Starfield's 2023 release date inches closer, with fans' anticipation growing with each passing day. At first, little was known about the game besides being the first new IP for Bethesda Game Studios in 25 years and hailed by director Todd Howard as Skyrim in space. E3 2018 and 2021 revealed tidbits of footage about atmospheric effects and an astronaut preparing their spaceship. Summer Game Fest in June 2022 finally announced extensive information about the Starfield game and gameplay footage.

While the footage shown in June 2022 expanded the concepts of Howard's vision for the game and granted fans pertinent information regarding what to expect and do, concept art for the game has been released gradually through the years. From E3 2021, the 10th anniversary of Skyrim, "Into the Starfield" YouTube videos, and through Twitter, Bethesda has provided a rich collection of art that fleshes out the layered world of Starfield. As 2022 continues to pass, more reveals continue to enhance the landscape and bring fans to the edge of their seats.

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Starfield is Grounded in Realism

starfield planetscape

Howard has been adamant that Starfield should capture the natural evolution of our present-day technology, systems, lives, and even apparel. This choice was made to create a sense of real-time progression and immerse players fully into what actual space travel will most likely look like in the future. To this end, Howard toured SpaceX for inspiration related to aesthetics and how the technology's functions, shape, size, power, and energy looked.

Doing away with flashy and exotic technology allowed Howard and his team to envision how citizens and colonists of this future would genuinely look. This brings to mind elements of the first Alien movie, where the characters on the Nostromo were blue-collar workers on a commercial hauler carrying ore and other refineries. Capturing this level of realism was integral for Howard and also helps to drive the story's themes of what exists in space and humanity's meaning now that they have access to the stars.

Colorful, Exotic, and Empty Worlds

Starfield Official Concept Art Bethesda Studios

So far, Starfield hasn't yet revealed if there's any intelligent alien life within the game's universe, yet that doesn't mean there aren't a plethora of planets to explore. At Summer Game Fest, Howard revealed that players would be able to travel to hundreds of star systems around the Settled Systems, with over 1000 planets ripe for exploration. While many planets will be barren and utilized for their precious minerals and perhaps base-building, Howard has stressed that many are populated in some form or another.

Given the numerous concept art of planets, from vibrant, colorful worlds found within the Goldilocks Zone of habitable planets, others show snow and ice-covered surfaces that may contain more profound mysteries. Deserts with alien cacti, jungles, caverns, coral, swamps, and more diversity spread throughout the many planets players can access. Additionally, planets colonized by the different factions and citizens of the future boast a variety of activity, urbanization, and locations. One city, Neon, serves as a pleasure center, standing tall over a planetary ocean with crashing waves and exotic fish.

Furthermore, these worlds are teeming with potential resources and alien wildlife. Howard has stressed that exploration is at the heart of the game, and players are given numerous locations to do just that. What mysteries these alien worlds will hold, their relevance to the greater narrative, and their interlocking features with the broad themes of humanity existing among the stars leaves so much to the imagination. The concept art that details these worlds does its job at allowing fans to wonder about the possibilities that the game will allow them to explore.

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Story, Gameplay, and Setting of Starfield

Image from Starfield showing an astronaut and an industrial zone all bathed in orange.

With the information revealed at Summer Game Fest compiled with the expanding concept art, the story and setting of Starfield have taken shape. Occurring in 2310, players will begin the game as members of the group called Constellation, explorers who continue searching for the Milky Way's answers. As the player progresses, they will reach the Settled Systems, where a Cold War status exists between two powerful factions, the United Colonies and the Freestar Collective. These two powerful entities warred 20 years prior and have been in an uneasy stalemate.

Howard has stressed that player choice is paramount to the game, expecting players to get various endings resulting from their decisions and actions throughout the game. The concept art paired with gameplay footage expands the different factions players may align with and the other locations they will undoubtedly inhabit. Granting players the ability to base-build on planets, further the goals of factions, conquer outposts, and work in ship hangars makes the possibilities endless.

The gameplay has mirrored the concept art already released, showing characters in thick-fitted suits similar to present-day astronauts. Since Howard wanted to implement a "NASA-punk" feel, the realism, evolution, and art expressively show that progression and are sure to immerse players in Starfield's universe. Even weaponry, stations, robotics, and food all feel truly conceptualized, organic, and natural.

Starfield Concept Art

Starfield is a game grounded in realism, and that level of detail will bring a complete sense of immersion to fans, players, and space exploration enthusiasts. As concept art has continuously been unveiled to audiences, the full scope of Starfield continues to grow and show a rich, detailed, multilayered world rife for exploration. With habitable planets, colorful and vibrant jungles, swamps, deserts, snow-covered caps, caverns, and unknown alien wildlife, players will not want for things to do. Venturing out to the furthest space regions and aligning with political or mercenary factions will allow players to carve unique endings suitable to their choices and actions.

Starfield releases in 2023 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.

Concept Art Via StarfieldWiki.net

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