Todd Howard: Starfield Updates Continue, But It’s Not “Starfield 2.0”
▼ Summary
– Todd Howard has clarified that a major upcoming Starfield update is not a “Starfield 2.0” overhaul, managing community expectations.
– The update will introduce significant meta-level changes to the game, particularly regarding the use of outer space, for existing fans.
– Howard stated that the update is unlikely to fundamentally change the experience for players who initially found Starfield boring or unengaging.
– Bethesda plans to continue supporting Starfield with more content beyond this update, as it maintains a large audience, especially on Game Pass.
– The studio’s primary development focus is on The Elder Scrolls 6, which is described as a return to a classic style, with most of its 500-person team working on it.
Todd Howard, the director at Bethesda Game Studios, has clarified that a significant upcoming update for Starfield is not the transformative “Starfield 2.0” overhaul some fans have been anticipating. This statement comes after nearly a year of community speculation fueled by earlier promises from the developer about having “a lot of exciting things planned” for the spacefaring RPG. Howard made these comments during a recent appearance on the Kinda Funny podcast, aiming to set realistic expectations for the game’s future.
In the interview, Howard confirmed the team has been diligently working on new Starfield content and plans to reveal details very soon. He described the incoming changes as a series of updates that will alter the game in a “meta” way, particularly focusing on new uses for outer space and related mechanics. However, he was careful to temper expectations, especially for players who did not initially connect with the game. “If Starfield is something that didn’t connect with you right away… I don’t think this is going to change that fundamentally,” Howard stated, suggesting the core experience will remain recognizable.
When pressed on the timeline, Howard described the update as arriving “soonish,” but declined to give a specific date. He also confirmed that this is not a final, concluding update for Starfield, emphasizing that Bethesda has more plans for the game and sees its support continuing for some time. Howard highlighted the game’s substantial player base, referring to it as a “Game Pass hours beast” that maintains a large and active audience despite its mixed critical reception at launch in 2023.
Currently, much of the public and development focus at Bethesda has shifted following the successful launch of the Fallout TV series, which has renewed interest in that franchise. Howard noted that the majority of the studio’s roughly 500-person core team is now dedicated to developing The Elder Scrolls VI. He described this next chapter as a return to a more “classic” style for the studio, akin to Skyrim or Oblivion, contrasting it with what he called the “creative detour” of live-service projects like Fallout 76 and the expansive, systemic design of Starfield.
(Source: EuroGamer)
