
How long The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has stuck around for has become a meme at this point, and it's sounding like Bethesda is ready for a similar situation with Starfield. In a recent interview on the 'AIAS Game Maker's Notebook' Podcast (thanks, GamesRadar), Bethesda's Todd Howard talked about how the team is preparing for longevity with Starfield - and how they're already looking at five years plus of support.
Here's what Todd said about the team's recent titles and how they've influenced the plan for Starfield:
"One of the things we've learned from our previous games, from Skyrim, from Fallout, is that people want to play them for a very long time. So Starfield, I would say, was the most intentional, going into it, that this is a game people are going to play for a long time."
Of course, one way to extend a game's life is proper mod support - something Bethesda is very familiar with for its brand of massive open world RPGs. Skyrim was big on mods, and it sounds like Bethesda is well aware of this heading into the post-launch landscape for Starfield.
"Even a game like Skyrim – which if you look at it at launch was still a really, really big game – if you look at it today with add-ons and mods it's a much bigger game. It's still a game that's played 12 years later in large numbers for us. I think if you look at your audience, they get used to a game and they usually want to plus-one it. They want to add XYZ, and the developers, we usually do as well."
Bethesda is looking at that same mixture of official and modded add-ons for Starfield too - when official mod support becomes available anyway. The team probably isn't in a massive rush to get the tools out there right now though, as the plan is to support the game for at least five years.
"But it's also one where, OK, what does Starfield look like in three months, what does it look like in six months, a year, two years, three years, four years, five years? We've learned that that's going to happen so let's be ready for it, make the most of it, and embrace it. That's both what we do here and with our modding community."
Do you see yourself playing Starfield in 5+ years? Let us know your thoughts on this down below.
[source gamesradar.com]
Comments 33
I was really excited for Starfield but sadly I'm giving up (for now) about 25 hours in. It really feels like several different game ideas tied together but none do each component as well as other games. A common wish it seems is for the developers to have curated a specific number of systems and planets rather than have these bland procedurally generated ones. I think you can certainly play it a number of different ways but I found myself jumping through numerous load screens to take on the next quest which all felt somewhat disconnected and lacking any sense or feeling of discovery. I'm wondering how many others have taken the difficult decision to shelve it for now. I'm going to play through Cyberpunk a second time instead (then the dlc).
When it comes to Todd Howard, I'm skeptical with anything he says. The guy is basically a snake oil salesman.
@TJ81 Really with you on this. When first started playing starfield it was nonstop fun. Now I'm like meh. Moving on to other games is more what feel like instead playing starfield.
@TJ81 Really think a lot of it is overall fatigue of starfield. They announced it soooooo early it was stale by time it ever came out. I really feel sweet spot for games is announce no more than 6 months in advance.
Games like Skyrim and Fallout remain popular and are still being played years later so I don't think its 'unreasonable' to think about the long term support - especially as we expect Mod support to come to both PC and Console versions.
I don't know that I'll still be playing in 5yrs time but I still dip into Fallout every now and then. It really does depend on what the gaming landscape looks like and/or what other games are around...
I have put in now about 20 hours ish.
It is a good game but gets stale very quickly and feels to procedural and last generation, especially with far to much loading and the double door hiding it does make me laugh.
Also far to complex systems for up grading etc at times, should have been far more simple and explained a lot better.
Like I said a good game and good mechanics's in FPS but nothing really special overall.
Easily forgotten and not as epic as it was made out to be.
It's been a very long time since I went directly into a new game+. The more I mess around with outposts the more I enjoy it. I have probably spent over 20 hours just doing that. The crazy thing is that even after 115 hours, I don't know when I will stop playing it.
This game is amazing. I will definitely come back to this one a few times over the next 5-10 years.
30 hs in... it's a love and hate relationship with the game. I like it for what it is and it did get me hooked specially there are some unexpected moments and great side quests.
The day baldur's gate releases on xbox ill probably put starfield to rest tbh
If they do it could end up amazing as it stands now it's good
@fabisputza007 that's how I find it one minute I love the next minute I hate it lol
At this point, I might never finish the game anyway. I'm barely treading water with long side quests and getting side tracked.
Also 30 hours in, absolutely loving it except for the inventory management and menu to heal up. Also the food barely heals any hp which is probably the thing which is most annoying to me.
Only other games i see myself playing this year are cocoon, BG3 maybe and silksong - yes i still believe!
@BBB not to mention you just land on a planet. Walk for 5 mins to the temple. No enemies. Usually barren rock land. Back to the eye to be told 2 more locations. Fast travel and repeat.
