The Elder Scrolls: Blades has been delayed on Switch. The game was originally slated to launch next month in December 2019 for the Switch, but that has now been pushed back to an unknown date next year. That launch will be the full launch of the 1.5 patch, set to bring new content alongside the fully polished release build. But it’s Bethesda, so maybe not.
The 1.5 update will include a variety of new and reworked features. A full PvP mode will be in the game now. In-game loot systems are also being retooled in a few big ways. Chest times for loot have been 86’d, making loot more common. The volume of stuff dropped from slain enemies is also getting a general increase. Boss loot drops are in the mix too, making adventures more rewarding overall. Bethesda are paying close attention, and will be adjusting this as they go.
Also, the Switch version will support cross-platform multiplayer with Android and iOS when it does come out, so that’s nice. The mobile-focused RPG is a good fit for the Switch, so at least new players will have some friends to adventure with when the game does finally come out.
It’s a Bethesda title, so there’s some suspicion that the Switch version of The Elder Scrolls: Blades has some issues, and the company is keen to avoid another buggy nightmare. After all, Fallout 76 has basically become a perpetual motion machine of outrage and bugs at this point. So Bethesda is pretty aware of how many problems that kind of launch would cause. Although I can scarcely imagine The Elder Scrolls: Blades becoming The Elder Scrolls: Class War. Thanks Fallout 1st. To assuage concern, Bethesda has put out some generic statements explaining the delay.
“Our goal is to make Blades as rewarding to play through as it is fun, and we think these changes will help us do just that,” says Bethesda. “We know how eager our players are to dive into Blades on the Nintendo Switch and we’ve been hard at work to make it happen,” the blog post published by Bethesda adds.
