The highly anticipated space RPG, Starfield, from the renowned Bethesda Game Studios, has taken the gaming world by storm since its release over five months ago. With an unprecedented ten million players in just a few days, Starfield became the biggest launch in the history of Bethesda, dominating headlines for weeks. However, as time passed, many players moved on to other games, leaving Starfield’s player count dwindling.
Despite rumors that Microsoft’s new multi-platform approach may bring Starfield to PS5 or Nintendo Switch, no official confirmation has been made. The likelihood of Starfield being an early Xbox game to come to PC is low, as there is no release date set for the expansion.
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Meanwhile, Starfield’s player count on Steam has decreased by more than 97% in five months, indicating that players have moved on from the game. This decline is not unusual for games, especially those without new content. The current 30-day average for Starfield on Steam is 7,981 players, compared to Fallout 4’s 15,086 and Skyrim’s 20,710. Starfield is now closer to its competitor, No Man’s Sky, which has a 30-day average of 4,597 users on Steam.
The lack of updates and the delay of the first expansion, Shattered Space, has left some fans feeling frustrated. Bethesda promised updates every six weeks, but so far, only bug fixes and tweaks have been released. The absence of official mod support has also left fans disappointed.
Starfield’s decline is not limited to its player count. On streaming platforms like Twitch, Starfield’s peak viewer count of 552,021 has dropped to a 7-day average of just 135. Even Starfield’s social media channels are seeing a slow decline in followers.
However, updates could play a significant role in reviving Starfield’s popularity. Many fans have expressed disappointment that Starfield did not live up to the standards set by prior RPGs from Bethesda Game Studios. Although there are areas for improvement that updates could address, some underlying choices in the design and story may be irreversible.
A common criticism of Starfield is that its immersion and imagination do not match the expectations set by The Elder Scrolls and Fallout series. Although Starfield’s scale is impressive, the reliance on procedural generation means that bespoke content density is sacrificed. The “NASA-punk” aesthetic of Starfield can also feel limiting, as the benefits of a grounded approach come at the cost of creativity and flights of fancy that might have otherwise been possible.
In conclusion, while Starfield’s initial success was unprecedented, its decline in popularity is cause for concern. The lack of updates, delays in the first expansion, and underlying design choices have left fans feeling disappointed. However, with the right updates and content releases, Starfield could still have a bright future. It remains to be seen whether Microsoft’s new multi-platform approach will bring Starfield to PS5 or Nintendo Switch, but fans are eagerly awaiting any news on the game’s future.
What are your thoughts on Starfield? Do you like it, or was it a disappointment? Leave a comment!
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I still like Starfield but it def. earned its L’s. Have 100 hrs in it and waiting on Shattered Space to see where it fits storywise with the game.