Some parts just feel so half assed. It’s such a shame. And you notice these things the more you play, and the more they annoy.
I’m holding off on NG+ until (hopefully) some good mods drop on consoles. I got a good 70hrs out of it and others said a love/hate relationship is certainly there. But since I finished the story I haven’t felt that urge to boot it back up or feel like I’m missing not playing.
This has to be the most divisive game of the last decade. It just shows that many people want MS and Xbox to fail. Why I have no idea. With that being said, I love this game. I will be playing it for years. The game does have it's faults but what game doesn't.
@cburg want xbox fail just because starfield is good but not great come on its not the best game ever like fanboys are saying but it's good forza horizon on the other was amazing and that's an exclusive that's my opinion though we all have different ones
@Moonglow couldn't agree more. Feels like a large group of gamers have become so used to corridor shooters and cinematic games that when a game comes along that lets you use your imagination as your enjoyment's limit they seem unable to find any 😅
To summarise for me.
It’s like Skyrim and Fallout conceived a love child about 10 years ago and the child was born now.
When conceived 10 years ago maybe amazing but time has moved on and also considering its generation so have modern programming and development techniques.
Walking 1000m on a planet to get to cave to find three rocks inside is not my idea of grand exploration.
Don’t get me wrong stay inside the main mission and some of the side missions a great tight game.
Outside of that not much going on for me.
I'm about 60 hours in and loving it so far. I'm looking forward to mods on console and upcoming dlcs to expand the stories.
If you can't use your own imagination I can imagine you'd struggle with this game.
@TJ81 I feel the same way. Am about 35 hours into Starfield but am more or less ready to shelve it, at least for now. Like yourself, I’ve just started a new play through of Cyberpunk and then onto Phantom Liberty. It’s also jarring going from the big open world of Night City with no load screens to Starfield which is filled with them.
@pip_muzz @pip_muzz I confess to enjoying linear games with highly focused and sometimes simpler narratives but I also loved Witcher 3, Zelda and various other RPGs. Starfield is my first Bethesda RPG. I might come back to it now my expectations are clear.
Sigh, more of Todd Howard talk. Dude, just do the work. And if it's not done, we won't know, because you never talked.
Really good comments here today! The issue with huge open world games is fatigue but also the need to play the “next” game. Gamepass only exacerbated this issue. If you are feeling low after long hours of playing Starfield just play something else and come back to it and it will be amazing again… if you eat too much of one thing you will not want to eat it anytime soon no matter how amazing it is….
Let’s hope they can do a cyberpunk-style 2.0 update because it really needs it
@cburg I think it’s a bit aggressive to say that people that don’t like the game want Xbox to fail. I didn’t overall enjoy my time with it and I love my xbox! Would never want it to fail lol. I know many people that do not hate on xbox but they just didn’t like the game 🤷🏻♂️
It’s all just opinion dude. Like you say there are lots of good Xbox exclusives like halo, Forza, pentiment, AOE 4, SOT, etc.
Didn’t enjoy starfield doesn’t = I HATE Xbox 😂
@Romans12 soooo true 😂😂😂
That is good. The story itself leans into replay and more content and support will only enrich that. My only issue are the quest breaking bugs. I’m getting forced into NG+ just to reset the faction quests. I hope they add legendary rolls for unique weapons as well. And more world states.
@JimRyansReplacement that's just fanboys thinking that. how can a game that's constantly crashing and be bugged to hell be amazing lol
Glad to hear it. I’ve never played Fallout, Skyrim etc. and am hooked on Starfield. I didn’t watch any gameplay videos or leaks leading up to it so it all feels fresh and new to me.
45 hours in, haven’t started the story, am loving the gunplay and space combat but have barely scratched the surface with ship building etc (just had to mod a ship for the first time to get that darn contraband in).
Really need to keep rolling with MK1 which is awesome too, but Starfield.
I'm level 29 and barely touched the main quest... constantly getting side tracked...but I am going to try and focus on the main quest now as abit of staleness has set in for me
Good. I will play it that long at least. Well unless the exclusive Elder Scrolls VI comes out before then.
after the factions and main quest most of it is recycled locations.
quantity not quality
Fallout 3 is still Bethesda's best game
gone is the magic of seeing a location far off in the distance and just knowing ive got to go there and see what it is. that isnt in this game and it was fundamental to the magic of previous Bethesda games
A loading screen simulator isn't something I want to play for a long time. It's too dull and boring and I couldn't care less about the characters. Very forgetful. I'll be on my guard the next game they release. Regret buying it.
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