Even in a year whenPokemon Legends: Arceus, Horizon: Forbidden West,andElden Ringare all releasing back to back, 2022 feels like it’s leading up to one more major RPG:Starfield. Bethesda hasn’t launched a new IP in many years, instead choosing to ride the success ofThe Elder ScrollsandFallout.At long last, it seems like the studio has decided that it needs to spread its wings and try something new.Starfieldcertainly looks like it’ll be a step in a new direction for Bethesda; it may have extensive sci-fi RPG experience, but the spacefaringStarfieldis entirely different from the post-apocalypticFalloutnevertheless.
Bethesda clearly knows thatStarfieldis a big deal, because it has worked hard to generate a lot of hype for upcoming reveals.In a Reddit AMA from last year,Starfieldgame director and Bethesda executive producer Todd Howard mentioned plans to discussStarfieldmore explicitly during summer 2022, so the wait for new announcements seems like it’s almost over. Bethesda’s reputation suggests that the hype forStarfieldwill likely pay off, but with so many questions unanswered about the game so far, there are still a lot of ways thatStarfieldcould surprise fans. Bethesda has a lot of expectations to live up to.
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The Growing Hype for Starfield
So far, Bethesda’s ways of discussingStarfieldhave gone a long way to create an air of mystery around the game that keeps RPG fans interested. For instance, Bethesda has revealeda lot ofStarfieldconcept artin the last year or so, giving fans tantalizing glimpses into the game’s new world. While Bethesda has revealed lore for certainStarfieldscreenshots, others have been presented without comment, leaving fans to wait with bated breath for proper details on the game’s various characters, planets, and alien creatures.
Some recent Bethesda videos have made a major impact onStarfieldhype as well. Bethesda has started releasing some clips in which Todd Howard sits down with fellowStarfielddevelopers in order to discuss the game’s design philosophy, inspiration, and the importance of the video game experience. The internal enthusiasm that Howard and his peers show while waxing lyrical aboutStarfieldserves as great motivation for fans to stay excited as well. While they generally discuss gameplay in vague terms, it also doesn’t hurt that fans have learned a couple new gameplay details through these conversations, such as howStarfieldborrows fromOblivion’s persuasion mechanicsand NPC companion concepts.
While they’re certainly not sanctioned by Bethesda,Starfieldleaks can’t be discredited for their role in building hype for the game.Screenshots of earlyStarfieldbuildshave come to light a couple different times now, and each of these leaks givesStarfieldfans cause to speculate about the game’s core concepts. None of these leaks have revealed major tenets ofStarfield,however, instead offering only abstract looks at the game. In that way,Starfieldleaks have built up a lot of hype for the game, but they’ve also raised plenty of new questions that the leaks simply don’t answer. Fans will have to wait for proper summer 2022 reveals instead.
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Pressure on Starfield’s Summer
With all thisStarfieldhype in mind, there’s a lot of pressure on Bethesda to deliver a summer presentation that satisfies fans. The studio needs to pull together trailers and presentations that highlight all aspects of the game that it has teased. Fans are ready for a mountain of information aboutStarfield’s planets, factions, characters, story, combat, and much more. Bethesda has previously reaffirmed thatStarfieldwill meet its November release date, so with that confidence in a fall release in mind, the fog of mystery aroundStarfieldneeds to clear during this summer.
The mysterious reputation that Bethesda has woven under the last few years does put a lot of pressure onStarfieldto impress during summer.Starfieldfans have had many years to dream about a spacebound Bethesda RPG, imagining their ideal version of the game, and nowStarfieldhas to compete with everything that Bethesda has encouraged fans to dream about. Fans are bound to get restless or frustratedif Bethesda handlesStarfieldtoo delicatelyor shows off less-than-ambitious features this summer. Instead,Starfieldneeds bold, highly detailed reveals that show how the game has motivated Bethesda to go out of its comfort zone and try new things.
Even ifStarfieldis under a lot of pressure, there’s still plenty of hope that it’ll live up to the hype. After all, the mere premise ofStarfielddemands creativity and growth from Bethesda, thanks to potential mechanics like space flight, as well as the wealth of new storytelling opportunities that come with creating a new IP in a genrethat Bethesda hasn’t touched in years. Bethesda’s history of crafting compelling RPGs means thatStarfieldhaving an enthralling presence throughout summer 2022 seems more likely than the game failing to impress.
While Bethesda says summer will be the time forStarfieldreveals, there’s no clearer window than that just yet. Unfortunately,E3 2022 is off the table now, meaning Microsoft and Bethesda will need to find a new venue for the game. That shouldn’t be a problem in the long run, though. Whether the game finds time to appear at 2022’s Summer Game Fest or whether Microsoft and Bethesda simply arrange an independentStarfieldpresentation, there are plenty of ways to get information about the game out into the world without E3 2022’s help.
Ultimately, as long as Bethesda fulfills its promise to discuss the game in summer,the content ofStarfield’s upcoming revealsmatters more than the exact timing. The time for mystery aroundStarfieldis coming to an end; this summer, fans want clarity aroundStarfield,rather than a trickle of information leading up to the game’s release. Leaving fans in doubt about the quality ofStarfield’s new ideas will only hurt it.Starfieldhas the chance to dominate the last few months of 2022 as long as Bethesda supports the game as enthusiastically as possible. If Bethesda plays its cards right and delivers plenty of reasons to get excited aboutStarfield,then it can multiply hype while cutting away mystery.
Starfieldreleases June 23, 2025 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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