Starfield might be the talk of Bethesda town, but the company hasn’t forgotten about its Elder Scrolls fans. No, it’s not the long-awaited Elder Scrolls 6 but a mobile game that’s essentially Fallout Shelter with an Elder Scrolls theme. The Elder Scrolls: Castles arrived unannounced on the Play Store in early access, but the catch is that all EA slots are currently filled.
The Elder Scrolls: Castles puts you in charge of a castle (surprising, we know) set in an unnamed region of Tamriel. It hits the same notes asFallout Shelter; you’ll manage your citizens, send them out on quests, and customize your growing kingdom. Each day in real life spans a year in The Elder Scrolls: Castles; it won’t be long before your named heirs become rulers themselves.
There’s plenty of Elder Scrolls lore to glean from the screenshots available on the Play Store. Khajit and Argonians populate the castle in one image, while soldiers fend off a dragon in another. If it’s anything like Fallout Shelter, players can expect a variety of quests exploring aspects of the in-game universe.
The Elder Scrolls: Castles' Play Store listing describes it as Early Access, which may explain the game’s limited availability in the US. There has been no word from Betheda’s official channels regarding its release, and the Play Store page blocks downloads with a message explaining that the early access program is full. With just 1,000 downloads, this release might be part of a beta test. This may also explain why the game is unavailable to download outside of the US.
There is no listing for The Elder Scrolls: Castles on the Apple App Store either. Games on the App Store are required to list details of in-app purchases on the store page, and since these unsavory details are currently unavailable on the Play Store, it’s anyone’s guess how bad the monetization will be. However, if the game follows the same business model as Fallout Shelter, there’s a chance we can expect microtransactions ranging up to $49.99. That said, Fallout Shelter is one of thebest simulation games for Android, so we’re hoping that The Elder Scrolls: Castles hits the same notes that made Fallout Shelter a success.
Considering that Starfield is the Bethesda game on everyone’s minds and The Elder Scrolls 6’s release date is unknown, we would have expected a Starfield-themed Fallout Shelter instead. However,documents leaked from the FTC vs. Microsoft caselisted numerous planned mobile games, but most were listed under their development names or were unnamed. Perhaps one of these could be a Starfield mobile game in the same genre.
If you’re keen to try what is technically the newest Elder Scrolls game, you can keep an eye on the Play Store listing for its eventual release. In the meantime, you can always giveThe Elder Scrolls: Bladesanother whirl for some in-universe action.
