While most gaming fans want their favorite upcoming titles to be as polished as possible upon release, news of delays still can be incredibly disappointing. The delays of two of 2022's most anticipated titles, co-op shooter Redfall and highly anticipated RPG Starfield, were announced by Bethesda recently. The upcoming space-themed action RPG has remained mostly an enigma since it was unveiled, with fans only getting glimpses of trailers and pieces of Starfield concept art. However, this hasn't exactly stopped hype from building around the game, which led to an understandable amount of disappointment regarding its delay.
It is possible that fans will be able to see some Starfield gameplay at this year's Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase on June 12, which will likely only make the extended wait feel that much more painful after gamers see what Bethesda has been working on. However, the delay of Starfield may not be as long as fans first thought, as a recent Reddit image shows the prospective release date promoted on Xbox Game Pass.
User ganndalf stated that they were signing back up for Xbox Game Pass when they glanced at the page for Starfield, which will be available via the subscription service for Xbox and PC. According to the Starfield Game Pass page, the expected release date for the game is "Early 2023." While Bethesda has promised that the game will launch in the first half of next year, the "early" aspect of its release date on Game Pass may indicate that fans won't have to wait too long beyond the turn of the new year.
Those in the comment section of ganndalf's Reddit post did point out that given the vague nature of "early 2023," it could be an interchangeable wording essentially meaning the first half of the new year. So fans shouldn't plan for a Starfield launch for January 1, for example, and expectations should perhaps be put in check about Starfield 's release date. However, Bethesda fans are often optimistic gamers and hope to see the next iteration of their favorite franchise whenever a showcase takes place. There are fans hoping for some more news on The Elder Scrolls 6 at the upcoming Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase, for example.
Even with Bethesda's new expected release date of 2023, there is no guarantee that Starfield will be in players' hands at that point. It is possible that Starfield could experience another delay, especially considering the scope and level of detail it seems Bethesda is aiming for. Cyberpunk 2077 experienced multiple major delays before it eventually saw a release in late 2020. Even then, the game proved to need so much work that even the DLC expansions for Cyberpunk 2077 have since been delayed.
Starfield will be released on PC and Xbox Series X/S in 2023.