Starfield latest trailer, game engine, and more: everything we know

Want to know the latest news about Starfield? In a release schedule dominated by multiple high-profile fantasy releases, those of us who prefer our video game escapism with a little more sci-fi flavour are all very focused on Starfield, the upcoming RPG from Fallout and Elder Scrolls developers Bethesda. If space opera is your bag then Starfield is definitely one to watch out for, and on this page we’re collating all the information we have on this release as we learn it.

Read on for everything you need to know about Starfield, from the latest release date info to details on settings, plot, factions, multiplayer, and more.

Starfield release date and platforms

In a surprising turn of events, Bethesda announced in May 2022 that Starfield has been delayed from its original (and seemingly very firm) relase date of November 11 into the first half of 2023. Starfield’s initial planned release date was significant, since it marks the 11th anniversary of the launch of Skyrim. But, while the new launch day won’t be quite as special to long-time Bethesda fans, the developers have chosen to prioritise shipping a quality product on day one, which can surely only be for the best.

On launch, Starfield will be exclusive to Microsoft Windows PC and Xbox Series X|S, and will be available on Game Pass from day one. Whether ports to other platforms will come along in the future remains to be seen, but rather than get your hopes up, it seems safest to assume that this title will remain exclusive to modern Microsoft devices.

Starfield announcements and trailers

Starfield was first officially announced at E3 2018, although it’s reportedly been in development ever since the launch of Fallout 4, which would mean that production began in late 2015. Pre-production reportedly ended around the same time as the E3 announcement, meaning that the game has been in a playable development phase for some time now, which sounds very promising. Below is the most recent teaser trailer, from June of last year:

What is Starfield’s setting and plot?

Starfield’s setting and overall aesthetic has been described variously as “Skyrim in space” and “NASA-punk”; pop cultural influences include Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica. From what I’ve seen it seems like if you’re a fan of Mass Effect, The Outer Worlds, or Prey, chances are Starfield will also be your jam.

The story begins in the year 2330 in a pocket of the Milky Way called “The Settled Systems”, an area approximately 50 light years in diameter around our own solar system that’s been at least partially colonised by humans. Around 20 years before the story begins, a bloody civil war occurred between two rival factions called the United Colonies and the Freestar Collective, but at the time the game takes place, the Settled Systems are once again in an uneasy peacetime.

That’s the backstory; exact details of the plot are still under wraps, with the tantalising premise that you’ll be exploring the galaxy “on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery”. The trailers contain a lot of philosophical musings on the place of humankind among the stars and the meaning of existence, so I’m wondering if our hero is looking to make first contact — answering the immortal question of whether humanity is alone in the universe. That’s merely informed speculation from a Trekkie in good standing, of course. Director Todd Howard has made self-described cryptic hints towards a twist in the tale somewhere, so whether I’m right or way off-base, either way you should expect there to be more to Starfield than first meets the eye.

Does Starfield have a character creator?

According to the official Starfield website, in this game you can “create any character you want”. Exact details are fuzzy and expectations often have to be tempered for a final release (just look at Cyberpunk 2077), but that seems like a pretty big clue that there will be a character creator with some extensive planned options.

A recent interview with several key members of the dev team revealed plans to let you choose your character’s background, traits, and stats; although as yet, we don’t have any specifics on the form those things will take.

Will Starfield be open-world?

The phrase “open-world” hasn’t technically been attached to Starfield as yet, but all the talk of “explor[ing] with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey” on the official website seems to be hinting that yes, this game is going to feature a big old sandboxy world (or, in this case, galaxy) for you to tackle as you see fit.

How long will it take to complete Starfield?

No exact details have yet been given about the length of Starfield’s main plotline, but interviews with the development team contain references to what sound like plenty of side-quests and the probability of branching storylines, promising replayability over a long period of time. Todd Howard compares the game to Skyrim and how many, many fans are still playing that game over a decade later, and suggests that Starfield was built after taking that unexpected longevity of interest into account.

If those comparisons to Skyrim hold true, we can reasonably anticipate a 30-40 hour main story, 100+ hours with side quests, and maybe 200+ hours to explore every nook and cranny to 100% completion.

Can you play Starfield in third person?

Good news for motion-sickness sufferers: Starfield can indeed be played in third person. There’s also going to be a first-person option to satisfy the desires of immersion fans, though we don’t yet know exactly how switching between the two will work. Still, with many modern RPGs choosing to jettison third-person view altogether and (unintentionally I’m sure) locking their game off to many potential fans who can’t stomach the shaky cam, it’s refreshing to see Starfield include both options. Plus, this means you’ll get to see your lovingly customised character in-game whenever you want.

