Starfield is an upcoming sci-fi RPG coming from Bethesda. It's set to be the company's first IP in years, and there is a palpable excitement surrounding the title for a lot of gamers. Bethesda is breaking the cycle of alternating between The Elder Scrolls and Fallout to bring gamers something fresh. Bethesda revealed the game at E3 2018 and since then there has been no official news on it. At the time, the company confirmed that it would launch as part of the next generation of consoles. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X have been available since November 2020, which could mean that gamers will hear some more news on the title soon.
As is commonplace with a lot of major releases, there has been a flow of rumors surrounding the sci-fi RPG and its developer, Bethesda. The latest rumor suggests that Microsoft will host a Bethesda-specific event in March, which could be an opportunity for the developer to show off Starfield. Recently, some supposed leaks have come out, revealing screenshots of the game. It remains to be seen if the leaked screenshots are from Bethesda's upcoming sci-fi game, but gamers should be cautious of them even if they turn out to be true.
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The leaked screenshots of Starfield don't show much in the way of detail. The possibly leaked screenshots of the game have shown an individual wearing some kind of astronaut suit while standing next to a structure. Additional details on the heads-up display show common statistics for most RPGs, such as health and stamina and an oxygen gauge. Even if these screenshots truly are from Starfield, they don't indicate much about the game in any capacity.
The sci-fi setting has already been confirmed, so it shouldn't be all that surprising for gamers to see an oxygen gauge and a character wearing a spacesuit. The first leaked screenshot also looks unfinished, with the environment being empty and some 3D models appear as though textures haven't been added yet. Additional screenshots in the first round of Starfield leaks also show a spaceship and the oxygen gauge in more detail. While the content of the screenshots does appear visually interesting, none of the reported leaks have shown content that suggests much about the game, least of all what the gameplay will be like.
A more recent leak of Starfield shows a more finished-looking environment, with realistic rocky terrain and impressive lighting. This has led to excitement among Bethesda fans, but there remains plenty of reasons to be skeptical. The gauge featured at the lower-left could have realistically been taken from previously leaked images, and there have been claims it's actually a manipulated screenshot from a VR game called Myrdalssandur, Iceland. While all of the leaked images could end up being from Starfield, they could just as easily be the product of fans leveraging the excitement surrounding the title. Official information for Starfield could be some time away, and this screenshot may be the result of gamers trying to enhance the fanfare for it.
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In addition to the unreliability of the leaked images, there is no indication as to when fans will hear more about Starfield in an official capacity. There have been rumors that Microsoft will hold a Bethesda event, but so far there hasn't been any confirmation of this. If this goes ahead it might be a good opportunity for Bethesda to reveal more about Starfield, but nothing can be guaranteed. Bethesda can be quite tight-lipped when it comes to information flow about its upcoming games, and Starfield will likely be no exception. Originally, Todd Howard of Bethesda stated there would be some news in 2021, but plans can easily change, especially with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
It's currently unknown when Starfield will be released. Despite rumors stating that Starfield will be released in 2021, it could be unlikely that this will happen. Bethesda is known to take its time developing games, with the exception of Fallout 76's brutal launch, and its new sci-fi RPG will likely follow the same pattern.
The recent image leak, coupled with the rumors of an earlier-than-expected launch, could suggest to fans that Starfield is more complete than gamers realize. However, the issue is that the "complete" status of Starfield is largely dependant on unreliable information. Rumors, as always, should be taken with a grain of salt as they can lead to disappointment for gamers, especially with uninformative screenshots such as those that have leaked for Starfield.
While the rumors and leaks that have spread are all based on conjecture, it doesn't entirely rule out a reveal happening in 2021. It's good to be cautious when it comes to any information that hasn't originated from an official source, but 2021 could be a big year for Bethesda. Starfield has been confirmed to be the next game launch for Bethesda, so it's not impossible to think that revealing information will come in 2021. With The Elder Scrolls 6 coming after the sci-fi RPG, the company might be looking to improve its information flow for Starfield. The game is in full production at the moment, so some cautious optimism from Bethesda fans is completely understandable.
As exciting as the recent screenshot leak and surrounding information are for gamers, it remains important to stay skeptical when it comes to Starfield. Any non-official information could stem from any source, and it seems like Bethesda has a lot of work to do for the next-gen RPG. Fans are hoping that a reveal is just around the corner at the rumored Microsoft event, but for the moment gamers know that it will be singleplayer only, and will launch on next-generation consoles. What remains to be seen is when Starfield will launch, and on what platforms exactly.
Starfield is currently in development.
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