Highlights

  • To redeem Starfield, Bethesda should follow Cyberpunk 2077's lead by integrating the upcoming Shattered Space DLC into the main story.
  • Implementing multiple endings in Shattered Space could shake up Starfield's narrative and gameplay loop.
  • Introducing a significant new Artifact in Shattered Space could alter the universe and factions in Starfield, adding real consequences and excitement.

With Starfield failing to set the world on fire the way its Fallout and The Elder Scrolls series have, Bethesda has plenty of work to do if it hopes to redeem its ambitious sci-fi RPG. While post-launch patches have already resolved some of the biggest problems with the game, the upcoming Shattered Space DLC for Starfield presents an opportunity to reinvent and rehabilitate the title in a big way. To make the most of this opportunity, Bethesda should try to emulate how CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty not only added some incredible extra content but also altered the base game in some unexpected ways.

Just as CD Projekt Red managed to reform Cyberpunk 2077’s image in the years since its remarkably rocky start, Bethesda could still make Starfield into something spectacular. By ensuring that the events of the Shattered Space DLC have real and lasting effects on Starfield’s universe in the same way that Phantom Liberty’s story did for Cyberpunk 2077, Bethesda could regain some of the goodwill it lost with the game’s underwhelming launch. And, thanks to its unique New Game+ mode, introducing significant changes to Starfield could prove to be far easier from a storytelling standpoint than it would be with similar titles.

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Starfield’s Shattered Space DLC Should Follow Phantom Liberty’s Lead

One of the most widely praised elements of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, aside from the winning performance by Idris Alba as FIA agent Solomon Reed, was how it changed the base game in some surprising ways. Rather than simply adding a handful of one-off missions for players to enjoy, CD Projekt Red took the time to integrate Phantom Liberty’s narrative into the main campaign. Bethesda should take a page from this playbook for Starfield, incorporating Shattered Space into the game’s story in a significant way.

While Phantom Liberty wasn’t afraid to shake up the normal gameplay loop, even briefly turning Cyberpunk 2077 into a survival horror game in one instance, it was the expansion’s multiple endings that really helped it stand out. They not only neatly wrapped up the DLC’s storyline, but players’ choices in Phantom Liberty could have an impact on the game’s overall narrative. Implementing a similar system would let Bethesda shake up Starfield’s story in some interesting ways, and its innovative New Game+ mode provides the perfect way to do this.

Story spoilers for Starfield ahead.

Shattered Space Needs to Shake Up Starfield’s Status Quo

Although there are often multiple ways to approach each mission, Starfield’s ending is surprisingly static, with the main quest line always concluding with players traveling through Unity and becoming Starborn in a new universe. Shattered Space could throw a wrench into this repetitive gameplay loop, though. One way to do this would be by introducing a new Artifact to Starfield’s universe, one with the power to drastically shift the balance of power in the game.

With tensions between the different factions in Starfield representing a core element of the game’s story, adding a multiversal McGuffin for them to fight over would make perfect sense. Depending on which faction players side with the game’s ending, and Starfield’s universe as a whole, could change significantly. From a galaxy where Unity-powered pirates of the Crimson Fleet spread through space unchecked to one where humanity is subjugated by malevolent Starborn, who players choose to help could shake up the status quo in some significant ways.

By ensuring that Shattered Space not only adds some exciting new missions but also alters the base game’s story as much as Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty did, Bethesda could give Starfield a second chance to shine. Introducing a new Artifact and real, long-lasting consequences to players’ interactions with the in-game factions would be a great way to do this. Done right, this sort of radical revamp of Starfield’s story could give the game the shot of adrenaline it so desperately needs.