Xbox gamers have been anticipating a robust portfolio of first-party titles since Microsoft purchased Bethesda in March 2021, along with other recent purchases. Starfield, a space-exploration RPG and Bethesda’s first new IP in over two decades, is one of the most eagerly awaited of these.
The game’s teaser trailer indicated a November 11, 2022 release date during E3 2021. However, it was recently stated that it, along with Redfall, a co-op shooter also published by Bethesda, would be postponed until the first half of 2023.
Many other highly anticipated games, such as the sequel to Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and the timed PlayStation exclusive Final Fantasy XVI, have recently been delayed.
While these delays are naturally disappointing for fans, most gamers understand that they are necessary and that the final product will be better as a result. However, due to Starfield’s postponement until next year, Xbox will have no first-party games this year, dividing fans who are tired of waiting for their favorite series.
Release Date
Bethesda formally announced in May 2022 that they had decided to delay the release of Starfield until the first half of 2023. We believe that the negative press surrounding Cyberpunk 2077’s less-than-perfect release in December 2020 affected their decision to postpone the game. Starfield has been confirmed for release on PC and Xbox Series X/S as of this writing.
Platforms
Starfield is only available on Microsoft-affiliated systems, thus you can play it on a PC or a current-gen Xbox console. PS5 owners are out of luck this time, and will almost certainly meet a similar fate when The Elder Scrolls 6 is announced in the 24th century, which is when Starfield takes place.
To sweeten the bargain, Starfield will be available to download for free via Game Pass on the first day. Overall, it’s an Xbox exclusive that can also be played on PC.
Trailers
Bethesda has released a number of different trailers for Starfield as of this writing. All of them are easily accessible through a curated playlist on the official Bethesda YouTube channel, but we’ll go over the highlights of each one to help you decide which ones to watch.
The first trailer came out in June 2018, and mostly just served as a “Yes, this game exists!” kind of thing. “Also, space!” There’s not a whole lot of other stuff to get your hands dirty with here.
We received the first of several regular updates almost three years later, showing that the game was not only on schedule, but well into development. In August 2021, we were given a brief introduction to three worlds – Neon, New Atlantis, and Akila City – before learning more about the game’s setting and factions in October and seeing the first episode of a three-part series called Into the Starfield in November.
In February 2022, a short trailer on Starfield’s art was released, and in March, the second episode of Into the Starfield, which focused on the game’s RPG features, was released. In April 2022, we got a teaser trailer and met Vasco, a robot friend, before finally getting access to Into the Starfield episode three, which focused on the game’s score.
Plot and Setting
Just because we’ve seen all of the Starfield trailers doesn’t mean we’ve had enough of them. After all, this article is supposed to contain “all we know about Starfield,” which naturally includes all of the story and setting information we’ve gathered thus far.
As you might expect, Starfield is set in space – specifically, the Settled Systems, which were first revealed in one of the trailers described above. This is where humanity calls home in the universe, with various planets to explore as part of the game’s story. Some of these worlds are also familiar to us: New Atlantis is home to the United Colonies faction, while Akila City is home to the Freestar Collective.
Like other Bethesda games, Starfield is expected to have a strong emphasis on the conflict between its factions, with many of them shaping the course of your tale through their conflicts.
Gameplay
If you’re new to the studio’s games and are drawn to Starfield because of its sci-fi backdrop, it’s important to understand that it’s a role-playing game.
Starfield will be a lot more in-depth than prior – or even recent – Bethesda titles. Despite being dubbed “Skyrim in space,” we know it’s significantly influenced by the classic RPG roots on which Bethesda’s flagship series were founded, as well as being more grounded than the studio’s most well-known fantasy epic.
We anticipate a strong focus on gear, stats, exploration, and other aspects of the game, all of which will culminate in a highly personalized space experience tailored to your preferences and interests.
