The Elder Scrolls: Blades Is Shutting Down: What Happened And Alternatives
Bethesda's 8-year-old F2P Elder Scrolls spinoff Blades shuts June 30, 2026—already delisted from iOS/Android/Switch. In-game notice: servers offline, no offline mode. Until then, all store items 1 Gem/Sigil; free 50K Gems+1K Sigils bundle. Mobile dungeon crawler ends amid low revenue.
Status
Shutting Down
Estimated timeline
June 30, 2026
Category
Video Game
What is happening?
The Elder Scrolls: Blades, Bethesda's 2019 free-to-play mobile dungeon crawler (iOS, Android, Switch), will have servers permanently shut down on June 30, 2026, rendering it unplayable (no offline mode). Already delisted from all stores; confirmed via in-game notice spotted late March 2026. Until shutdown, all store items cost 1 Gem or 1 Sigil; every player gets free 50K Gems + 1K Sigils bundle to access full content.
Launched May 1, 2019 (beta 2018), Blades featured first-person dungeon raids, town-building, PvP Arena, and endless procedural quests in Skyrim-inspired Tamriel. Early hype (1M+ downloads Week 1) faded amid pay-to-win criticism, repetitive grind, and MTX-heavy progression (Gems for chests/boosts). Recent revenue ~$20K/month—unprofitable vs. maintenance costs like Fallout Shelter/Castles.
Bethesda's notice: "Thank you for playing—we hope you enjoyed your time in Blades." No detailed reasons; pattern follows Legends (offline 2025). Coverage (PC Gamer, Nintendo Life, Engadget) notes quiet end after 7 years; YouTubers lament "brand slop." Playable now if installed—last chance for progress/items.
Reddit r/StopKillingGames calls out server deletion.
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