Star Citizen vs. Starfield: Are They the Same Game?
The short answer is a resounding no. While both Star Citizen and Starfield are space-themed video games, they are fundamentally different in their design, scope, and gameplay mechanics. Confusing the two is understandable given the genre similarities, but they offer distinct experiences that cater to different player preferences. Starfield, developed by Bethesda Game Studios, focuses on a single-player, story-driven RPG experience, whereas Star Citizen, from Cloud Imperium Games, aims for a persistent, multiplayer, and sandbox-style universe.
Diverging Philosophies: Single-Player RPG vs. Persistent Universe
Starfield’s Core Design
Starfield is primarily a single-player RPG. It emphasizes a narrative-rich journey where the player explores a vast array of planets, delves into compelling character interactions, and uncovers the mysteries of a handcrafted world. While it utilizes procedural generation to create its 1,000+ planets, these are designed around specific handcrafted points of interest and narrative beats. Think of it as an evolution of Bethesda’s RPG formula, akin to the Skyrim and Fallout series, but transposed into a spacefaring setting. It encourages exploration and discovery within a contained experience. It’s also not a true open universe, restricting freeform travel in open space. Starfield’s main goal is not about conquering the galaxy, but about the joy of discovery itself. It’s been compared to an “epic version of The Outer Worlds with some Mass Effect thrown in,” highlighting its story-driven approach.
Star Citizen’s Ambition
In contrast, Star Citizen aims to build a persistent, massively multiplayer online universe. Its focus is on creating a living, breathing simulation of a space-faring society where players can seamlessly interact with each other, engage in various professions, and shape the game world’s economy and political landscape. It’s a sandbox where player freedom and emergent gameplay are paramount. Star Citizen emphasizes seamless traversal of open space and complex, player-driven interactions. While a single-player mode called Squadron 42 is in development, the core experience of Star Citizen lies in its online, shared universe. It’s designed to be an ever-evolving world constantly updated by the development team.
Key Differences in Gameplay and Features
Gameplay
Starfield’s gameplay loops consist of exploration, combat, questing, crafting, character development, and base building within the framework of a guided story. While you have freedom to explore, the experience is more focused.
Star Citizen’s gameplay is more diverse and open-ended, allowing players to engage in activities such as trading, bounty hunting, mining, cargo hauling, combat, and even operating their own starships with multiple crew members. It’s a more emergent experience where you are free to choose your own path.
Scale and Scope
Starfield, while large, focuses on a multitude of planets rather than a single vast, contiguous space. Its scale is massive but is broken into hundreds of systems, each with its own star and multiple planets.
Star Citizen aims to create a single, massive universe within which you can seamlessly travel, although it is currently in its alpha stage. This universe contains 95 star systems, 324 planets, 74 moons, 50 space stations, 76 asteroid formations, and more.
Development
Starfield has had a traditional development process from Bethesda, culminating in its release.
Star Citizen, however, has been in development for over a decade, financed heavily by crowdfunding, and currently remains in an Alpha stage, constantly evolving with new updates and features. It is known as one of the most expensive games ever developed.
Overall Experience
Starfield offers a curated, story-rich experience with a multitude of planets to explore in an RPG format.
Star Citizen offers a dynamic, player-driven experience within a massive multiplayer universe.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many planets are in Star Citizen?
Star Citizen currently boasts 324 planets across 95 star systems, along with 74 moons, 50 space stations, and 76 asteroid formations.
How many planets are in Starfield?
Starfield features over 1,000 planets spread across 100 star systems, all available for exploration.
Is Starfield an open universe like No Man’s Sky?
While Starfield uses procedural generation, its map size isn’t as expansive as No Man’s Sky, and it is not a true open universe in the sense of freely flying between systems and planets.
Is Starfield similar to The Outer Worlds?
Starfield has been described as similar to The Outer Worlds, sharing genre similarities and coming from developers with a Fallout franchise background, yet it’s on a much grander scale.
What’s the development status of Star Citizen?
Star Citizen is in its Alpha development phase, with regular updates that add new content and features. There is no official projected date for the commercial release.
How much money has been raised for Star Citizen?
Star Citizen has raised over $600 million from backers, making it one of the most expensive video games ever created.
Does Earth exist in Starfield?
Yes, Earth exists in Starfield and is the third planet in the Sol system, orbiting a single moon, Luna.
Can you be a citizen in Starfield?
Yes, you can earn UC citizenship in Starfield through in-game service.
Will Starfield have cities?
Yes, Starfield features four major cities: New Atlantis, Akila, Neon, and The Key.
What is the human population in Starfield?
The human population in Starfield could be around 180 to 90 billion by 2330, the year the game takes place.
Who can you romance in Starfield?
You can romance several companions in Starfield: Sarah Morgan, Barrett, Sam Coe, and Andreja.
Is Star Citizen the most expensive game ever made?
Yes, Star Citizen is by far the most expensive game ever developed due to its extensive scope and long development cycle.
How much space does Star Citizen require?
Star Citizen recommends 80GB of space for the RSI launcher and game installation, with an additional 10GB (SSD) – 20GB (HDD) for pagefile.
What planet in Star Citizen is like Earth?
Terra is a planet in Star Citizen that resembles Earth with similar environments, an oxygen-based atmosphere, vegetation, and vast oceans.
What is the most profitable activity in Star Citizen?
Cargo hauling is one of the most profitable activities in Star Citizen, requiring preparation and investment.
In conclusion, while both Starfield and Star Citizen explore similar themes of space exploration, they offer vastly different gaming experiences. Starfield delivers a narrative-driven RPG adventure, while Star Citizen aims for a persistent, player-driven online universe. Understanding these differences is crucial to choosing the game that best suits your gaming preferences. They are not the same game, and each is designed to be enjoyed for their distinct strengths.