Bethesda Game Studios Says Starfield 'Remains an Important Part of Our Future,' Confirms 17 Million Players and Teases Starborn DLC for 2027

Bethesda Game Studios has reassured fans that Starfield “remains an important portion of our future,” teasing Starborn DLC successful 2027.

Studio improvement main Todd Howard issued a enactment to fans contiguous pursuing the immense layoffs astatine Xbox that saw 1,600 unit chopped from Microsoft’s gaming business, and connection that different 1,600 volition travel during the existent fiscal year.

BGS was affected by the layoffs, though Bethesda has insisted The Elder Scrolls 6, which is the studio’s existent focus, is unaffected.

Following the announcement of the Xbox layoffs, fans were speedy to constituent retired that Starfield was absent from Bethesda's caller precedence list. Starfield mostly failed to conscionable instrumentality expectations upon its 2023 launch, and consequent updates and expansions haven't truly moved the needle either. Still, immoderate of the game's much hardcore fans had hoped that Starfield would spell connected to astatine slightest get much expansions, and possibly adjacent a sequel, establishing itself arsenic Bethesda's 3rd franchise.

Howard said contiguous that Starfield has seen implicit 17 cardinal players, which is simply a immense fig for immoderate crippled and, you would think, capable to warrant further concern contempt the mixed response.

“STARFIELD CONTINUES,” Howard’s connection reads. “With implicit 17 cardinal players logging astir a cardinal hours to date, Starfield remains an important portion of our future. As we participate Year 3, we'll proceed expanding the Settled Systems with caller stories, targeted gameplay improvements, and further updates, portion preparing for the motorboat of caller Starborn contented adjacent year. More than 40% of players already customize their acquisition done Creations, and we'll proceed investing successful creators and giving players caller ways to marque Starfield their own.”

Does “preparing for the motorboat of caller Starborn contented adjacent year,” mean a new, full-on enlargement is successful the works for Starfield? Fans surely anticipation so. There’s nary notation of a Nintendo Switch 2 mentation of Starfield either, aft it was reportedly said to beryllium successful the works. And there's nary connection of a Starfield sequel, which possibly isn't astonishing fixed The Elder Scrolls 6 is inactive reportedly astatine slightest 2 years away, and Bethesda Game Studios conscionable confirmed Fallout 5 is successful pre-production. Is Starfield 2 were to beryllium made successful immoderate tenable timeframe, possibly it would person to travel from different Xbox studio, alternatively than Bethesda itself.

Bethesda brag Jill Braff has told unit that the layoffs and alteration successful strategy “reflect the realities of our manufacture and concern – and our work to guarantee Bethesda is operating from a much unchangeable foundation.”

"To beryllium palmy successful the future, we request to alteration course,” Braff continued. “We indispensable fortify our business, instrumentality to sustainable growth, and guarantee we tin proceed investing successful our franchises and our players. I cognize that doesn't marque a time similar contiguous immoderate easier.”

Without naming games, Braff said “to champion presumption Bethesda for aboriginal growth, we are shifting from a readying exemplary chiefly centered connected what's adjacent for each autarkic workplace to 1 that focuses connected our strongest franchises and determining the contented roadmap that champion serves our players and Bethesda arsenic a whole.”

“From there, we’ll align the close talent, technology, and resources crossed the enactment to present connected those priorities,” Braff added.

Starfield was released connected PS5 earlier this twelvemonth but analysts judge the crippled sold poorly connected Sony's console, thing that whitethorn not person happened had the crippled had a time and day merchandise connected PlayStation backmost successful 2023.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].