With the April 2025 release ofThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, it feels like the era ofStarfieldis coming to an end. The latest original IP from Bethesda Game Studios,Starfield, got a considerably more lukewarm response than anyone could have predicted, and, at this point, it feels like Microsoft and Bethesda are trying to brush it under the rug. A rumoredStarfieldPS5 release was recently reinforced by a trusted insider, but after that, it seems like Bethesda’s premiere space-exploration RPG will end up being grounded.
It’s unfortunate that things are ending this way, sinceStarfieldturned a lot of heads as Bethesda’s first new franchise in over 25 years. The game had a whole decade to prepare for its big debut, as well. OnceStarfield’s launch was actually in sight, it managed to win fan confidence with aStarfieldDirect hosted during the 2023 Summer Game Fest proceedings. Even after launch,Starfield’sShattered SpaceDLC promisedto fill in the game’s potholes, which it largely failed to do. There is still untapped potential that anotherStarfieldgame could manifest, but it can’t take Bethesda’s usual route and settle for beingStarfield 2.
Why The Next Starfield Can’t Be A Straightforward Sequel
Starfield’s Identity Can’t Just Be Expanded, It Must Be Rewritten
That might sound strange, especially since Bethesda’s other major RPG franchises,FalloutandThe Elder Scrolls, have done well not only by upholding a numbered naming scheme, but earning their similar titles by iterating on their core gameplay. While there is a decent chance that a newStarfieldwill control like the old one, it’s the trappings around that mechanical core which need to go.Decisions made withStarfield’s storyand structure didn’t come together to form something that Bethesda fans enjoy, so keeping the barest open-world space-exploration framework will demand a reboot’s level of changes.
Setting logistics aside, there’s going to be a long time between the currentStarfieldand any hypothetical sequel, so it might as well opt for either a subtitle or a small change to its current name to mark a fresh start. In a similar manner to James Gunn’sThe Suicide Squadoverwriting the earlierSuicide Squadfilm, this newStarfieldcan build something more likable aroundStarfield’s existing premise. EvenStarfield’s main narrative twistand New Game + method could come back, but in a form that gives players the experience they were looking for.
How A Second Starfield Can Distinguish Itself From Its Predecessor
The other main reason for the reboot/reimagining route is that giving players that desired experience will result in a game that barely looks likeStarfield.Adding more alien life toStarfield’s universe, especially intelligent NPC species, will need to be thisStarfield’s baseline, even if it comes off as closer toMass Effectthan the human-dominated first game. This newStarfieldwould aim to recapture the feeling of interesting things to discover being hidden around every corner, and that means a more interesting setting will have to be built to support them.
Starfield’s Planet Structure Can’t Stay In A Sequel
Speaking of a more interesting setting, a secondStarfieldgame will need to find something better than the largelyempty terrain that most ofStarfield’s planets consisted of. Opting for a handful of planets with more fleshed-out maps, similar toBorderlands 3andOuter Worlds, may not facilitate true space exploration, but it will keep the game’s scope manageable and the narrative more compact. Trying to replicateNo Man’s Sky’s main draw after it demonstrated how hard it was to do right is not inStarfield’s best interest.Starfield’s future can be salvaged, but Bethesda will need to rebuild it into something that will last.
