Starfieldis Bethesda’s upcoming space-set RPG, set to release beforeThe Elder Scrolls 6. Based on what’s been leaked about the new IP so far, the sci-fi game’s features could have some big implications for the future of other Bethesda franchises likeThe Elder Scrolls.
However, Bethesda needs to avoid lettingStarfield’s broad horizons limitThe Elder Scrolls 6. While this may seem counterintuitive, it is possible that the breadth ofStarfield’s experimentation with new features could prove detrimental if Bethesda tries to transfer all of those systems or design concepts to the nextElder Scrollsgame. Here’s how that could happen, and why the studio needs to tread carefully.
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Starfield’s Features
Several screenshots have been leaked sinceStarfield’s announcement in 2018that hint at some of the features fans can expect to see in-game. An initial leak of three images to Reddit showed an in-game UI with a compass, which had Oxygen and C02 levels, and what appeared to be a meter for measuring gravity. Right away this indicates thatStarfieldwill have some survival features in the game from the get-go, unlike most Bethesda games where survival mechanics are usually among the first features added by the modding community.
The gravity meter also suggests thatStarfield’s physicswill be more complex than previous open-world Bethesda RPGs. The images also show a spaceship and a building which appear to be constructed using several distinct modules. This has led many fans to speculate thatStarfieldwill expand upon some of the settlement building mechanics found inFallout 4, potentially integrating them more vitally into the base game.
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Experimentation And The Elder Scrolls 6
There are solid reasons to believe that many of the mechanics developed inStarfieldwill be returning inThe Elder Scrolls. For starters, it has already been suggested thatThe Elder Scrolls 6will have survival mechanicsin its retail release. After the development of settlement building fromSkyrim’sHearthfire DLCtoFallout 76, it also seems likely that aFallout 4-style building system will be making a return, after undergoing significant changes inStarfield.
Todd Howard also mentioned atBrighton Digital 2020that bothStarfieldandThe Elder Scrolls 6would make extensive use of procedural generation to create landscapes. In theory, this would allow for the creation of larger worlds and in particular more realistically sized cities than those seen in past Bethesda RPGs.
All of this makes it seem likeStarfieldwill, in part, be used to perfect some of the features which will eventually be seen inThe Elder Scrolls 6. As the studio’s first new IP in 25 years,Starfieldoffers a unique opportunity for such experimentation. However, just becauseStarfieldoffers Bethesda an opportunity to refine its survival and base-building mechanics, that does not mean that all of the features developed for or ironed out inStarfieldshould be making an appearance inThe Elder Scrolls 6.
In fact, there’s a risk that if too many ofStarfield’s features end up inThe Elder Scrollsin some form or another, Bethesda Game Studios will have missed a vital opportunity to develop a broader range of games than it currently does.The Elder ScrollsandFalloutmay take place in very different settings, but for years now Bethesda has relied upon two RPG franchises with the same engines, first-person perspectives, and basic design principles.
Starfielddoesn’t need to be a stepping stone toThe Elder Scrolls 6. Bethesda could integrate its survival and base-building features intoStarfieldto an extent that would never work inThe Elder Scrolls.Starfieldhas the potential to feel like a totally fresh experience, not another classic first-person,open-world Bethesda RPGshifted to a new setting.
If bothStarfieldandThe Elder Scrolls 6are going to live up to each game’s full potential, Bethesda needs to be ready to accept that there will be some features which work well inStarfield, but should not be transferred over toThe Elder Scrolls 6. IfStarfieldruns with base building as a core mechanic, that does not mean that building should be as central to the nextElder Scrolls, no matter how well-developed a feature it ends up being inStarfield, for example.
As a new IPStarfieldisn’t just an opportunity for experimentation at Bethesda, but an opportunity for diversification.Starfieldmay give fans an inkling as towhat lies ahead forThe Elder Scrolls, but Bethesda needs to let both games lean into their own strengths independently.
The Elder Scrolls 6is in development.
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