Starfield, the most significant upcoming title from Microsoft-owned Bethesda, has been delayed to the first half of 2023, according to a tweet from the studio.
The game was initially set to launch on November 11th, 2022, an homage to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim’s release date. However, the new space exploration game, which Bethesda has released precious few details about (and, to this date, no actual gameplay footage), will get some extra development time, as well Redfall, the vampire co-op shooter coming from the team at Arkane that was surprise-announced last year.
Both games will likely be shown off in Bethesda’s upcoming games showcase on June 12th, so this early announcement is probably meant to set expectations.
However, speaking of setting expectations, if Bethesda happens to show off any Elder Scrolls VI footage, keep in mind that it’s likely (sadly) still years away from arriving on consoles and PC.
Few games have avoided significant delays during the pandemic, as production and collaboration are more complicated when they occur at home instead of in an office. At this point, it’s almost expected that any game’s tentative release date may be pushed, regardless of the company. For example, the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was recently moved from its planned holiday release to 2023.
Starfield is an upcoming action role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. The game was formally announced during Bethesda’s E3 Press Conference in 2018.
The game was described as a new, next-generation experience set in an entirely new space-themed world. It will be Bethesda’s first new intellectual property in over twenty-five years. The game will be released in the first half of 2023 for Microsoft Windows and Xbox Series X/S.
Starfield is set in an area that extends outward from the Solar System for approximately 50 light-years called The Settled Systems. Around 2310, the two largest factions in the game, the United Colonies and Freestar Collective engaged in the bloody Colony War.
The game takes place 20 years after the events of the Colony Wars, in which the significant factions enjoy an uneasy peace. The player will assume the role of a customizable character, a member of Constellation, an organization of space explorers. The game can be played in either first- or third-person perspectives.