With the finalization of Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax Media last month and the confirmation of E3's return this June, the dominoes are beginning to be set for the big reveal of Starfield, Bethesda Game Studio's next big open-world RPG. Announced all the way back in June 2018, Bethesda has been very tight lipped regarding details of its newest sci-fi RPG. That could change very soon however as rumors are beginning to circulate that Starfield could be released as early as the end of this year.

While it was first announced during Bethesda's E3 2018 press conference, Starfield has been a project that Bethesda Game Studios has been planning for almost a decade, with pre-production starting during the end of Fallout 4's development, entering full scale development after that game's completion. Starfield will be Bethesda Game Studios' first new IP in 25 years, with the studio previously focusing its efforts entirely on the Fallout and Elder Scrolls series.

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Rumors are beginning to circulate once again claiming that Starfield could release as early as this year, with Bethesda YouTuber and Defining Duke Podcast host MrMattyPlays reporting that one of his contacts at Bethesda claimed that Starfield is intended to release by the end of 2021. Furthermore, he showed that Bethesda's official website shows the game with a copyright reservation for 2021. Trademarks displayed like this generally indicate that this is the year in which the product will be released to the public.

While many fans expected Microsoft to showcase Starfield at its upcoming E3 showcase this June, it's surprising to hear that this could also be where the game's release date is also announced. This wouldn't be the first time Bethesda has showcased a major RPG release so close to launch, with the developer announcing both Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 only roughly five months away from release. As proven with Fallout 76 however, this plan can have its downsides, and as a result launching the game before it's entirely ready can cause backfire, even for a company as big as Bethesda.

It's worth noting that one major unforeseen circumstance of Starfield's development is the effects of developing the game during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This has likely already caused some internal delays and struggles for the studio, and the recent buyout from Microsoft may now mean that the company can safely keep working on the game without setting a solid release date yet. The aftermath of Cyberpunk 2077's release likely has the studio holding its breath on when to announce a release date. Essentially, it may not yet be time for Bethesda fans to get their hopes up for Starfield releasing this year, as many factors are working against a possible 2021 release date.

Starfield is currently in development.

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