Starfield release date, trailer, gameplay, mods and more

(Epitome credit: Bethesda)

We've finally been given our commencement proper glance at Starfield, thank you to the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase at E3 2021. And while we don't know a lot nigh the game even so, it's coming 2022 and could be a lot similar Skyrim in infinite. That's handy as the expect for The Elder Scrolls half-dozen seems a long way off.

There's a hard sci-fi vibe to Starfield from what we've seen and then far, something that's more than Ridley Scott'southward Conflicting than Star Wars. And going by fine art piece of work for the game, it looks similar there'll exist a rather enigmatic plot to Starfield.

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Information technology looks like space exploration, and possibly survival on inhospitable planets could play a role, as well equally cheese sandwiches. With that in mind, hither's what nosotros know about Starfield so far.

Starfield latest news and rumors (updated December 1)

New Starfield footage and artwork hints at a setting that's part Skyrim and part hard sci-fi from The Expanse; nosotros're excited.
Starfield game footage is set to be shown off in Summer 2022, with Bethesda boss Tod Howard noting that the game will have full mod support.
A new Starfield trailer has shown off concept at of The Settled Systems, the main setting of the expansive sci-fi game.
Bethesda has in no uncertain terms said that Starfield will exist an Xbox and PC exclusive, which will be a kicking in the teeth for people who've found a PS5 restock.

Starfield release date

Bethesda revealed that Starfield volition arrive on Nov xi, 2022. That ways we've got some 17 months to go.

All the same we tin can expect more Starfield details before that, with Bethesda likely using the some what vague trailer to build up excitement around its original IP. Given some Bethesda games have launched in a rather buggy state, we're quote happy for the programmer to accept its fourth dimension here.

Starfield trailer

E3 2021 saw the commencement proper trailer for Starfield. It shows what could be the in-game engine, but seems rather vague on concrete details. Wait a sci-fi earth that'due south all about handling the rigours of space travel rather than the 'light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation swords' of Star Wars.

A 2d video gives us a closer await at the development behind Starfield and how information technology'll exist the first "new universe" from Bethesda in 25 years.

Starfield gameplay

No game footage from Starfield has been revealed yet and even the trailer for it doesn't give much abroad either. But given it'southward an in-house Bethesda game, nosotros suspect it volition blend sci-fi space exploration with the open-world, choose-your-own-take a chance format of the likes of Skyrim and Fallout 4.

Full game footage has been slated by Bethesda boss Todd Howard for a Summer 2022 reveal. In an Reddit AMA Howard noted Bethesda would rather but bear witness off the game than tout whatever major features: "Nosotros prefer to just show it, which should exist next summer," he said. "We're happy with the advancements we've been able to brand, some of which you can encounter in the trailer shot in-game."

Having said that, Howard did say Starfield will come up with modernistic support from the become go, meaning it could have the aforementioned staying ability as the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which has extensive mod support and is 1 of the reasons Skyrim still very playable today.

Starfield gun and sandwich — Starfield could be an open-world space exploration game (Paradigm credit: Bethesda)

As for game action, expect to pilot a transport, or a diversity of ships, across the inky black of space and through brightly coloured nebulas and around asteroid fields. All with the aim to explore a diverseness of environments by landing on planets, moons, infinite station and other astral bodies.

And that could all be framed around a master story with branching strands that players can cull to pursue in one go or dip in and out of while digging into side quests and other stories not core to the chief plot.

Starfield ship — Starfield looks like information technology has some chunky spaceships (Prototype credit: Bethesda)

Nosotros suspect at that place'll exist a lot of histrion customization that will also extend to infinite ships. Of course, that's assuming that there are indeed infinite flight elements, and that Starfield is non simply attack a space station in the vein of System Shock, Casualty, and Alien Isolation.

Ideally, we'd like to see a game that is effectively an open-world Mass Effect, mixing exploration with a compelling choice-heavy story, with some space-sim elements thrown into the mix. At that place aren't a vast amount of space-sim or space-based RPGs around, so there'due south definitely a gap in the gaming world Bethesda could fill with Starfield.

I'm not sorry Starfield is an Xbox exclusive — and Bethesda shouldn't be either

Starfield story

Much similar the residue of Starfield, its story is a bit of an enigma. The latest trailer gives off the feeling that exploration of a new region of space will play a big function of the game's plot.

"For me, Starfield is the Han Solo simulator," Bethesda executive Ashley Cheng told The Washington Post. "Get in a ship, explore the galaxy, do fun stuff."

And Bethesda boss Todd Howards told The Telegraph that Starfield would be like "NASA meets Indiana Jones meets the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen."

Then nosotros'd posit that ways exploration with some alien stuff going on, specially as office of the latest trailer showed what looks like a diagram for some form of ring-baaed portal or teleporter structure.

