Highlights
- Bethesda appears to have improved Starfield's graphics since its initial gameplay reveal, as shown in a fan-made comparison video.
- Concerns about graphical downgrades have been alleviated, with the revised footage showcasing sharper visuals and more detailed textures.
- While visuals are important, Bethesda's RPGs are known for their gameplay and open-world features, making graphics less crucial for the game's success.
Bethesda managed to improve Starfield's graphics over the last 14 months, as suggested by a newly emerged video comparing the RPG's original gameplay reveal to some overlapping footage that the developer shared at the 2023 Gamescom. The fan-made clip should alleviate the concerns that Bethesda downgraded Starfield's graphics, which surfaced online following the studio's June showcase.
Graphical downgrades are a fairly frequent occurrence in the gaming industry, especially when it comes to projects that have been in development for as long as Starfield has. Coupled with the fact that Bethesda isn't really known for pushing the envelope of graphical fidelity, some fans were worried that its upcoming RPG would end up looking noticeably worse compared to its initial reveal.
But the game will apparently do the opposite, as suggested by a newly emerged comparison video authored by Reddit user MartinTheTrue. The 18-second clip contrasts the elevator scene from Starfield's June 2022 gameplay reveal with a revised version of the footage that Bethesda shared at the latest iteration of Gamescom. The 2023 scene looks noticeably sharper, boasting more detailed textures and richer backgrounds. It also shows greater attention to detail, as underlined by the fact that the wire hooks hanging from the ceiling now have actual physics and sway realistically as the elevator slowly descends into a cave.
The 2023 revision of the elevator cutscene is also much better lit, featuring brighter and more numerous light sources that provide a clearer view of the player's immediate surroundings. The scene itself still appears to have been rendered using traditional rasterization methods that convert 3D geometry into 2D pixels with a combination of textures and shaders in order to mimic lighting and reflections. Many modern AAA games like Cyberpunk 2077 also support ray tracing technologies that simulate individual rays of light so as to deliver realistic reflections, caustics, and shadows. However, Bethesda has so far given no indication that Starfield will do the same.
Ray tracing or not, many fans interpreted this newly shared video comparison as confirmation that Starfield will at the very least look marginally better at launch than what its 2022 gameplay reveal suggested. Visual fidelity is also unlikely to be a major factor affecting the game's success, not least because Bethesda's RPGs don't exactly owe their cult followings to graphics. On the contrary, titles like Fallout 4 and The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim are primarily considered iconic due to the incredible level of freedom they provide to the players, as well as a distinct combination of complex systems and vast open worlds boasting unique features such as absolute object permanence.
Starfield launches September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.