After months of rumors, speculations, and reports, Bethesda Game Studios' sci-fi epic Starfield was all but confirmed to have a presence at Xbox and Bethesda's E3 2021 showcase. As it turns out, that was indeed the case, though not many were expecting Todd Howard to kick off the show itself with a Starfield reveal.

While Starfield's in-engine cinematic trailer was a highlight of its own, many were surprised by the reveal of a concrete release date for the game. Video game release dates are a hard pill to swallow, especially in the time of a pandemic. Plenty of highly anticipated AAA titles have gotten delayed from previous release dates in the last couple of years, just weeks before their releases, sometimes to an indefinite period. Starfield could be no different, though there is plenty of evidence at the moment that suggests that the game would meet its planned release date.

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Bethesda's Statement on Starfield's Release Date

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Ahead of Starfield's big reveal at E3 2021, The Washington Post sat down with Bethesda to talk about the game's various aspects, including the now-confirmed release date. Howard confirmed that Bethesda is indeed confident about the planned release date, and that "otherwise, [Bethesda] wouldn't be announcing it." Companies don't announce release dates unless they are optimistic about meeting the window, and delays usually occur due to unforeseeable circumstances.

It is particularly valid in Bethesda Game Studios' case, which is known for revealing its games alongside a proper release date and sticking by it. Given Bethesda's track record, that's at least a bit of assurance that Starfield would make its planned release date.

There are plenty of reasons why video games get delayed. One such reason is the tedious task of shipping to multiple platforms. Just like Starfield, Cyberpunk 2077 initially received a concrete release date a year before its actual release. Unfortunately, the game ended up getting delayed several times and also struggled on PS4 and Xbox One at launch. Cyberpunk 2077's disastrous launch lends much skepticism to the release of Starfield, which could get delayed or launch in a poor state, though unlike the former, Starfield won't be shipping on seven different platforms.

During its E3 2021 reveal, Starfield was adamantly confirmed to be exclusive to the next-gen Xbox ecosystem and PC. Interestingly enough, Bethesda's Pete Hines talked to GameSpot about the advantages of shipping games to fewer platforms, rather than shipping on everything available. He explained how development becomes more "streamlined" when developers focus on releasing games to a particular platform(s). It is one of the reasons why PlayStation exclusive AAA titles can seem extra polished at launch compared to many other third-party AAA titles on several platforms.

Given how Starfield will be releasing only on Xbox Series X/S and PC, the game's development must be more efficient in contrast to Cyberpunk 2077 or even Fallout 76. Generally that allots more time to dedicate towards QA and bug fixing, of which Starfield will presumably benefit from immensely.

The Importance of 11/11

Starfield is set to release on November 11, 2022, eleven years after the release of The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim, which is one of BGS' most successful titles. As such, November 11 isn't just an arbitrary date chosen for Starfield's release. Instead, it's a significant date to Bethesda that makes a lot of sense for Starfield.

Releasing Starfield exactly 11 years after Skyrim isn't just a nostalgia throwback, but also a stark indication of how BGS looks at Starfield as a spiritual successor to Skyrim. Starfield doesn't just have to be Skyrim in space to be successful, though it is awe-inspiring to see Bethesda aiming to recapture the magic of Skyrim in Starfield. In the Washington Post interview, Howard mentioned that Starfield is indeed Skyrim in space, hinting at the structural similarities of the two games.

At this point, Starfield's Skyrim comparisons make more sense than ever, and Bethesda wants fans to acknowledge that. While there's plenty of ways to do that, the one obvious way seems to be releasing Starfield on the same day Skyrim was released, 11 years ago. This would especially influence the hardcore Skyrim fans, and Bethesda would not want to skimp out on that by delaying the game. All of this makes the November 11 release date even more important than ever, as Bethesda sets out to recapture the same sensation Skyrim had when it came out.

RELATED: Bethesda Apologizes to PS5 Players for Starfield Xbox Exclusivity

The Big Xbox Holiday 2022 Release

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Starfield wasn't always planned as an Xbox exclusive title, even though Bethesda and Xbox have always worked in close proximity. Pete Hines confirmed that the exclusivity factor didn't come into the picture until Xbox acquired Bethesda. Interestingly, Xbox seems keen on releasing its big first-party exclusives during the holiday season. Halo Infinite was promised as a holiday game, and it seems to be keeping that promise this year. Starfield is the next AAA Xbox first-party game that the company wants to release in holiday 2022.

Announcing Starfield's release date so early from Bethesda doesn't make sense as the company is a firm believer in extensively revealing its titles and releasing them within the next six months. However, with the acquisition, Microsoft may be in control of marketing Bethesda's future titles, and it makes sense that it would go to such an extent to reveal its next big holiday title sooner rather than later.

It's also important to acknowledge that Xbox's biggest first-party holiday title of 2021, Halo Infinite, doesn't have a concrete release date yet. Despite this, Starfield is scheduled to release in holiday 2022. It simply implies that Bethesda, like always, is confident about meeting the release date.

Starfield is shaping up to be one of the biggest releases of 2022, and it makes sense that Xbox would want the game to be out in the holiday season. While delays could still pop up for plenty of inexplicable reasons, for the time being, Starfield's November 2022 release date coinciding with that of Skyrim's 11th anniversary makes sense.

Starfield releases November 11, 2022, on PC and Xbox Series X/S.

MORE: What Starfield Can Learn from The Elder Scrolls

Source: The Washington Post, GameSpot