Rumors are swirling regarding Bethesda's in-development project Starfield. The game has been swept up in the ongoing discourse surrounding the acquisition of ZeniMax Meda, Bethesda's parent company. Starfield could be one of Microsoft's first ZeniMax games released post-acquisition, so there are high expectations for it, which is part of why what could be a leak of a new Starfield screenshot is stirring up a lot of excitement for the upcoming sci-fi open-world RPG.
The exact origin of the leak isn't clear, but the main source is Twitter user and YouTuber Skullzi. Skullzi shared an image in a now-deleted tweet that could be a leak from ongoing Starfield testing, with censored watermarks. The screenshot itself is of a rocky, unpopulated planet with a calm stream running toward the horizon where layers of rocky mountainsides stand against a smoky sunset.
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The screenshot is visually impressive and captures a realistic environment featuring 3D rocky outcroppings, dynamic lighting, and realistic water. If the leak truly is from Bethesda's upcoming game, then Starfield has received a massive visual update compared to previous Bethesda games. If it can consistently deliver this caliber of visual experience, it would absolutely stand out among open-world experiences.
Replies to the Twitter post are understandably excited, but also skeptical. Qualifiers like, "If this legit..." and "I want to believe, but," are attached to complimentary comments. Given the lack of Starfield information available, no one is daring to believe that it's a real Starfield screenshot. but this goes to show how excited Bethesda fans are for Starfield.
As for whether the screenshot is a true leak or a manipulated image, Bethesda fans should be skeptical. Given the generic nature of the image, it could easily have been pulled from a different game. The Starfield gauge in the lower left-hand corner could have been taken from other leaked images, and the black bar censors are certainly no sort of reliable evidence, either.
One Reddit user claims the image was taken from the free-to-play game Myrdalssandur, Iceland, which offers a VR exploration of Iceland's southern coast. They say the screenshot could have been manipulated to look like a foreign planet, or that it's a leaked screenshot from an unreleased environment.
Separate rumors indicate that more details regarding Starfield could be coming soon, with an update regarding Bethesda's work following the conclusion of Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax Media. Other rumors point to Starfield launching in 2021. Nothing has been confirmed, so fans should maintain skepticism and wait for Bethesda to make an official announcement.
Starfield is currently in development.
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Source: Reddit