As Bethesda's first original IP in two and a half decades, there is already a lot of pressure on Starfield. The studio is responsible for industry-defining hits like the Fallout and Elder Scrolls series, and fans are excited about what it can do with a new story in an original setting away from its established franchises. Starfield is looking to set the bar when it comes to visuals, expansive gameplay, and space-faring adventure, and from what Bethesda has revealed so far, it seems like the game is aiming to deliver a truly boundary-breaking experience.
Starfield has been in the works for a long time, with speculation around the title starting even before the Fallout 4 reveal since Bethesda trademarked the title "Starfield." The game was officially announced in 2018 at E3, and the reveal of the massive sci-fi RPG that promised to be on the same scale as another Bethesda hit like Skyrim certainly got people talking. Following the announcement, Bethesda has remained a little tight-lipped about its upcoming game, and it's only since 2021 that details of Starfield have started to appear more often. Even with the developer being more open about its new game, leaks and rumors have still sprung up around Starfield with increasing regularity now that its launch approaches.
Starfield's Ramped Up Marketing
Even though Starfield has recently been pushed back into 2023, Bethesda has definitely started to step up its marketing around the title in the last year or so. It's tricky to tread the right line between revealing enough about a game to get gamers excited, and revealing too much and potentially spoiling the experience for fans. There have also been recent examples where games that haven't revealed enough before launch let players in for a hefty dose of disappointment when they realize it's nowhere near what they expected. Starfield is slightly in danger of this latter outcome, with a lot of mystery still surrounding its essential features.
However, Bethesda has opened up more about what Starfield will entail, particularly with the "Into the Starfield" videos that include discussions with members of the development team as they delve deeper into things like design aesthetics, character backgrounds, and companions. These, as well as other comments, interviews, and image releases have helped to paint a clearer picture of Starfield, either confirming fan suspicions or presenting new alternatives for rumored aspects. With the game's launch coming ever closer, Bethesda will undoubtedly be looking at how it can continue to share glimpses and insights to keep fan excitement bubbling away.
Leaked Images And Details
In the absence of any official gameplay footage, some players still aren't too sure what Starfield is actually all about. Some are speculating that it will basically be Skyrim in space, while others are wondering if it will opt for a completely different gameplay experience from what Bethesda has done in the past. With so many areas of Starfield remaining as closely guarded secrets, leaks have inevitably sprung up to feed hungry fans with at least a smattering of detail about the upcoming title. Leaks are a pervasive problem in the video game industry, with such long development cycles making it difficult to keep everything under wraps over multiple years. However, they can help games stay in the ever-changing spotlight ahead of their release, in addition to more traditional marketing ploys.
As such a big release, Starfield has naturally been the subject of a few leaks, but Bethesda has done a good job of keeping the game's juiciest features a secret. Still, there are some interesting elements that leaks have revealed, as well as rumors that have continued to swirl around Starfield. In early 2021, Twitter user and YouTuber Skullzi shared an image that purported to show Starfield test footage of a potential planetary environment. Later in the year, more leaked images and screenshots supposedly offered players a better look at more locations including the outside of what looked like a settlement with an astronaut-type figure in the foreground.
Possible Features And More
There were some rumors that have since been disproved, like a 2021 launch date, or ones that have now been confirmed, like Xbox exclusivity after Bethesda's parent company Zenimax Media Inc was acquired by Microsoft. But many rumors are yet to be confirmed, like the image of a sketchbook that showed a curious watch with similar designs to the UI seen on other leaked Starfield screenshots. A real-life replica of a watch was also the subject of a collector's edition rumor, as a keen-eyed viewer spotted it in a behind-the-scenes look at Starfield. Images of ship designs have also been floating around online, although it's not clear yet what role ships will play in the game and if gamers will be able to control them or not.
Skullzi was again the source of some Starfield image leaks, as they shared shots of various interiors in a first-person view. While there have been a lot of screenshots shared and pictures claiming to show in-game aspects making the rounds, they haven't actually shown anything particularly exciting or earth-shattering. Still, some fans are just happy to see Starfield in action, mostly just to prove that it's in somewhat of a playable state. One element that did pique fan interest, however, was the leak that supposedly showed base-builder elements in Starfield, detailing what players might be able to get up to alongside their space exploration.
Someone who was apparently a former Bethesda employee did appear to criticize the engine that Starfield is using, and claimed that the flying "is terrible at the moment." While this does raise a small red flag, players are hoping the developer still has time to smooth out some of these issues if they turn out to be true. There was also some recent speculation about a Starfield MMO based on job postings for the developer and its associated companies, but as the game was not mentioned specifically – and only a new IP was referenced – it could be unrelated.
With the Bethesda and Xbox showcase coming up next month, players are hoping to hear and (more specifically) see more of Starfield so that some of these questions can be answered.
Starfield launches Q1/Q2 2023 for PC and Xbox Series X.