The Elder Scrolls: Blades shuts down permanently on June 30, 2026

Bethesda has announced that The Elder Scrolls: Blades will shut down for good on June 30, 2026. The mobile spin-off, originally released in May 2020, was available on Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch. The game focused on first-person dungeon-crawling gameplay and followed the Blades, who went into exile after the Great War.

The experience featured free-to-play elements with microtransactions, which many players felt encouraged a pay-to-win strategy. That led to a negative reception, resulting in a score of just 37 on OpenCritic.

Original release and game features

The Elder Scrolls: Blades was first revealed during Bethesda's E3 2018 showcase. The game entered early access in March 2019 and introduced several features, including:

• Town mode

• Portrait mode (introduced in 2019)

• Crisis and PvP duels

• Seasonal events

• Nintendo Switch release in May 2020

Shutdown announcement and impact on players

An in-game message to players has announced that the servers for The Elder Scrolls: Blades will be shut down on June 30, 2026. The game has already been removed from digital storefronts, meaning new players can no longer download it. Players who already have it installed on their devices will still be able to play until the shutdown date.

In preparation for the shutdown, Bethesda is offering major discounts on in-game items, with prices as low as 1 Gem or 1 Sigil. Players are also receiving a credit of this currency so they can experience the game's content before it goes offline for good.

The future of the franchise

The shutdown of The Elder Scrolls: Blades comes at a time of stagnation for the franchise. While players wait for the official release of The Elder Scrolls 6, which is still expected to be several years away, Blades was one of the few options available to fans. Last year did bring a remaster of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, but news on The Elder Scrolls 6 remains scarce.

In the meantime, players can turn to alternatives such as The Elder Scrolls: Castles, where they can manage their kingdom and expand their castle. For Nintendo Switch 2 owners, a recent 60 FPS update for Skyrim has also arrived, making it a great time to revisit the game.

The shutdown of The Elder Scrolls: Blades is disappointing for many fans, but it also offers a chance to explore all of the game's content before it goes permanently offline. Franchise players can test their patience and hope for news on The Elder Scrolls 6 in the future.