusive rewards if the goals are met. This includes some in-game currency and decorations, but if The Elder Scrolls: Castles manages two million pre-registrations across Android and iOS, all players will receive the Legendary Subject Ulfric Stormcloak. Yes, that Ulfric Stormcloak. I have a feeling there will be a lot more familiar subjects available to acquire in TES: Castles.
