When Starfield release date? Officially, it was supposed to take place in November 2022, but Bethesda recently announced the postponement of Starfield to 2023. Luckily, we did get a pretty decent demo of the new open-world game at the Xbox and Bethesda show this summer.
Bear in mind that we haven't heard much about the game since then, leaving the Starfield community a little hungry for new information, but I'm sure Bethesda won't keep us in the dark for long. Whenever the Starfield release date comes, I'm sure it's worth the wait. Here's what we know so far.
Starfield release date
Starfield's release date is scheduled for the first half of 2023, with Microsoft's Matt Booty indicating it will be released after Arkane's Redfall.
It was originally supposed to be released on November 11, 2022, but in May 2022 Bethesda announced that the space game has now been pushed back to 2023. Given that Starfield was first announced back in 2018, I'm sure we can wait a bit for the launch date.
Starfield pre-order
Starfield is available for pre-order at select retailers. It is currently available for pre-order through GAME in the UK and GameStop in the US.
Starfield Game Pass is also relevant; it will appear as part of the PC Game Pass (as well as Xbox Game Pass for console players), which means you'll get instant access to the open world game from day one. Subscribers Game Pass no need to pre-order, and we believe they will be able to preload Starfield ahead of release, at the very least.
Is Starfield exclusive to Xbox?
Starfield will be exclusive to Xbox and PC as Microsoft agreed to a $7,5 billion deal to buy ZeniMax Media, Bethesda's parent company.
In a blog post announcing the acquisition, Xbox head Phil Spencer mentions his excitement about Bethesda's upcoming games - "some announced and many unannounced", including Starfield.
Gameplay
Original Starfield announcement trailer came out a long time ago in 2018. We've since received a teaser trailer for Starfield in June 2021 and a much larger gameplay demo in June 2022.
We recently saw a small piece of Starfield gameplay showing how the dialogue and persuasion mechanics would work, as well as some additional spaceflight footage with commentary by Todd Howard. We have embedded it in the section below.
Starfield Features
At the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase 2022, we took a deep look at the mechanics and systems of Starfield. The gameplay demo begins on a bug-infested planet where the player mines iron from a cave before heading to the Crete research lab. Here we find that the Crimson Fleet, one of the many factions of the Starfield, is plundering treasure. These pirates are hostile, which gives us the opportunity to see some of Starfield's cannons in action, such as the Grendel machine gun. Combat is very similar to Fallout 4, except there is no VATS system to rely on.
After a briefing from the Starfield Constellation faction leader about the artifact we dug up, we get to know the other faction leaders who tell us what they're fighting for. We also see a few more hostile aliens, from dinosaur-like creatures with jaws to creepy horrors stalking the corridors of the abandoned facility.
Game Director Todd Howard then talks about the character creation tool, as well as Starfield's many backstories and traits, with which your astronaut can start his journey through space. The gameplay gives us an insight into Starfield's skills and a brief introduction to the Starfield Research Lab projects.
If you're wondering what dialogue will be like in Starfield, we've got some (hopefully) encouraging details. First, the classic BGS silent protagonist returns, which is probably handy considering the game has around 250 lines of dialogue. You will also speak in the first person and choose from a variety of dialogue options presented as single sentences. There is a new persuasion system where you spend points in a series of linked exchanges in hopes of achieving the desired outcome before you expire your hospitality.
Finally, there is a section dedicated to building the Starfield base, including the ability to design and operate your own spaceship. In addition to space combat, this spacecraft will be handy for exploring the many Starfield planets in the known universe, according to Howard, there are more than 1000 of them. Interview with an IGN developer Along with Howard, he confirms that there is some procedural generation in Starfield, but that the Bethesda team "has done more manual work in terms of content in this game than in any other game."
If you're looking for more details on the space game's world, Bethesda has also unveiled some concepts for several of the Starfield cities we'll be able to visit, including the game's largest settlement, New Atlantis. Luckily, it looks like these large settlements are just the highlights, and there will be plenty of other cities and even smaller metropolitan areas for you to visit. If you're wondering how long Starfield has been around, we've got a few theories for you to check out.
Starfield Multiplayer
Will there be multiplayer in Starfield? Short answer: no. The long answer is still no, but if you need proof, we're guiding you there. Development: Brighton Digital conference session since 2020, when Todd Howard confirms that Starfield will be a solo experience. If you don't want to watch the whole thing, Howard refers to Starfield's multiplayer (or lack of it) at around the 45th minute.
That's all we know about Starfield's release date. November is still a long time away and we can't wait for more news. In the meantime, you can read about Starfield release date Game Pass.
