Bethesda Softworks showed its new IPStarfieldat E3 2021 in the form of a teaser, yet this may be the only official news from the studio this year. Devs from Bethesda have given their two cents about the game and details on what to expect from the offset. However, since the announcement trailer, there has been a lack ofStarfieldgameplay and other media.
There is still time left in 2021, yet it seems there will be no moreStarfieldupdates or content until next year. This game is Bethesda’s first new IP in 25 years and seems to be following the announcement schedule thatSkyrimdid back in 2010 and 2011.
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What We Know About Starfield
Bethesda has given its fans clues for what to expect fromStarfieldin various interviews, but Executive Producer Todd Howard comparing the game toSkyrimleaves fans with more questions than answers. What is known about the game is that it revolves around the player’s starting faction called Constellation. Howard said Constellation is the last group of space explorers set in the game’s world, and that character creation will impact the player’s experience. It seems that from the get-go, Bethesda aims to haveStarfieldbe a morerealistic faction-based RPGwhere the choices players make will impact the rest of the game.
There is no information regardinghow far outside of Earth’s solar systemthe game will take place in; the game may even be set across the Milky Way Galaxy based on concept art. Unfortunately, the teaser trailer for the game claims it is still in its alpha phase, meaning full gameplay footage may take longer than fans expect. Howard has also gone on record saying Bethesda is using an updated version of its Creation Engine for the game, which could serve as the engine forElder Scrolls 6. There is not much else known about the world ofStarfieldother than the NASA and SpaceX aesthetic Howard and his team aimed for. In fact, SpaceX’s CEO Elon Musk met with Howard to discuss how to portray realistic and futuristic technology.
Time is Running Out
QuakeCon at Home, Bethesda’s rebranded annual convention, is coming August 19 to 21 this year. Fans are speculating on what games will be featured during the three-day convention, and are clamoring for updates and new information onStarfield. Expectations from years past point towardElder Scrolls OnlineandFallout 76being the main topics of discussion. Like last year, QuakeCon will be holding fundraisers for multiple charities during itsQuakecompetition and other segments.
Questions aboutStarfieldarise as the studio prepares for this year’s convention, and fans are eager to get a closer look at gameplay. Because the teaser trailer was filmed in-engine, the studio may be preparing some closer look into the gameplay or at least more footage of the game’s world. However, the clock is ticking, and the team behindStarfieldmay be waiting until next year to show off any gameplay. Again, the game is still in its alpha phase, highlighting how much more work needs to go into its game before getting fans too excited. Patience is also wearing thin for fans of theElder Scrollsfranchise,wondering whenElder Scrolls 6will come.
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The Many Faces of Starfield
Howard said ofStarfieldin an interviewwith The Washington Post that, “It’s likeSkyrimbut in space.” At the same time, Managing Director Ashley Cheng compares it to the likes ofStar Wars. She explains that playing the game feels like a Han Solo simulator, “Get in a ship, explore the universe, do fun stuff.” Perhaps both devs are explaining the game in terms they know without giving too much away.
From Howard’s perspective, the comparison betweenStarfieldandSkyrimmay reveal more than he intends. One ofSkyrim’s features that have carried over into many of Bethesda’s mainline RPGs is the use of a faction system. The studio has been criticized for its underwhelming use of factions. For example,Skyrimhas many factionsthat the player can join, with each having their own quest line. However, none of the factions affect the player’s standing with other rival factions, meaning the player can join all factions with no consequences.Skyrimhas no real allegiances,making the factions more of a checklist of things to do rather than an irreversible choice that affects the rest of the game.
Announcements Most Likely Coming in 2022
Since the E3 trailer was released, there has been little information regarding Bethesda’s newest IP other than statements made by the team’s executives. The development team has spent most of its time re-inventing the engineand determine its aesthetic. With that part of development finally out of the way, development on the actual gameplay, NPCs, factions, and other parts of the game are likely now more in the works. This process still takes a long time, meaning it will been in progress for who knows how long. Bethesda seems to be giving its new IP all of the attention rather than splitting its time, budget, and resources withElder Scrolls 6. Howard has been giving small updates on the game; for instance he told fans thatStarfieldwill be a single-player experience.
An official 2022 release datemirroringSkyrim’s release may shed light on the announcement schedule forStarfield. After being announced in December 2010 alongside a reveal trailer,Skyrimgot a November 11 release date. The following year, Bethesda gave fans gameplay as it came closer to release, showing off new gameplay elements such as dual-wielding weapons and spells. Keeping this information in mind is crucial when speculating Bethesda’s announcement process, andStarfieldmay take another year or so until the devs are ready to announce more.
Starfieldis due to release on June 19, 2025, for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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