E3 2017: 'The Elder Scrolls: Legends' card game for iPad to expand, iPhone version arrives this summer

By Malcolm Owen

Bethesda this week announced an expansion -- with over 150 new cards -- for its iPad digital card game, "The Elder Scrolls: Legends," as well as an iPhone version of the game coming in July.

The Elder Scrolls: Legends

will be available on iPhone for the first time in July, following the iPad game's debut earlier this year. Bethesda initially launched the card game on PC before rolling it out weeks later to iPad in March followed by macOS, with the iPhone and Android version being the last announced platforms it will be available to play on.

The new expansion, called "Heroes of Skyrim", will reintroduce players with characters from the game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, including Aela the Huntress, J'Zargo, and Delphine. Dragons will feature heavily in the new cards arriving in the expansion, with players said to be rewarded for playing them with other dragons.

New gameplay mechanics will provide more ways for players to proceed in the game, with the concepts largely borrowed from Skyrim. Shouts will increase in power the more times a player uses them in combat, with special cards able to accelerate the process.

Companions can change into a "Beast Form" in the expansion, becoming more powerful than their standard form. This transformation can also potentially trigger abilities that could help or hinder a player during the match.

The expansion will be launching on all platforms, including Mac and iOS, on June 29, with the new cards available to purchase in packs. Bethesda advises it will be providing more details about the expansion and its cards closer to its launch.

More additions to the game are expected in the future, as it tries to take on competitors such as Gwent and Hearthstone. During the showcase event, it was revealed more content relating to the Dark Brotherhood is on the way, as well as in-game tournaments.