Starfieldhas been on a bit of a downward trajectory, in terms of popularity, for a considerable amount of time. Sure, its pre-launch hype was through the roof - one may say, out of this world - but almost as soon as we saw the gameplay leak, and the infamous loading screens grace, or perhaps more aptly, curse, our screens, sentiment surrounding Bethesda’s space epic soured. That’s not to say there aren’t those who loveStarfield, far from it, in fact.
It is just that there are so many who have become disenfranchised with the game, with many more having given up all hope of any form of redemption arc. Fortunately, despiteBethesda’s unfortunate radio silence,it seems like there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Sure, you may have to go through a lot of loading screens to reach said glimmer, but if it turns out to be real, all the pain will have been absolutely worth it.
Starfield Has Been A Disappointment For Many
I don’t think it is unreasonable to say thatStarfieldis2023’s most underwhelming game. Not only did it launch to somewhat middling reviews, but it also never really penetrated the zeitgeist, immediately being overshadowed by the likes ofBaldur’s Gate 3.It felt, especially after the disaster that wasFallout 76, that Bethesda had lost its lusterand was merely coasting on the goodwill its name had generated thanks to the likes ofSkyrimand the many excellentElder Scrollsgames before it.
Of course, that isn’t entirely fair. There are a handful of things thatStarfieldgot right, especially its combat. However,Starfield’sbiggest problemswere just too hard to overlook. From its barren planets devoid of anything fun to explore - Todd Howard can handwave it away all he likes, it’s still boring - to its dull and uninspired storyline,Starfieldnever really got off the ground. That’s not even mentioning the dreaded loading screens that have, unfortunately, become synonymous with Bethesda.
Some, myself included,assumed that after the backlash, Bethesda could work hard on some form of redemption arc. However, a complete lack of updates proved us all wrong, and it felt like there was no hope forStarfield. Even the game’s ill-fated DLC,Shattered Space,failed to entertain fans, despite promising handcrafted content. Of course, that’s all a lot of preamble to explain why I, and so many others, are finally relieved to hear that Bethesda may not have been twiddling its thumbs all this time.
Intergalactic Travel Could Be A Turning Point For Starfield
It Could Add A Whole New Dimension To Exploration
Reddit userZealousideal-Buyer-7recently posted to theStarfieldsubreddit that they, alongside another user,had discovered code that potentially pointed towards intergalactic travel withinStarfield. Of course, this feature hasn’t been added yet, but thehugeStarfieldleakindicates that it could be added in the future. In theory, this would allow players to actually explore space, rather than lingering around the outskirts of a planet before loading in.
To be absolutely clear, this would not add seamless travel from space to a planet’s surface. Rather,it would add a “cruise” mode for your ship, allowing you to travel through space, presumably at high speeds, thus allowing you to access other parts of the galaxy. It has been proven before that players can, if they want to, travel from one planet to another, as the galaxy is completely simulated. However, if you reach another planet, it is just a blurry mess you can fly through.
This “cruise” mode may allow you to actually visit another planet and then land on it (via a loading screen), making space more exciting to explore. It could also come with a number of other features, such as more to see and do in space. For example, Zealousideal-Buyer-7 claims that the code they discovered indicates that a random event could happen upon exiting “cruise” mode. It is all very exciting, and, if true, would finally be amuch-needed update forStarfield.
Starfield Needs More Updates
It Would Greatly Benefit From More Content
It is no small secret thatStarfieldhas been in dire need of updates for quite some time. While it has gotten a handful of smaller ones here and there - and of course the REV-8 update a long time ago -it hasn’t had any substantial updates akin to whatCyberpunk 2077received post-launch. Many may feel like it doesn’t need them, as, unlikeCyberpunk 2077, it didn’t launch in a miserably buggy state.
However,Starfield, likeCyberpunk, completely missed the mark and failed to live up to its potential. This is a Bethesda RPG we’re talking about. It should have been significantly better than what it currently is.Meaningful updates that address core issues and rework fundamental gameplay features are neededif Bethesda ever wants it to be the RPG we all know it is capable of being. It even feels like Bethesda is somewhat aware of this, as itconstantly teasesStarfieldupdates, but never really delivers.
There’s Still Time For Starfield To Be Redeemed
It Is Never Too Late For A Redemption Arc
Fortunately,there is still time forStarfieldto get the redemption arc it has always deserved. If Bethesda not only implements the aforementioned interplanetary travel as leaked on Reddit, but also several other core gameplay changes, such as improved POIs, fewer barren planets, and more reasons to explore, then it could turnStarfieldaround. Bethesda has the perfect opportunity to implement such improvements with the rumoredupcoming PS5Starfieldport.
Many suspect that is when it will finally drop a huge 2.0-style update that revises many of the main issues with the game. Of course, in doing so, it will greatly increaseStarfield’s next DLC’ssales, something that is potentially at risk otherwise.Shattered Spacewas reviewed poorly and still has a mostly negative rating onSteam. If Bethesda wantsStarfield’snext DLC to sell well and for the game to have an enduring legacy likeSkyrim, then it desperately needs to update it as soon as possible.
