Highly anticipated: Bethesda's next major single-player RPG, Starfield, is undergoing active development now, with an expected launch date of November 11, 2022. It is the first new IP Bethesda has created in 25 years, and fans are eagerly awaiting their first proper look at the game. While we don't have any gameplay to share today, Bethesda has released a 7-minute video where three project leads sit down and discuss the philosophies behind Starfield's design.
That's not all, of course. Bethesda has also shown off plenty of new concept art and what looks like a few brief snippets of in-engine footage, or perhaps CGI. We wouldn't be surprised if it's the former, though – the Creation Engine 2 is looking absolutely gorgeous so far, as we saw earlier this year with Starfield's first "proper" trailer.
In the video, Starfield Art Director Matt Carofano, Studio Director Angela Browder, and Game Director Todd Howard each share their thoughts on the game's focus, as well as how it differs from past games Bethesda has made. For example, unlike Fallout 4 and Skyrim, which were both set in more fantastical settings (in a way or another), Starfield is much more grounded in real-world science.
We saw this approach in Starfield's June teaser (see that above), which showcased a beautifully-rendered ship interior with simple, believable materials, books, half-eaten sandwiches, and other clutter that you'd expect to find in someone's living quarters.
This benefits the game's sense of realism, of course, but it also enhances the creative process. The Bethesda crew has many members that love robotics and engineering, but those skills have essentially gone to waste so far. With Starfield, though, Browder says their ideas can flourish in new ways.
As for concrete gameplay or feature details, Starfield's latest video is a bit scant. However, Todd Howard did claim that the game would have two "step out" moments instead of one. This term refers to the moment when Bethesda games finally let you loose into the world: exiting the vault in Fallout 4, leaving the tutorial cave in Skyrim, or leaving the Doc's house in New Vegas, for example. We have no idea what this means for Starfield, but we're excited to find out.
As a reminder, Starfield will be an Xbox Series X/S and PC exclusive when it releases next year. It isn't available for pre-order yet, but it will be playable through Xbox Game Pass (for PC and console) on day one.