When Starfield launched, it was heralded as Bethesda’s next big thing, a space odyssey poised to rival the success of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. However, the reality of the gaming world is often harsh and unforgiving. Less than six months post-launch, Starfield has seen a dramatic exodus of players, with over 97% of its Steam player base having moved on to other galaxies—or games, to be precise.
Starfield’s initial success seemed promising, with a peak of 330,273 concurrent Steam players. But now, the numbers have dwindled to just under 9,000, a stark contrast to the still-thriving community of Skyrim, which boasts over 25,000 players.
The game’s reception has been a rollercoaster, with reviews transitioning from “mostly negative” to “mixed.” It’s important to note that the Steam figures don’t account for those who purchased the game via the Xbox store or are playing it on Game Pass. Yet, the optics aren’t great for Bethesda, especially when the game was a paid title.
Bethesda isn’t giving up, though. They have a plan to release a new update every six weeks, with the last one featuring over 100 fixes. However, the updates have been light on additional content, leaving players to rely on mods for new experiences. The game’s expansive universe, boasting over a thousand planets, has been criticized for its “dead planets” and lack of engaging content, leading to accusations of the game being boring.
Comparisons to Bethesda’s other titles are inevitable. Skyrim and Fallout 4 continue to have more Steam players than Starfield, and even Fallout 76’s numbers are close. With a team of 250 developers still dedicated to providing post-launch content and patches, there’s hope for improvement. But as it stands, the current trends don’t paint a rosy picture.
Despite the concerning numbers, Bethesda’s Starfield showed a lot of promise and was the most-played RPG of 2023, beating out titles like Baldur’s Gate 3. The game’s future remains uncertain, with rumors of a PlayStation release and the potential for recovery with the right changes and enough attention.
We’re only five months into Starfield’s journey, and the universe is feeling increasingly empty on PC. The game’s day-one fanfare has fizzled out, leaving a small fraction of players to explore its vast reaches. Yet, Bethesda and Microsoft had envisioned longevity for Starfield well into 2024 and beyond. The community’s response has been lukewarm, with criticisms focusing on a perceived lack of depth and high price tag.
Steam reviews have recently balanced out to “mixed,” indicating that the game hasn’t lived up to the high expectations set by its decade-long development. But there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Bethesda has promised new content and regular updates, with the first expansion “Shattered Space” and continuous fan-made mod support potentially revitalizing the game.
In conclusion, Starfield’s journey has been less than stellar, but it’s not the end of the road. With strategic updates and expansions, there’s still a chance for this space adventure to reignite the passion of its player base and fulfill its initial promise. Only time will tell if Starfield can navigate its way back to the hearts of gamers and secure its place among Bethesda’s celebrated titles.
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