Starfield: Gameplay, Trailer & Everything We Know

Starfield is still some way off - more on that down below - but we do know quite a lot about Bethesda's upcoming sci-fi RPG, and their first new IP in over 25 years. Starfield was in the rumour mill for some time before its initial announcement in 2018, then a few years later at E3 2021 we saw a Starfield gameplay trailer that gave us a release date and much-needed insight into the upcoming RPG. It’s expected to be their biggest and most ambitious project to date, so with that in mind here is everything you need to know about Bethesda’s spacefaring adventure Starfield.

Is There A Starfield Release Date?

Courtesy of the latest news from an official Bethesda tweet on May 12, the release date for Starfield was pushed back to the first half of 2023, meaning we now only have a release window of six months. Initially, the release date that was revealed for Starfield was set to be November 11, 2022, which was exactly eleven years after the release of the iconic The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Starfield has been in development since 2015 and Todd Howard has previously stated they were confident with the release date. The delay seems to be an effort to give them more time to polish the experience, as Bethesda games are infamous for their bugs and glitches.

Recently, it was rumoured that Starfield could see a June 29, 2023 release date. This was following a GOG listing that had the apparent release date on the Starfield game page. However, this information was promptly removed.

June 29th is only a short few weeks after E3, when Microsoft will likely share much more information about Starfield. It's important to note that this is not a confirmed release date, and we will update this guide once we get another official date for Starfield's release. 

Starfield Trailers

The first three trailers we saw didn't have a tonne of information, but it’s given us some insight to the world of Starfield and what players can expect. The very first teaser trailer showed a planet's exterior and a fancy ship before it proceeded to warp away - presumably a sign of the faster-than-light traversal players will use to navigate the world of Starfield.

The second trailer was created in-engine with gameplay and contains a narrator. It showed footage of a pilot - who is likely the marketing analogue for the protagonist - wandering their ship before taking off into the stars. The narration vaguely spoke about the wonders of space exploration and the awe it inspires in mankind, which taken with the details revealed in the third trailer, explains some of the themes of hope and exploring the great mysteries of life that the game will tackle.

Speaking of the third trailer, it contains the most information so far by explaining the mood and scope of the game. It’s also paired with concept art of the key in-game locations and studio b-roll of the designers hard at work. Most importantly, it explains the hook of Starfield, which sees the player as part of Constellation, who are the last of the space explorers.

Finally, and the one we've all been waiting for, the gameplay trailer. Thanks to the Xbox Bethesda showcase, we've got our first look at what we can expect to see on our screens come the 2023 release. As expected, its boasts that Fallout feel but in space and some added gameplay mechanics such as resource farming. Shooting is involved also but there doesn't seem to be any V.A.T.S this time around.

Check out the Starfield gameplay trailer for yourself right here:

Starfield Gameplay And Story

In terms of Starfield gameplay, we know it will be like “Skyrim in space” according to Todd Howard, so expect a choice of first-person or third-person gameplay with a mix of combat, exploration, and conversation. Some of the developers have highlighted the different locations to explore such as New Atlantis, the capital for the largest and most powerful faction in the game, and Neon, a hub for extracurricular activities situated on a fishing platform where fish with psychotropic properties attract customers from all over.

As a game set in space, Starfield would be amiss if it didn’t include ship-to-ship combat, which is rumoured thanks to some trailer hints. For example, keen-eyed viewers will notice in the second trailer that the cockpit’s pilot console lists three different weapons available for use.

In the third trailer we also see footage of key Bethesda writer Emil Pagliarulo as he taps away at his keyboard seemingly writing a snippet of in-game lore that talks about ‘Crimson Pirates’ who could possibly ambush you in the cosmic void?

In terms of story, Starfield might be the most ambitious narrative Bethesda has ever tackled, with the total amount of dialogue lines coming in at 150,000, which is more than double that of Skyrim. It takes place 300 years in the future, where humanity has explored the stars and settled in with their galactic neighbours, allowing different factions, religions, and groups to come together.

What is confirmed is that you will play as a member of the last space exploration group called Constellation. We don’t know what kind of circumstances will be the catalyst for your adventure, but it’s always a good bet to assume you’ll be in some sort of predicament with a Bethesda RPG.

In addition to that, Bethesda has confirmed that some familiar CRPG elements of their older titles will be back, like picking your character background. This is great news for fans who felt alienated by the move away from more hardcore role-playing systems that started with Oblivion and has continued until Fallout 4.

Bethesda has also revealed that Starfield will be running Creation Engine 2, the next edition of the Gamebryo engine that they’ve been using for 20 years now. Considering it will be built on a similar framework as Skyrim then fans can expect a litany of mods to be churned out from day one.

Bethesda RPGs are known for their dedicated audience of modders and we don’t expect Starfield to be any different in this regard.

Platforms

Due to Microsoft’s acquirement of Bethesda, Starfield will be a Xbox Series X|S console exclusive and on select PC platforms. You can also play it day one with an Xbox Game Pass subscription.

Make sure you keep your eyes peeled on GGRecon for more Starfield news, guides, and an eventual review going forward as we learn more about Bethesda's next epic.