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After years of anticipation, Bethesda’sStarfielddebuted in 2024. The gigantic-space RPG was the company’s first new intellectual property in 25 years, and a lot is going behind it to be something special. Upon its release, the game was met with a positive reception, but that reaction didn’t last long as players felt the game lacked a soul.
Todd Howard and his team didn’t give up on the space RPG, though. In the last year, the team has brought various updates and even a full-fledged DLC for the game. However, amidst all that, I would like to ask whereStarfield‘s“handcrafted planets”were supposed to give it an edge overFalloutand Skyrim.
Todd Howard Didn’t Deliver on Yet Another Thing WithStarfield
Ahead ofStarfield‘s release, many gamers were concerned about how Bethesda would use procedural generation technology. People felt that most of thegame’s planets would be procedurally generatedand wouldn’t feature the handcrafted content of the company’s other popular RPGs, such as Fallout andElder Scrolls.
“Closed platforms create real barriers to that”: Real Reason Phil Spencer Wanted Todd Howard’s Starfield Was to End the Console Wars, Not Win it
However, Todd Howard came out and confirmed that won’t be the case. It was stated that with more than 1000 planets for gamers to explore across the Milky Way galaxy,Starfieldbrings out the largest interactive spaces in the company’s catalog.
Howardstatedthat even though they’re procedurally generated, Bethesda has developed and handcrafted a lot of them and put in more work compared to the studio’s previous titles.
We’ve done more of it than we’ve ever done
However, I’d like to disagree on this one. Going into the game, I waslured by Howard’s promisesand expected to see a truckload of awesome locations, enemies, and quests, especially those in high-level areas, but that wasn’t the case.
When I exploredStarfield‘s various star systems, I came across just a handful of“unique”handcrafted locations. Even these didn’t feel like they had much work put into them and simply didn’t compare to what we had seen with Skyrim orFallout. It genuinely feels like you’re walking into a procedurally generated simulator; you wouldn’t want to see these areas time and time again.
It’s clear that Howard and his team opted for the quantity over quality approach. Whether that’s positive or negative depends on the individual player. But I feel like if Bethesda had focused on diverting its resources on ten-hand-designed planets, the game would’ve felt alive and stood out among its competitors. It’s disappointing how Howard handled this title, considering it was his childhood dream.
StarfieldDoesn’t Deserve a Sequel or Further Development
Recently, an ex-Bethesda developer stated thatStarfieldis now part of the company’s big three, right alongside theFalloutandElder Scrollsfranchises. Even Xbox boss Phil Spencer has revealed that he wants the IP to have the same longevity asSkyrim, a game that’s still enjoyed to this day.
With these things in mind, it’s quite clear that top executives wantStarfieldto continue with another entry, and while the details are still scarce, I don’t think the game deserves such a treatment.
Todd Howard Thought “We would find the answers sooner” on the Worst Starfield Blunder
It’s not just me;even the Steam reviews prove my point.Starfielddoesn’t offer engaging characters or fun mechanics. All this game really brings to the table are boring planets and temples, disappointing space travel, and a failed storyline. I genuinely don’t think this game justifies the massive investment Bethesda has put behind it, and it’s a sinking ship the longer it goes on.
What doesn’t make sense to me is whyStarfieldis preparing for the sequel treatment while Microsoft continues to murder other studios. The tech giant murdered smaller studios like Tango Gameworks and Arkane Austin to focus on high-budget Bethesda games.
Disappointing triple AAA titles such asStarfieldcontinue to dominate the industry unfairly and consume resources that could’ve gone towards supporting smaller and more innovative studios.
Despite making massive hits, games from such small studios don’t get sequels because of financial risks. Meanwhile, mediocre titles from Bethesda continued to get funded because of its brand, whatever is left of it.
It’s a really big issue in the gaming industry. Independent developers continue to suffer, and companies just want maximum profit maximization, ruining gaming for us.
With that said, do you thinkStarfieldis Bethesda’s biggest failure? Let us know in the comments below.
Dhruv Bhatnagar
Articles Published :1195
With over 4 years of experience in content writing and more than 1,000 articles published for FandomWire, Dhruv is a seasoned writer when it comes to the gaming space. He’s deeply passionate about titles such as GTA Online, Forza Horizon, and Pokémon Go, committed to bringing readers deep dives and latest updates.
