Video game developer and publisher of Fallout fame Bethesda has stealth-dropped a new game on Android, available only on the Google Play Store and to a limited number of people.
As a new title in The Elder Scrolls series named The Edler Scrolls: Castles, the medieval fantasy franchise has once again made the journey to mobile - following in the footsteps of 2019’s series spinoff The Edler Scrolls: Blades.
A win for Android
Available to a select few in early access, little is known about Castles beyond its simulation genre and the gameplay loop to suit: Players will manage and staff their castles, rule their kingdoms and undertake quests.
Notably, an iOS version of the game is not currently available with no listing on the App Store, in a win for Android fans who can take charge of their "very own castle and dynasty" early.
A Bethesda spokesperson told Polygon: "The Elder Scrolls: Castles is being developed by our talented mobile team behind Fallout Shelter at Bethesda Game Studios. We’re excited to share an early access version of the game with a limited number of players and listen to feedback as we improve the game over time."
Bethesda Game Studios was also behind Skyrim, arguably one of the most impactful titles in gaming history. It is also significant to add that this studio has rarely been involved in mobile game development; its only mobile games so far had been Fallout Shelter and Blades, both of which ended up being cross-platform titles also available on console.
Stealth-dropping a new game on the Play Store could be the beginning of a marked shift from the studio, taking this drastically different turn without any forewarning or advertising to players. Of course, it could follow the trend and become a cross-platform title too, but for now Castles is the only mobile-exclusive title from Bethesda Game Studios; an Android-exclusive title (currently), at that.
Last year, Bethesda Game Studios CSO Todd Howard revealed that the company was working on a new mobile game that would "offer a more substantial experience than Bethesda’s previous mobile titles", but whether this comment was in regards to Castles remains to be seen.
