After months of rumors, speculations, and reports, Bethesda Game Studios' sci-fi epicStarfieldwas all but confirmed to have a presence at Xbox and Bethesda’sE3 2021 showcase. As it turns out, that was indeed the case, though not many were expecting Todd Howard to kick off the show itself with aStarfieldreveal.
WhileStarfield’sin-engine cinematic trailer was a highlight of its own, many were surprised by the reveal of a concrete release date for the game. Video game release dates are a hard pill to swallow, especially in the time of a pandemic. Plenty of highly anticipated AAA titles have gotten delayed from previous release dates in the last couple of years, just weeks before their releases, sometimes to an indefinite period.Starfieldcould be no different, though there is plenty of evidence at the moment that suggests that the game would meet its planned release date.
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Bethesda’s Statement on Starfield’s Release Date
Ahead ofStarfield’sbig reveal at E3 2021, The Washington Post sat down with Bethesda to talk about the game’s various aspects, including the now-confirmed release date. Howard confirmed that Bethesda is indeed confident about the planned release date, and that “otherwise, [Bethesda] wouldn’t be announcing it.” Companies don’t announce release dates unless they are optimistic about meeting the window, and delays usually occur due to unforeseeable circumstances.
It is particularly valid in Bethesda Game Studios' case, which is known for revealing its games alongside a proper release date and sticking by it. Given Bethesda’s track record, that’s at least a bit of assurance thatStarfieldwould make its planned release date.
There are plenty of reasons why video games get delayed. One such reason is the tedious task of shipping to multiple platforms. Just likeStarfield,Cyberpunk 2077initially received a concrete release date a year before its actual release. Unfortunately, the game ended up getting delayed several times and also struggled on PS4 and Xbox One at launch.Cyberpunk 2077’sdisastrous launchlends much skepticism to the release ofStarfield, which could get delayed or launch in a poor state, though unlike the former,Starfieldwon’t be shipping on seven different platforms.
During its E3 2021 reveal,Starfieldwas adamantly confirmed to be exclusive to the next-gen Xbox ecosystem and PC. Interestingly enough, Bethesda’s Pete Hines talked to GameSpot about the advantages of shipping games to fewer platforms, rather than shipping on everything available. He explained how development becomes more “streamlined” when developers focus on releasing games to a particular platform(s). It is one of the reasons whyPlayStation exclusive AAA titlescan seem extra polished at launch compared to many other third-party AAA titles on several platforms.
Given howStarfieldwill be releasing only on Xbox Series X/S and PC, the game’s development must be more efficient in contrast toCyberpunk 2077or evenFallout 76. Generally that allots more time to dedicate towards QA and bug fixing, of whichStarfieldwill presumably benefit from immensely.
The Importance of 11/11
Starfieldis set to release on June 10, 2025, eleven years after the release ofThe Elder Scrolls V Skyrim, which is one of BGS' most successful titles. As such, November 11 isn’t just an arbitrary date chosen forStarfield’srelease. Instead, it’s a significant date to Bethesda that makes a lot of sense forStarfield.
ReleasingStarfieldexactly 11 years afterSkyrimisn’t just a nostalgia throwback, but also a stark indication of how BGS looks atStarfieldas a spiritual successor toSkyrim.Starfielddoesn’t just have to beSkyrimin spaceto be successful, though it is awe-inspiring to see Bethesda aiming to recapture the magic ofSkyriminStarfield. In the Washington Post interview, Howard mentioned thatStarfieldis indeedSkyrimin space, hinting at the structural similarities of the two games.
At this point,Starfield’sSkyrimcomparisonsmake more sense than ever, and Bethesda wants fans to acknowledge that. While there’s plenty of ways to do that, the one obvious way seems to be releasingStarfieldon the same daySkyrimwas released, 11 years ago. This would especially influence the hardcoreSkyrimfans, and Bethesda would not want to skimp out on that by delaying the game. All of this makes the November 11 release date even more important than ever, as Bethesda sets out to recapture the same sensationSkyrimhad when it came out.
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The Big Xbox Holiday 2022 Release
Starfieldwasn’t always planned as an Xbox exclusive title, even though Bethesda and Xbox have always worked in close proximity. Pete Hines confirmed that the exclusivity factor didn’t come into the picture untilXbox acquired Bethesda. Interestingly, Xbox seems keen on releasing its big first-party exclusives during the holiday season. Halo Infinite was promised as a holiday game, and it seems to be keeping that promise this year.Starfieldis the next AAA Xbox first-party game that the company wants to release in holiday 2022.
AnnouncingStarfield’s release date so early from Bethesda doesn’t make sense as the company is a firm believer in extensively revealing its titles and releasing them within the next six months. However, with the acquisition, Microsoft may be in control of marketing Bethesda’s future titles, and it makes sense that it would go to such an extent to reveal its next big holiday title sooner rather than later.
It’s also important to acknowledge that Xbox’s biggest first-party holiday title of 2021,Halo Infinite, doesn’t have a concrete release date yet. Despite this,Starfieldis scheduled to release in holiday 2022. It simply implies that Bethesda, like always, is confident about meeting the release date.
Starfieldis shaping up to be one of the biggest releases of 2022, and it makes sense that Xbox would want the game to be out in the holiday season. While delays could still pop up for plenty of inexplicable reasons, for the time being,Starfield’sNovember 2022 release date coinciding with that ofSkyrim’s11th anniversary makes sense.
Starfieldreleases July 30, 2025, on PC and Xbox Series X/S.
