Summary
- A former Starfield developer says that there weren't as many loading screens when he was working on the title.
- While no explanation was given, the loading screens likely help with performance.
- In early December, Doom content was added to Starfield for free to celebrate the game's 31st anniversary.
A former Bethesda developer recently revealed that he was surprised by how many loading screens were added to Starfield late in development. Frequent loading screens are among the most controversial aspects of Starfield, so it’s surprising to see a former developer claiming that the game could potentially have existed without them.
Released in 2023, Starfield was a fairly controversial game at launch. While Starfield obtained positive reviews, currently holding an average critic score of 85 on OpenCritic, the space exploration game was widely criticized by portions of the player base. Some of the most common criticisms against the title were aimed at its vast yet shallow open-world universe, and frequent, immersion-breaking loading screens.
Starfield’s New Doom Content Explained
The Creation Club is responsible for many crossovers, and now Starfield players can experience new Doom-inspired content for free.
Former Starfield developer Nate Purkeypile, who worked on Starfield until 2021, recently told VideoGamer that the title had significantly fewer loading zones during his tenure. The most visible locations where this was a problem were in the game’s cities, such as Neon, a place that Purkeypile extensively worked on. According to Purkeypile, Starfield “could have existed without those [loading zones]. Like, some of those were not there when I had been working on it and so it was a surprise to me that there were as many as there were.” Unfortunately, Purkeypile was not able to explain why these loading screens were added in the final version of the game, but his arguments indicate that it’s all about performance. The ex-Bethesda dev explained that the heavy segmentation of areas is due to how Bethesda’s Creation Engine works, and that gating some areas is mostly done to improve performance.
Former Bethesda Dev Claims Starfield Did Not Have So Many Loading Screens During Development
It could have existed without those [loading zones]. Like, some of those were not there when I had been working on it and so it was a surprise to me that there were as many as there were.
While Starfield's many loading screens continue to frustrate some gamers, Bethesda is continuing to work hard to improve the game over a year after its launch. In recent Starfield updates, the performance of Starfield has been boosted, with countless bugs being remedied.
There’s also no shortage of new content, especially when considering the Creation Engine. Earlier in December, Starfield also added new Doom content for free. To commemorate the Doom franchise’s 31st anniversary, Starfield received a new Doom-inspired quest called “At Hell’s Gate.” During the quest, gamers can snag a few unique items such as a Super Shotgun, Crucible Blade, and the Doom Slayer Praetor Suit.
Hopefully, the upcoming Elder Scrolls 6 will not have as many loading screens as Starfield. The Elder Scrolls 6 was announced in June 2018, but it still seems far away from release, with gamers attempting to be patient while waiting for a development update.
Starfield
OpenCritic Reviews
Starfield is the first new universe in over 25 years from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. In this next generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery.
In the year 2330, humanity has ventured beyond our solar system, settling new planets, and living as a spacefaring people. You will join Constellation – the last group of space explorers seeking rare artifacts throughout the galaxy – and navigate the vast expanse of space in Bethesda Game Studios’ biggest and most ambitious game.
Tell Your story - In Starfield the most important story is the one you tell with your character. Start your journey by customizing your appearance and deciding your Background and Traits. Will you be an experienced explorer, a charming diplomat, a stealthy cyber runner, or something else entirely? The choice is yours. Decide who you will be and what you will become.
Explore Outer Space - Venture through the stars and explore more than 1000 planets. Navigate bustling cities, explore dangerous bases, and traverse wild landscapes. Meet and recruit a memorable cast of characters, join in the adventures of various factions, and embark on quests across the Settled Systems. A new story or experience is always waiting to be discovered.
Captain the Ship Of Your Dreams - Pilot and command the ship of your dreams. Personalize the look of your ship, modify critical systems including weapons and shields, and assign crew members to provide unique bonuses. In deep space you will engage in high-stakes dogfights, encounter random missions, dock at star stations, and even board and commandeer enemy ships to add to your collection.
Discover, Collect, Build - Explore planets and discover the fauna, flora, and resources needed to craft everything from medicine and food to equipment and weapons. Build outposts and hire a crew to passively extract materials and establish cargo links to transfer resources between them. Invest these raw materials into research projects to unlock unique crafting recipes.
Lock and Load - Space can be a dangerous place. A refined combat system gives you the tools to deal with any situation. Whether you prefer long-range rifles, laser weapons, or demolitions, each weapon type can be modified to complement your playstyle. Zero G environments add a chaotic spectacle to combat, while boost packs give players freedom to maneuver like never before.
- Engine
- proprietary engine
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unsupported
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, PlayStation 5
- Genre(s)
- Action, RPG, Open-World
- How Long To Beat
- 24 hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 149.86 GB
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
