The Elder Scrolls: Blades won’t have chest timers on Switch

The mobile versions are shedding the pesky timers in December

We aren’t getting any Elder Scrolls on Nintendo Switch this year after all.

Bethesda has pushed back its plans to bring The Elder Scrolls: Blades to Switch until “early 2020” as other matters – namely, “the most extensive update” yet for iOS and Android – have taken priority.

The studio is busy with update 1.5, which will get rid of chest timers (a huge criticism), be more generous with loot, introduce a best-of-three PvP Arena mode for players level 5 and up, and add a guild system. These improvements are coming to Blades on iOS and Android in “early December.”

“Need something specific? Trade materials with one of your guildmates,” Bethesda said. “Want to see one of your friends’ towns? You’ll be able to visit them and even purchase items from merchants in the town. In addition, PvP is tied to guilds; as you make your way through the PvP leaderboards, you’ll not only be making a name for yourself, but representing your guild as well.”

Bethesda also confirmed that Switch and mobile players can compete against each other in PvP.

Some of you might be scoffing at the idea of Blades – it is what it is, and what “it is” isn’t “The Elder Scrolls VI” – but I’m vaguely curious, at least enough to try the Switch edition for a week or two. Considering that it’ll launch in a better place (thanks in part to update 1.5), I’m glad about the delay.

Here’s what CJ had to say about how the Nintendo Switch port stacks up to the original mobile release: “if you’re one of the millions of people who’ve downloaded The Elder Scrolls: Blades and are looking for more control of everything you do, the Switch version will be exactly what you want.”

In a post-Apple Arcade world, I’ve gotten too used to playing mobile games with a controller.

Blades Town Hall – Update 1.5 is coming! [Bethesda]