Starfield trailer — Starfield could involve the conflicting artefact exploration (Image credit: Bethesda)

Regardless of the bodily narrative, equally Starfield is a Bethesda game we can await it to have all manner of quests, characters, and dialogue options to explore, with a story that somewhat reacts to what the thespian does and the decisions they make. We just actually hope that Bethesda spends a lot of time on making the primary story thoroughly engaging, with site missions that tie in with it.

Skyrim had a thoroughly passable chief story, merely the side quests were more interesting. That's no bad matter, but a compelling chief story is definitely something nosotros really desire to have from a sci-fi game, much like that of Star Wars: The Knights of the Former Republic Ii and Mass Effect.

Starfield setting and locations

A new and official trailer from Bethesda has shown off art work and a cursory snipped of gameplay for Starfield, namely around The Settled Systems setting.

This location is some 50 low-cal-years away from our own Solar Organisation, which isn't hugely far abroad in space terms. But this interstellar setting was ravaged by war and is nevertheless far from safe.

I location looks rather idyllic in a very Star Trek manner, seemingly blending a cityscape with a wood.

Starfield concept art planet — (Image credit: Bethesda)

But another epitome shows off an arid landscape dotted with spindly, otherworldly copse and no shortage of rocks. This looks like 1 area that you'll demand to pack a gun for.

Starfield planet artwork — (Image credit: Bethesda)

Speaking of guns, another chip of artwork shows off three characters garbed in a very Star Wars-like lived in spacesuits. Each one has a distinct style and hints at the numerous faction that are likely in Starfield.

Starfield concept art characters — (Image credit: Bethesda)

An earlier batch of unlisted trailers have shown off a trio of potential Starfield locations.

Neon is a "pleasance city" full of bright lights and futuristic-looking buildings. It was built upon an a giant fishing platform "on a rather nondescript aquatic globe" by the Xenofresh Corporation. The company then came across a a fish with "psychotropic" properties and adult a drug chosen "Aurora" to turn its fortunes effectually.

Starfield location - Neon — (Image credit: Bethesda)

New Atlantis is a infinite port and the capital of the United Colonies, described as "the most powerful, established military machine and political faction in the game." Information technology looks suitably sci-fi with flight cars and looming skyscrapers.

Starfield location - New Atlantis — (Image credit: Bethesda)

Then in that location's Akila Urban center, the capital of the Freestar Commonage. Akila is populated by a diverse fix of people who share a strong conventionalities in personal freedom and individuality.

Yet that freedom is arguably brought into question given the city is surrounded by a wall to proceed out creatures called Ashta, described every bit "conflicting predators that are a cantankerous betwixt a wolf and a velociraptor." This could be one location to visit suitably well-armed.

Starfield location - Akila — (Prototype credit: Bethesda)

A more recent teaser trailer meets developer chat showcases some more artwork and footage form Starfield. And it's looking like information technology'll be a heady mix of Skyrim open-earth/open up-galaxy exploration with the hard sci-fi setting of Television receiver series The Expanse.

a screenshot of a sunset and ship in Starfield — (Image credit: Bethesda)

Rather than opt for glistening spaceships and clean interiors, Starfield seems to favor role over form with ships that look like they could exist conceivably designed by NASA.

a sceenshot of a Starfield ship — (Image credit: Bethesda)

Interiors aren't festooned with holographic panels or smooth surfaces, but instead seem to exist using every fleck of surface space as storage with an emphasis on practicality not sci-fi glamour.

We've had plenty of traditional sci-fi games in the pass, notably nearly recently with Mass Event Legendary Edition. So a game in a grittier, more realistic sci-fi setting is definitely compelling and well-nigh a jiff of fresh air, well metaphorically speaking,

Starfield Xbox Series X and PC sectional

If you've establish an Xbox Serial X restock or have 1 of our best gaming PCs, and then yous're in luck every bit Starfield volition be an exclusive game for those platforms.

We're afraid to say PS5 owners are all out of luck. Merely then they practise get Deathloop, which is a Bethesda-made exclusive coming to Sony'southward new games console.

Starfield outlook

Starfield spaceship pilot — We hope Starfield has some deep space exploration (Paradigm credit: Bethesda)

While we really want some other Elderberry Scrolls game, we're very interested to see what Bethesda does with Starfield, given it'southward a make new IP from the gaming behemothic.

It's gear up to be a next-generation game, so we're expecting information technology to wait very impressive on Xbox Serial X. Only aside from that, in that location'due south telescopic for Starfield to exist space-faring sci-fi Skyrim or something that's more alike to space-sims such equally Elite Dangerous.

Either way, we're excited to see what Starfield volition plow out to be. Bethesda has a strong pedigree of making and publishing impressive games. So it'southward got a lot of experience to draw from, though that also comes with a lot of expectations from fans besides. For the fourth dimension being, we'll just have to wait and run across what Bethesda reveals adjacent.

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Roland Moore-Colyer is U.K. Editor at Tom'south Guide with a focus on news, features and stance manufactures. He often writes nigh gaming, phones, laptops and other bits of hardware; he's also got an involvement in cars. When not at his desk-bound Roland tin can be establish wandering around London, often with a look of curiosity on his face.