Bethesda's iOS game "The Elder Scrolls: Blades" has begun rolling out in early access this week, after facing numerous delays in 2018 (via TouchArcade). The game was first announced at E3 2018, and then showcased by Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard at Apple's "Gather Round" iPhone XS event in September 2018.

elder scrolls at event
As of now, the game is in early access and Bethesda is sending out invites in waves. If you're interested, you can create a Bethesda account to sign up for early access on the company's website, and more information about the program can be found on the game's FAQ page.

Apple used the mobile game as a way to showcase the A12 Bionic chip on the newest generation of iPhone devices. During the event, Howard said that Blades is a massive, first person role-playing game that is full of quests for players to complete in an open world.


In the game, you play as a member of the Blades, a group of the Empire's top agents who are forced into exile, forcing you to return to your hometown in an effort to help rebuild it. The game's App Store page highlights features like dungeon questing, city customization, player-versus-player arena battles, character and gear editing, and more.

The Elder Scrolls: Blades is available to download from the iOS ‌App Store‌ for free [Direct Link]. As with most free-to-play games, there are in-app purchases of up to $99.99.

Top Rated Comments

Scottsoapbox Avatar
82 months ago
I would gladly pay $99 for a premium full game (not free to play) mobile version of Elder Scrolls. But those days are gone as all the money is in gambling and addiction based mechanisms to keep you buying in app purchases.
-sigh-
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
69Mustang Avatar
82 months ago
I hope. I admit I’m part of the problem where I only play free games...but I never do in app purchases. For $10 a month unlimited games and no in app purchases, I might do that.
This is what Apple is going to have to overcome with Arcade. The vast majority of mobile gamers play free games. It's what they're used to, and based on revenue, it's what they like. I'm skeptical Apple is going to be able to convince the IAP crowd to fork over $10 a month. Mobile gaming to me is simply a distraction or time killer, not a destination. I think it's the same for a lot of people. Arcade is going to need compelling content to even have a glimmer of a chance.

I'm not opposed to gaming subscription. I have an XBox Game Pass which is well worth it considering I paid $100 for a year. $100 is the cost of a typical AAA title + dlc season pass. Worth it.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Saipher Avatar
82 months ago
I would gladly pay $99 for a premium full game (not free to play) mobile version of Elder Scrolls. But those days are gone as all the money is in gambling and addiction based mechanisms to keep you buying in app purchases.
-sigh-
Hopefully Apple Arcade will fix that.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kcslc Avatar
82 months ago
I would gladly pay $99 for a premium full game (not free to play) mobile version of Elder Scrolls. But those days are gone as all the money is in gambling and addiction based mechanisms to keep you buying in app purchases.
-sigh-
Well, Nintendo released a game with a single IAP of $9.99 to unlock the whole game. The whining about the price on this forum was immeasurable. It was one of the best mobile games I’ve ever played. It was fresh, challenging, and an innovative way to play a platformer with one hand. Well worth the $10.

I guess Nintendo should have implemented consumable micro transactions up to and including purchases of $99.99 like this Bethesda game and it would have been hailed as the game of all games on iOS.

I seriously don’t get people who play games on mobile. It simply is not worth the time, energy, or money.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
err404 Avatar
82 months ago
Not all games are poison just because you have to pay for them upfront, Grid, Rush Rally 3 to name 2, the freemium model killed mobile gaming as it’s akin to gambling, Apple won’t include them purely because it gets far far far far more money from the freemium model as do the devs.

I don’t think what Apple is offering will last long or will be any good.
I was specifically referring to IAP for consumables as being poison. I should have been more clear.
I do enjoy premium titles on iOS, but have frequently been burned by those as well. More often than not, premium titles are abandoned. Bugs are left unpatched and instead of fixing issues when an iOS patch breaks functionality, the games are often just pulled off of the store.
I am cautiously optimistic of Apple Arcade because it could offer what I am looking for out of mobile gaming; well supported premium games that don’t have IAP.
Remember that this will live along side the current App Store and will likely appeal to gamers who are otherwise not spending any money on IAP today. This could be a new and largely untapped revenue stream for Apple that if done well could increase overall store profits. I can almost guarantee that the average iOS user spends less per month today than this new service will charge.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
apolloa Avatar
82 months ago
That’s the point. The funding model of those titles are poison to quality gaming. They can remain in the main App Store, but I will be far more interested in Apple Arcade titles that should all be premium quality games with long term support like freemium.
I think a lot of people are missing this side of the Apple Arcade proposal; premium games get released and abandoned because the money dries up after the first month. Freemium games are continuously updated to keep customers coming back, but sacrifice quality game balancing. Apple Arcade will be Premium games that continue to generate revenue after the initial release so devs have an incentive to keep them fresh.
Not all games are poison just because you have to pay for them upfront, Grid, Rush Rally 3 to name 2, the freemium model killed mobile gaming as it’s akin to gambling, Apple won’t include them purely because it gets far far far far more money from the freemium model as do the devs.

I don’t think what Apple is offering will last long or will be any good.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Monday June 30, 2025 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
A18 Pro Chip

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options that include silver, blue, pink, and yellow. MacRumors...
Apple Watch Ultra Night Mode Screen

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Launching Later This Year With Two Key Upgrades

Wednesday July 2, 2025 1:13 pm PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support. Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Magsafe

iPhone 17 Pro's New MagSafe Design Revealed in Leaked Photo

Wednesday July 2, 2025 8:37 am PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to have a slightly different MagSafe magnet layout compared to existing iPhone models, and a leaked photo has offered a closer look at the supposed new design. The leaker Majin Bu today shared a photo of alleged MagSafe magnet arrays for third-party iPhone 17 Pro cases. On existing iPhone models with MagSafe, the magnets form a...
macbook air spacegray purple

Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

Monday June 30, 2025 3:20 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In an article published on X, Kuo explained that the device will feature a 13-inch display and the A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac powered by an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year. To date, all Apple silicon Macs have contained M-series...
iOS 18

Apple Releases Second iOS 18.6 Public Beta

Tuesday July 1, 2025 10:19 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a day after Apple provided the betas to developers. Apple has also released a second beta of macOS Sequoia 15.6. Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible...
Wi Fi WiFi General Feature

iOS 26 Adds a Useful New Wi-Fi Feature to Your iPhone

Wednesday July 2, 2025 6:36 am PDT by
iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 add a smaller yet useful Wi-Fi feature to iPhones and iPads. As spotted by Creative Strategies analyst Max Weinbach, sign-in details for captive Wi-Fi networks are now synced across iPhones and iPads running iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. For example, while Weinbach was staying at a Hilton hotel, his iPhone prompted him to fill in Wi-Fi details from his iPad that was already...
maxresdefault

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

Friday June 27, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Heal...
replay all time playlist apple music

Apple Music Debuts All-New Personalized Playlist

Monday June 30, 2025 7:16 am PDT by
As part of its 10-year celebrations of Apple Music, Apple today released an all-new personalized playlist that collates your entire listening history. The playlist, called "Replay All Time," expands on Apple Music's existing Replay features. Previously, users could only see their top songs for each individual calendar year that they've been subscribed to Apple Music, but now, Replay All...