Bethesda’s latest RPG, Starfield, is already set to launch in just a few months. This anticipated space-themed experience will mark the first emergence of a brand-new IP from the makers of Skyrim and Fallout 4 in over 25 years, and the idea of Starfield has likely been around at the company for much of that time. The solid 2023 release schedule of the new AAA sci-fi game is a promising sign following the delay of its initial launch date and years of production at the major studio. Bethesda appears to be fully invested in making Starfield its next big series, and this journey has taken the longest of any game the studio has previously developed.
Fallout 4 was Bethesda’s last mainline entry in one of its flagship franchises, and Starfield is alleged to have entered production directly following that game’s release back in 2015. This title was planned out way further in advance though, shown by Starfield's rich world-building and the fact its name was trademarked back in 2013, years prior to any stage of active development. Founding members and leaders at Bethesda have even gone on to express that there has been interest in exploring a space-themed game since even the early days of the company in the 2000s, so Starfield has probably existed in some form or another for nearly two decades.
Starfield Went Off Course from Its Original Release Trajectory
After years of mysterious silence, Bethesda officially unveiled a Starfield teaser trailer at E3 2018. While it still didn’t give much information about the actual game to players, the prospect of a new IP from the legendary studio being in full production fueled the hype its games are known for. News about the upcoming game wouldn’t come until 2021’s E3, years following the initial announcement. This 2021 trailer gave fans the most they had ever seen when it showcased cinematic, in-game footage teasing the game’s sci-fi technology and high graphical fidelity. This teaser trailer also came along with a November 2022 release date that would never come.
In May 2022, Bethesda would make the statement that Starfield had been delayed into the next year. The release date was pushed all the way into the first half of 2023 in order to ensure the best version of the game could be produced by its developer. Starfield's massive universe and gameplay were shown off at the 2022 Xbox and Bethesda Showcase and fueled enormous hype for its eventual release, showing that all the development time hadn’t been wasted. With the extra time to polish the final release and address the potential concerns of Bethesda’s fans, Starfield’s delay could be viewed as a beneficial decision in the long run.
Starfield’s Imminent Launch Means Everything for Bethesda
Making huge promises such as having 1,000 explorable planets in Starfield are sure to be tough to deliver on at the high fidelity of a AAA studio, and it makes sense that such an ambitious game has required recalibration of its production timeline as it's become more solidified. Furthermore, while the game had been announced to be confirmed for the first half of 2023, another pushed-back launch would hit when this time came. In March 2023, Starfield would be delayed all the way to September instead of releasing as promised.
Directly following Bethesda’s last mainline sci-fi game, Starfield's delays have increased its development period to over seven years. While that would make it the longest time they’ve ever spent on a game in the history of the studio, it’s likely that it was conceptualized years prior. The additional polish and tweaking allowed by more development could indicate a game more stable than the infamously buggy releases of Bethesda’s past massive RPGs. If the extra 10 months of production time indeed pay off, then Bethesda taking its time with Starfield could be what’s necessary to stack up to the massive success of its legendary history.
Starfield launches September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.