Few titles had as exciting of a launch as Starfield. A new Bethesda IP promising a bigger universe and better gameplay; the hype was monumental. I’ve written about Starfield several times on this blog with steady optimism, even in the midst of widespread dissatisfaction for its limitations and problems. The game received updates in May and June of 2024 that signalled major improvements were on their way. This was followed by a quiet summer leading up to the first official story expansion for the game: Shattered Space. A DLC that I was – once again – optimistic towards and very eager to play.
But that’s when things took a turn for the worse.
As visually stunning as Shattered Space is, the content within it is short and bland. It’s a forgettable release that I didn’t enjoy, and it pains me to say that. While playing, I took notes for an article I planned to write about the DLC, but my enthusiasm deteriorated as I continued through it. By the end I felt utterly disappointed and, frankly, tired of the game.
However, when I say Shattered Space’s visuals are stunning, I mean stunning. The purple hue of Va’Ruun’kai is mesmerizing; the designers did an incredible job making the setting unique and vibrant.
Starfield hasn’t received a major update since the release of Shattered Space in September 2024, and it seems to have hit a pivotal point in its lifecycle.
My faith that Starfield would become a better game wasn’t something I pulled out of thin air. Bethesda repeatedly communicated that big things were on the way. In their 2024 June update video, they said they wanted to update the Tracker’s Alliance faction with periodic quests, but this was never done. And while I can’t find an official source for this, I’m sure it was stated they were going to release an expansion every year, something that has obviously not gone according to plan.
I don’t bring up these missed deadlines as a way to cast hate or negativity. But they do suggest that either Bethesda has something big planned that they’re still working on, or perhaps nothing at all, and this crossroads will dramatically transform Starfield’s legacy.
Starfield has potential. It’s an interesting world with a beautiful aesthetic, but it needs refinement; an easy thing to say but a harder thing to do. Still, as I said when I first wrote about it: I believe this is a game worth waiting for.
My character that I created at launch has ~250 hours of playtime. Designing ships, modifying weapons, and using photo mode are still things that I like to hop into the game for from time to time. But there are a few key improvements that would bring me back more frequently:
- Optimization for a proper 60fps performance mode on Xbox Series X. Not one that consistently drops to 30fps in certain locations, or even lower when using vehicles.
- Improvements to space travel, spaceship design, and more frequent use of zero gravity combat.
- More hand-crafted locations, items, and NPCs to fill the otherwise empty worlds.
Honestly, I wouldn’t say a new story expansion is all that vital to Starfield’s success. Improving the current content in the game and making it as repeatable as Skyrim or Fallout 4 should be the primary goal. New content is a welcome addition, but if the core systems still have their flaws, it may not be enough.
But I love Starfield, really. I love its music, its vibe, and how easy it is to get lost in. It just needs some effort to elevate it to the standard of Bethesda’s best, and it’s up to them to do that.
Even if my optimism is turning into blind hope, I still think Bethesda will eventually return to Starfield with big news. Starfield is good, but it could be great, and it would be a shame if that potential went untapped.