The Elder Scrolls: Blades made $1.5 million in its first month

[mongeese]

In context: Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls: Blades entered early-access a month ago on iOS and Android mobile devices. Like all early-access games, the experience is a little icky with disappointing character models, simplistic progression, and even more simplistic combat. That hasn’t stopped it from being successful.

A Sensor Tower report reveals just how much cash Blades has raked in over the last month: $1.5 million. With 1.3 million players, that’s nearly $1.20 per download and $50 per day, which is right up there with some of the most popular gaming apps. About 73% of revenue is generated in the United States, with the UK making up the second largest portion of 5%.

While the numbers aren’t as gigantic as they could be – Bethesda’s Fallout Shelter, for example, made $8.7 million in its first month with 4.4 million downloads – Fallout Shelter didn't have a pre-release phase and was launched in full on June 14, 2015. Meanwhile Blades was made available as a closed beta in early March for Apple devices only. Later that month, the game launched as an “early-access” title on both iOS and Android.

Interestingly, the first million players downloaded the game in the first week of its release. This suggests that the game’s current success rates are closely linked to the hype Bethesda was able to generate at the game’s E3 announcement, and that players' mixed reviews (you can also read our hands-on impressions) drove other players away rather than pulling them in.

If Bethesda can’t prove that they’ve substantially upped the ante for the full game, they run the risk of it being more of a Fallout 76 than a Skyrim. Bethesda has missed all their release targets thus far, so it's unclear when the game's proper release will be.

Correction: It was earlier reported that The Elder Scrolls: Blades was released to Apple iOS devices only, but the game was actually made available as “early-access” on both iOS and Android. It is currently available on the Google Play store and has over a million installs on that platform alone.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/79840-elder-scrolls-blades-made-15-million-first-month.html

 

[Evernessince]

From the feedback I've seen on this game, it's a tire-fire.

One of the worst pay-gated mobile games I've seen.

 

[Lurker101]

If you listen carefully, you can actually hear the last of the goodwill Bethslop have built with their fans across two decades slowly fading away...

 

[psycros]

The early adopters for this are the same ones who buy every major game as early as possible. The crack monkeys always have to be first, especially if its a competitive game.

 

[ghostf1re]

It's not even that the game is unfinished, it's that it's horribly monetized. You can't even progress unless you wait hours on end to open a chest or you can pay real money to open them. Mobile games are absolute garbage with how horribly monetized they all are now.

 

[Brandinooooo]

It's not only on iOS..... I've been playing on Android since Day 2. I was one selected for Galaxy S8 for trials.

 

[Jamesbower765]

At least get your facts right. The game has been available for both major phone platforms day and date with each other. That's one of the most easily verifiable facts. Bad graphics? No, but they could not be to your liking. You can expound on the core gameplay mechanics not being in-depth enough or the pay timers being a lousy way to monetize, but perhaps if you're not actually going facts, but opinion, say so, or stick to reporting numbers from other sources.

 

[Mikebola]

Neat. I just uninstalled the copy that was on my Galaxy S8. It wasn't fun at all.

 

[Fuzzy Dunalap]

If you listen carefully, you can actually hear the last of the goodwill Bethslop have built with their fans across two decades slowly fading away...

we still have cd redkit

 

[Capaill]

At least get your facts right. The game has been available for both major phone platforms day and date with each other. That's one of the most easily verifiable facts.

Correct. The Bethesda site has download links for both Apple / Google stores. Also Wikipedia states:
"On March 1, 2019, Bethesda announced that they would be running an iOS-only closed beta for the game (with testers during that period kept under a non-disclosure agreement), prior to an early access release for both iOS and Android."

 

[ShagnWagn]

Neat. I just uninstalled the copy that was on my Galaxy S8. It wasn't fun at all.

Same here. It is a very monotonous game. I tried to play it for three days, but lost interest quickly. I loathe games with artificial timers. It is their compensation for a severe lack of content, which is a clear indicator that the game is not worth money spent. Fools are easily parted from their money.

"the game is still in 'pre-release' state and only available on iOS"

It has been available on android for several weeks now. Where are you getting your information from?