Starfield Launches Today for Premium Edition Owners

First teased way back at E3 2018, Starfield is Bethesda’s first new universe in over 25 years, and it launches today for premium edition owners who get 5-days head start early access. The game will launch officially for standard edition players on September 6, 2023, on PC and Xbox Series X|S and is available day 1 with Game Pass. We just received our review key today so we will be putting some serious time into the game and will post our review once we’ve explored this new universe.

In the year 2330, humanity has ventured beyond our solar system, settling new planets, and living as a spacefaring people. You will join Constellation – the last group of space explorers seeking rare artifacts throughout the galaxy – and navigate the vast expanse of space in Bethesda Game Studios’ biggest and most ambitious game. In Starfield the most important story is the one you tell with your character. Start your journey by customizing your appearance and deciding your Background and Traits. Will you be an experienced explorer, a charming diplomat, a stealthy cyber runner, or something else entirely? The choice is yours. Decide who you will be and what you will become.

Venture through the stars and explore more than 1000 planets. Early press reviews have pointed out that planets can’t be fully explored like in No Man’s Sky, rather there is a set area of land you can explore wherever you choose to make landfall on a planet. You can navigate bustling cities, explore dangerous bases, and traverse wild landscapes. You will also meet and recruit companions who can carry gear for you, you can romance them, and they can be customised, as well as help you in battle. You can join in the adventures of various factions and embark on quests across the Settled Systems.

One big aspect I am looking forward to is around ship customisation. You can personalise the look of your ship, modify critical systems including weapons and shields, and assign crew members to provide unique bonuses. In deep space you will engage in high-stakes dogfights, encounter random missions, dock at star stations, and even board and commandeer enemy ships to add to your collection. There’s planetary, system and galaxy views, and planetary view reminds me of the one used in the Mass Effect games. We transition from ground to space and back via cutscenes, and that is ok by me. Plenty of other games have load screens to transition from ground to space like Mass Effect and Destiny 2 and they handle it fine.

I am super excited to dive right into this brand-new universe tonight. Now to avoid spoilers and agonise over which type of character I am going to make. Starfield is available now for premium edition owners and will launch globally on September 6, 2023, on PC and Xbox Series X|S (Standard Edition $119.95, Premium Edition $169.95), and available day 1 on Game Pass. To learn more about Starfield, check out the official website here.

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