Being an ambitious space age, open world RPG that comes from the same talented hands that have brought us the Elder Scrolls games (not to mention the first original IP to come from the studio in 25 years), it’s easy to wonder if Starfield will be just a futuristic elder scrolls or perhaps something more.
With that in mind, we’d advise you to strap yourself in and aim for the stars as we give you the lowdown on the Starfield release date, Starfield gameplay details and just how big Starfield is shaping up to be.
Starfield Release Date & Platforms
The Starfield release date has been confirmed as November 11, 2022. Starfield will be released on PC via Steam, in addition to Xbox Series X/S console platforms. Because Microsoft owns Bethesda Game Studios as a first party developer, Starfield will not release on any other platforms than PC and current generation Microsoft console hardware.
Sorry folks, an Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch Starfield release just isn’t on the cards.
Is Starfield A Futuristic Elder Scrolls?
There are certainly a wealth of similarities between the Elder Scrolls series and Starfield to say the least. Both Starfield and the Elder Scrolls games allow you to fully customise and create a character from scratch, sending them off into a vast open world (well, galaxy in Starfield’s case) to pursue an overarching story, chat with NPCs, specialise in certain roles and take on all manner of side missions however they see fit.
Indeed, based on the limited details that have been released about Starfield, it sure does seem like a futuristic Elder Scrolls – not least because Bethesda head honcho Todd Howard described Starfield as “Skyrim in space.” Like most things in life however, the truth is a little bit more complicated than that.
Starfield Gameplay Details
How Does Starfield Play?
In keeping with the notion that Starfield is essentially some kind of futuristic Elder Scrolls, we know that Starfield is a resolutely single-player based affair which boasts a hugely in-depth character creation. Certainly, lead artist Istvan Pely stated in March 2022’s dev diary that “[with] this game we’ve definitely, severely levelled up. The tech is based on scanning real-world models, similar to the photogrammetry we do in our landscapes.”
Beyond being able to create and realise character models to a refreshing level of visual fidelity where they no longer look like they’ve ingested swallowed a hotel full of bees, Starfield also promises something of a return to the more hardcore computer RPGs of old too, as Bethesda’s latest places a rigid premium on in-depth conversation, dialogue trees and non-linear gameplay where every decision counts. Perhaps more than anything though, Starfield encourages the player to explore every inch of its vast cosmos and around this notion, has structured special NPC companions that will remark on your discoveries (and failures) along the way.
Will Starfield Be First Or Third Person?
Continuing the grand tradition of the Elder Scrolls and Fallout games, Starfield will allow players to explore every nook and cranny of its expansive galaxy from either the first or third person perspective according to their preference.
How Will Combat Work In Starfield?
Though Starfield undoubtedly shares much of the same design DNA that can be seen in the likes of Skyrim and the other Elder Scrolls games, one thing you won’t be doing in Starfield is murdering enemies with a big broadsword, a wooden bow or a spellbook full of arcane nasty words. Instead, combat is likely to be much more predicated along the use of more high-tech laser weapons, cannons, grenades and more, while the idea of combat between spaceships is also a strong possibility given Starfield’s setting and the sheer amount of planet to planet traversal.
Can You Romance NPCs In Starfield?
Yes, you absolutely can romance NPCs in Starfield. In the second episode of the ‘Into The Starfield’ dev diary series for the game, it was revealed that Starfield will allow budding cosmic casanovas to get their amorous adventures on between all those missions, planet hopping and galaxy exploring shenanigans. Don’t be surprised either to discover that Bethesda has woven romance and tragedy in equal measure into Starfield’s main mission and side missions as well.
What Factions Are In Starfield?
Like any sprawling open world offering worth its salt, Starfield is generously filled with all manner of factions for wannabe cosmic adventurers to hook up with. In Starfield there are at least four factions that the player will encounter during their time with the game. This quartet of space factions that currently know of in Starfield include the Freestar Collective, Ryujin Industries, the United Colonies and finally the Crimson Fleet, the latter which are basically a bunch of swashbuckling space pirates that are looking for the next easy payday.
Much like the Elder Scrolls and Fallout games before it, gaining membership to these factions will almost certainly result in not only unique side missions, perks and items, but also completely bespoke NPCs to speak with that each have their own story to tell.
How Big Is Starfield Going To Be?
Given that we’re just under seven months away from the Starfield release date, there is still so much that we simply do not know about Starfield and chief among that knowledge is an answer to the question – how big is Starfield going to be? On a basic level at least, we can safely assume that Starfield will in all likelihood be larger than probably every Bethesda RPG put together and then some, simply on account of the fact that you’ll be flying around a massive galaxy stuff into which there are a whole host of planets that you can land and walk about on, each with their own landmarks, cities, hidden areas, NPCs and more.
For his part, Bethesda boss Todd Howard had already previously remarked that Starfield’s map would be much bigger than the one seen in Fallout 76 – the current largest Bethesda game which is itself already more than four times the size of Skyrim. Howard also confirmed that Starfield would employ a mixture of procedural generated and handcrafted geography too. So be ready to book out a whole heap of time out of your social calendar, because Starfield is going to be all kinds of extra from a size standpoint.
Check out Starfield at Green Man Gaming
Be prepared for Starfield’s launch by heading over to our store and adding Starfield to your wishlist. Make sure Starfield’s in your future with Green Man Gaming, where we’ll work to get you the best price possible on this futuristic leap into the unknown.
