Starfield was definitely a surprising reveal during Bethesda’s E3 2018 press conference last month, to say the least. A science fiction Mass Effect-like game from the developer of iconic RPG franchises like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout is a dream come true for many gamers. However, the game looks like it might not be ready anytime soon, and that probably means a next-generation console release. There might still be hope of a PS4 and Xbox One release, according to Bethesda director Todd Howard.
Starfield PS4 And Xbox One: Next-Gen In Hardware, Software, And Gameplay
In an interview with Eurogamer, Howard spoke about what Starfield being next-generation really means. He said: “That to us means two things. It does mean hardware and it does mean software on our side, and it also means gameplay – what does the next generation of epic single-player RPGs feel like to us?” It certainly seems like Bethesda is feeling very ambitious with Starfield, and perhaps the developer is looking to repeat the success of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim with another cross-generational masterpiece.
Howard continued: “What systems we put it out on – what’s the hardware requirements – is still to be determined. We’re pushing it; we’re thinking very, very far in future so we’re building something that will handle next-generation hardware. That’s what we’re building on right now, that’s where our mind is, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t exist on the current systems as well.”
It seems highly likely that Starfield will focus on a next-generation release window if “very, very far in the future” is any indication. Nevertheless, the fact that Bethesda isn’t directly dismissing the idea of a current-gen release is great for gamers who plan to stick with their current consoles in the near future. It’s also great to hear how science fiction was always something the developer planned to dabble in.
Howard added: “We had made a list of what we might want to do in the future and an epic science-fiction game has always been on my mind. OK, post-apocalyptic was our first choice, sci-fi was our second at the time – we were going to do our own post-apocalyptic universe if we didn’t get Fallout [from Interplay in 2004].”
