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Bethesda's Ambitious Plans for Starfield: Annual Story Expansions on the Horizon

Bethesda Game Studios is far from done with its ambitious spacefaring RPG, Starfield. In a recent interview, Todd Howard, the studio’s director and executive producer, confirmed that Bethesda plans to release annual story expansions for Starfield, starting with the upcoming Shattered Space. Here's a deep dive into what we can expect from these expansions and the broader impact on the game.

The Future of Starfield: Yearly Story Expansions

In an interview with MrMattyPlays, Todd Howard revealed that Bethesda is aiming to release a story expansion for Starfield every year. He expressed hope that these expansions would continue for "a very long time," indicating a long-term commitment to the game’s development and content updates.

"More or less, yeah. How long that continues, hopefully a very long time, but we're planning for the one after this, so there will be another one," Howard said.

This approach promises to keep the Starfield universe vibrant and engaging, with new content continually enhancing the player experience.

Shattered Space: A Closer Look

The first of these expansions, Shattered Space, is set to launch later in 2024. Howard compared its scope to that of Far Harbor, a well-received DLC for Fallout 4. This implies a substantial amount of new content focused on a specific area within the game.

"Content wise, we're looking at what we did with Far Harbor on Fallout 4. This is a scope that works for our development in doing this annual story expansion type of thing. So really excited about that, and it lets us do some things the way we would in previous games and give people not completely that experience because it's still Starfield, but this new kind of alien world that you're able to explore and it takes place there," Howard explained.

The expansion is expected to offer a more traditional Bethesda experience, focusing on a detailed, hand-crafted landscape and city, contrasting with the sprawling, procedurally generated planets that have been a point of criticism for some players.

Addressing Player Concerns

One of the main critiques of Starfield has been its vast but often barren planets, a result of procedural generation. Howard acknowledged this, explaining that the content and structure of Shattered Space were shaped by internal reflections rather than external feedback.

"It wasn't a reaction. It was our own reaction that we had as well," Howard noted.

This suggests that Bethesda is attentive to player experiences and is actively working to refine and enhance the game world.

Beyond Shattered Space

While Shattered Space is the immediate focus, Bethesda is already planning subsequent expansions. Howard hinted at new gameplay mechanics, including the potential addition of the game’s "first land vehicle," which could significantly alter exploration and combat dynamics.

Bethesda's Broader Commitments

Bethesda Game Studios, a 450-person strong entity, is managing multiple projects simultaneously. Apart from Starfield, they are working on Elder Scrolls 6, ongoing content for Fallout 76, various mobile games, and partnerships for external development. This extensive workload indicates a robust and dynamic future for the studio’s game portfolio.

Conclusion

Bethesda's commitment to Starfield, with plans for annual expansions and ongoing content updates, ensures that the game will continue to evolve and captivate its audience. With the release of Shattered Space and future expansions, players can look forward to a continuously expanding universe filled with new stories, challenges, and experiences.

Stay tuned for more updates as Bethesda reveals further details about the upcoming expansions and their impact on the Starfield universe.