Bethesda delays The Elder Scrolls: Blades Nintendo Switch port to early 2020

Bethesda announced today that The Elder Scrolls: Blades wouldn’t be available on Nintendo Switch until “early 2020.” The announcement was in a blog post on the free-to-play title’s next update, which will arrive in early December. The 1.5 update as it’s called will alter the loot system, and also add player-versus-player gameplay.

“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,” Bethesda wrote in today’s post. “Unfortunately, amidst all the other changes we’re making to Blades, we’ve had to delay our Switch release until early 2020. We can’t wait until you can begin your quest in Blades on the Switch, and we’re confident this additional time will let us deliver the polished gameplay our fans deserve. We deeply appreciate your patience!”

Blades launched onto iOS and Android devices earlier this year only after being delayed out of its 2018 launch window. The 1.5 update promises to remove one of the game’s most controversial feature, so-called “chest timers” which had players waiting hours to receive loot unless they ponied up real-world cash for gems.

“We’ve heard your feedback, and with Update 1.5, we’re making some huge changes to our loot system, including one of the most highly-requested updates,” Bethesda wrote in today’s post. “Starting with the update, your Chests will open immediately. No longer will you have to wait to see what’s inside!”

Bethesda also said that the highly-anticipated Arena mode, which allows players to fight each other in one-on-one skirmishes online, is also on the horizon. The new mode will be available starting at level five, and will feature cross-platform play between mobile devices and the Nintendo Switch.

You can read the entire post at the official Blades website.