Does Starfield feature factions and a morality system?

It’s unclear as yet whether Starfield will feature a points-based morality system akin to the Karma meter in Bethesda’s Fallout games. However, the developers have confirmed that the game will feature multiple joinable factions, and that at least one faction will align with “evil” actions and behaviours on the part of the player.

It seems like the major factions to begin with will be the aforementioned United Colonies and Freestar Collective, who were at war in the game’s backstory. The United Colonies represent an idealised vision of human diaspora branching out into the galaxy united as a republic. Meanwhile the Freestar Collective are space cowboys, a pioneer group pushing the frontiers of human expansion and who clearly aren’t so keen on centralised control. Notably, despite obvious parallels with franchises like Star Wars and Firefly, neither of these groups seem to be played up as having been entirely right or wrong in the war, at least from your character’s point of view at the start of the game. There’s also a third notable faction, Ryujin Industries, which represents a corporate interest apparently separate from the two ideological ones.

In terms of secondary or minor factions and groups, so far we’ve heard of Ecliptic Mercenaries, Pirates of the Crimson Fleet, Spacers (characterised by their violence) and House Va’ruun (described as “fanatical religious zealots”). It’s unclear yet exactly which of these you’ll be able to join — the only one confirmed as playable so far is the Crimson Fleet — but expect to encounter them all at some point in the story.

Your character will begin the game as a member of an exploratory force called Constellation, but by the sounds of it, shifting your allegiances will be a definite possibility at some point in the story.

It also seems that companion characters and dialogue trees are making an appearance, as per Bethesda tradition. There’s a persuasion mini-game to bring NPCs around to your way of thinking, somewhat akin to Fallout’s speech stat checks. But it is apparently an entirely new system developed specifically for Starfield that’s meant to emulate real conversation much more naturally.

Will Starfield feature romance options?

Early signs point to yes! The devs promise plenty of “romance, mystery, [and] adventure” in Starfield, after all. However, before we get too excited, that promise of romance is pretty vague: it could mean anything from a suite of romanceable companions to a single story-determined love interest, after all. Heck, in that context it could even mean “romance” in the medieval sense of the word, which barely overlaps with the modern definition. Personally, though, I’d be surprised if a major Bethesda RPG released in 2022 had no dateable characters, especially after teasing us so very blatantly.

Will Starfield have difficulty settings?

Starfield will apparently be more a “hardcore” RPG than recent Fallout and Elder Scrolls titles, though whether that translates to trickier action sequences or just more maths as you min-max your character’s stats remains to be seen. Bethesda have historically included difficulty settings in their single-player RPGs, so we’re inclined to think that there will be some ability to scale up or down damage in the game’s combat sections to suit your preference. We’ll have to wait to find out for sure, though; I think it depends on what exactly they mean by “hardcore”.

Will Starfield have multiplayer?

Rejoice, my fellow loners, because it’s been made very clear from the outset that Starfield will have no multiplayer elements whatsoever. The development focus for Starfield has been solidly on providing a story-rich, single-player adventure with plenty of replay value; and while multiplayer modes certainly have their joys, it’s refreshing to see a major release not feeling the need to tack one on where it’s simply not necessary for the story that the team have set out to tell.

Will Starfield have DLC?

The only thing I can report on the subject of Starfield DLC right now is that the developers haven’t straight-up said “no”. Considering that they’ve been very up-front about not adding multiplayer — and that Bethesda RPGs usually get a few post-release story expansions — I’d say the odds are pretty good. Nothing’s officially in the pipeline at this point, though.

Starfield game engine and system requirements

Starfield is built in Creation Engine 2, a modified and updated form of the Creation Engine that was used for Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Fallout 76. Reportedly, The Elder Scrolls VI will also use Creation Engine 2.

Since we don’t yet have any official word on the system requirements for Starfield on PC, it remains to be seen whether or not this sort-of-new engine will require a lot more horsepower on the part of your setup to run it. We’ll be keeping this page updated with more information as we get it, though, so be sure to check back to learn what’s new!

Here at RPS, we’ve already gone on record calling Starfield one of our most anticipated games of 2022. Therefore, expect plenty more news, guides, and more from us as we eagerly await November 2022 and the planned launch of Starfield!