The Long Journey to the Stars: How Long Did It Take to Make Starfield?

The creation of Starfield, Bethesda’s ambitious foray into a new science fiction universe, was a monumental undertaking. From its initial conception to its release, the game spent over seven years in active development, a significant leap compared to the 4-5 years typical for past Bethesda titles like Fallout 4 and Skyrim. This extensive development cycle reflects the game’s scale, ambition, and the technological advancements Bethesda aimed to achieve.

The Genesis of Starfield: From Fallout 4 to the Stars

Pre-Production and Initial Concepts

While active development began after the launch of Fallout 4 in November 2015, the seeds of Starfield were sown much earlier. Pre-production work, involving initial concepting, world-building, and technology exploration, is believed to have started sometime between 2012 and 2013. This early phase was crucial in laying the groundwork for the universe players would eventually explore. Bethesda had been considering a space-faring RPG for a long time and this period allowed them to solidify their ideas and begin experimenting with the technology required to bring their vision to life.

The decision to embark on a new IP after decades of focusing on the Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchises was a bold one. It required Bethesda to build a new world from scratch, develop new lore, and create compelling gameplay mechanics that would differentiate Starfield from its predecessors. This extensive pre-production period was therefore essential to ensure a strong foundation for the project.

Active Development and Technological Leap

The true development marathon began in late 2015 after the release of Fallout 4. This phase involved the intensive work of building the game’s world, designing its mechanics, writing its story, and creating its assets. The development team faced numerous challenges, including creating a vast, explorable universe with over 1,000 planets, each with unique environments and potential for discovery.

Todd Howard himself emphasized that the technological leap between Fallout 4/76 and Starfield was significantly larger than the one between Morrowind and Oblivion. This suggests that Bethesda invested heavily in new technologies and development tools to realize their vision for Starfield. This included advancements in procedural generation, world-building tools, and rendering technology to create a believable and immersive universe.

The public reveal of Starfield at Bethesda’s E3 presentation in June 2018 alongside The Elder Scrolls VI, marked a significant milestone in the game’s development journey. This announcement generated immense excitement among fans and provided a glimpse into the ambitious scope of the project.

The Final Stretch and Release

The years following the E3 announcement were filled with intensive development, testing, and polishing. The team worked tirelessly to ensure that Starfield would meet the high expectations of fans and critics alike. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Bethesda managed to keep the project on track, ultimately releasing Starfield in September 2023.

The game’s launch was a resounding success, with Starfield quickly topping sales charts and becoming a major exclusive hit for Xbox Series consoles. This success is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the development team, as well as the enduring appeal of Bethesda’s signature RPG formula. The Games Learning Society also recognized its potential impact. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more about how games are evolving education.

Starfield: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about Starfield, providing further insights into its development and features:

1. Is Starfield Bethesda’s first new universe in 25 years? Yes, Starfield marks Bethesda’s first new universe in over 25 years, making it a significant departure from the Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchises.

2. Is Starfield longer than Fallout 4? While main storylines might be similar in length (17 hours), doing main and side quests in Starfield (50 hours) and completing it is longer than Fallout 4, with 205 hours of average completion time to Fallout 4’s 158 hours of completion time.

3. Will Starfield be bigger than No Man’s Sky? While Starfield incorporates procedural generation, its overall map size is not as expansive as that of No Man’s Sky. No Man’s Sky and Minecraft are theoretically infinite in size, but that’s because the worlds are entirely determined by complex algorithms rather than manual design work.

4. Will Starfield be as big as Skyrim? Todd Howard stated that the total playable area in Starfield will be “thousands of times larger than Skyrim.”

5. Will Starfield really have 1,000 planets? Yes, Starfield features over 1,000 searchable planets, with about 10% containing life, quests, and valuable resources.

6. How many cities will be in Starfield? Starfield has four major cities: New Atlantis, Akila, Neon, and The Key (a space station).

7. How big will Starfield world be? Starfield’s map is the biggest in any Bethesda game ever, with over 1,000 planets and thousands of miles of square footage to explore.

8. Why is Starfield so hard to run? Optimization issues, lack of DLSS support on PC, and high system requirements contribute to Starfield’s performance challenges.

9. Will Starfield be realistic? Starfield aims for realism, which means in-game travel to faraway planets is appropriately difficult and time-consuming.

10. Will Starfield planets be empty? Some planets in Starfield are empty, but many others offer unique environments, resources, and quests.

11. How long would it take to 100% Starfield? Completing everything in Starfield could take up to 200-300 hours, considering multiple endings and extensive side content.

12. Who can you romance in Starfield? The four romanceable companions in Starfield are Sarah Morgan, Barrett, Sam Coe, and Andreja, all members of the Constellation faction.

13. How many DLC’s will Starfield have? Starfield has one revealed DLC called Shattered Space, part of the Premium and Constellation editions, promising a significant content addition.

14. Can you visit Earth in Starfield? Yes, you can visit Earth in Starfield by unlocking fast travel and navigating to the Sol system.

15. How much life is in Starfield? Only about 10% of Starfield’s planets have life on them.

Conclusion: A Stellar Achievement

The long and arduous journey to create Starfield resulted in a massive and ambitious RPG that has captivated players worldwide. The over seven years of development time, combined with the pre-production phase that began even earlier, underscore the scale and complexity of the project. From its innovative gameplay mechanics to its vast and explorable universe, Starfield represents a significant achievement for Bethesda and a testament to the power of creative vision and dedicated teamwork. The game’s success at launch solidifies its place as a major player in the RPG genre and sets the stage for future expansions and additions to the Starfield universe. For those interested in learning more about game development and its impact, exploring resources like the Games Learning Society can provide valuable insights into the future of interactive entertainment.