Starfield launched in 2023 to a mixed critical reception. Many genuinely liked the game, many really wanted to like the game and spent hours forcing themselves to fall in love with it, and some just downright hated it. I fell into the second category, spending countless hours desperately attempting to understand why some enjoyed it, but, more importantly, the intended experience Bethesda had hoped to deliver. I wanted to know why Bethesda had poured so much time and money into Starfield, to believe there was more to it than barren planets and a boring storyline.

I appreciate that Starfield has its fans, and I wish I was one of them. However, after spending so much time attempting to enjoy it, I’ve come to the conclusion that I simply can’t. At least, in its current state. Bethesda has promised big Starfield news would come sometime this year, but, outside that announcement, it has remained relatively tight-lipped about anything Starfield-related. That big news, however, could finally be around the corner, and it’s Bethesda’s last chance to save this long-since-sunk ship and offer some semblance of fun gameplay.

Even After 100 Hours, Starfield Isn’t Good

It Was The Most Disappointing Game Of 2023

Starfield wasn’t good after one hour, and, sadly, it still isn’t good after 100. There is so much inherently wrong with it, from its baffling procedurally generated planet designs to its lackluster story that drags its characters across dull, uninspired set pieces that feel as slapped together and repetitive as the rest of the game. Even its central hubs, which are handcrafted, feel outdated in their design. New Atlantis is too big, which both makes exploring it a confusing affair and exacerbates the game’s awful loading screen problem. I honestly cannot find any redeeming qualities about Starfield.

I do feel that it has been flogged a little too much, though. The expectation people had placed on it – rightfully so based on the game’s marketing and the pedigree of the developer behind it – coupled with the legacy of past Bethesda games like Skyrim and Fallout 3, led to it feeling like far more of a crushing disappointment than it otherwise would have been. While I wouldn’t say it’s a game that got unfairly criticized, I do believe that it’s better to move on and attempt to find solutions than simply stand around flogging a dead space horse.

Starfield’s incredible modding community has been pumping out some pretty impressive fixes and improvements, as well as huge mods that completely change the game. That’s all great, but there have been practically no official updates to the game, at least meaningful ones, and Starfield’s disappointing DLC made me reconsider Bethesda’s ability to fix this mess. Yet, despite the silence, lack of support, and awful DLC, my undying love for Bethesda’s horrendously outdated game design and a willingness to forgive have gotten me excited once again, as Gamescom approaches.

Bethesda Has A Chance To Fix Starfield At Gamescom

It Could Make The Ultimate Announcement

Bethesda confirmed via its official X account that it would be attending Gamescom this year, which is very exciting news for Starfield fans. Many of us had expected Bethesda to make an announcement during the Xbox Games Showcase, but it was nowhere to be seen. However, its appearance at Gamescom could mean that it’s finally ready to unveil the long-awaited Starborn DLC that we still know absolutely nothing about. It seems a tad ridiculous to put my eggs in the Starborn basket, but I am somewhat hopeful.

Of course, Shattered Space was a disaster, despite seemingly offering us everything we wanted from the original Starfield experience. So, there really isn’t any reason why Starborn would be different beyond, one can hope, Bethesda taking on board player feedback in some capacity. That is, of course, unless the Starborn announcement comes alongside a Cyberpunk 2077-esque update that changes the fundamentally bad gameplay systems that bog down the Starfield experience. I’m getting too wishful now, but one has to dream when they have nothing left.

I do genuinely believe that Gamescom could signal good news for Starfield, though. There’s the much-rumored PS5 port that will likely be announced, and that could come with some minor updates. At this point, any new Starfield content, whether it’s a big story expansion like Starborn or minor tweaks here and there, would be extremely welcome. Gamescom is an opportunity for Bethesda to not only prove itself, but also make something of Starfield and live up to its promise of supporting it for 10 years.

Bethesda Needs To Do More With Starfield

So Far, It Has Done Very Little

Bethesda hasn’t been sitting around doing nothing since Starfield launched in 2023. It has released a handful of major Starfield updates, most of which addressed the game’s performance while introducing much-needed quality of life improvements like maps. However, in the two years that the game has been out, Starfield hasn’t really gotten any significant content updates or vast improvements to the many systems a large portion of players have had issues with. There haven’t been any landmark fixes or game-changing improvements that make it a considerably better game.

Of course, that’s somewhat subjective, but I do think the addition of a car and a subpar paid DLC, alongside minor tweaks to gameplay such as new difficulty options and a bounty system, isn’t quite as significant as many may have hoped, myself included. Bethesda has had a lot of time to address the major issues with Starfield, or at least let players know it is working on it, but it hasn’t, and that’s a shame. Starfield could have had a far more positive launch and certainly a greater number of players sticking around, had it released more regular updates.

We have grown so accustomed to bad games being patched and updated extensively post-launch that I just assumed the same would happen with Starfield. However, it never did, which means either Bethesda didn’t have the time or resources to dedicate to overhauling the game, or it genuinely believes Starfield is a great game. Which, I suppose, brings me back to my original point of how I’ve so desperately attempted to understand what Bethesda’s intentions were with Starfield.

I hope that Bethesda delivers when Gamescom’s Opening Night Live rolls around on August 19, or just during the event between August 20 and 24. I hope it finally reveals Starborn, showcases some fun new updates, and rolls back a few of its frustrating features. Despite all of its flaws and issues, Starfield is absolutely worth saving and could be the next Skyrim if Bethesda only dedicated a little more time to making it the very best version of itself.

Source: Bethesda/X

Starfield

Systems

Released

September 6, 2023

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs, Strong Language, Violence

Engine

proprietary engine