Microsoft and Bethesda have announced a joint stream where new games for the Xbox and Game Pass will be showcased. The teaser already hides a hint at the big release: Starfield.
What kind of show is this? The Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase will take place on Sunday, June 13, at 7:00 PM German time. There, the two companies aim to present new games for PC and Xbox for 90 minutes.
Bethesda has been part of Microsoft since late 2020, and therefore, many new games from the studio will appear first or even exclusively on the respective platforms. The showcase coincides with the E3 2021, which starts on June 12.
What will be shown? So far, there is no list of featured games, but some details are hidden in the teaser image. Particularly striking is of course Master Chief from Halo, but in the lower left corner of the teaser, Starfield seems to be hiding.
The section of the depicted planet looks exactly like in the Starfield logo. It is therefore quite possible that Starfield will play an important role in the Games Showcase and may even finally show gameplay.
Starfield, the new big RPG from Bethesda
What is Starfield? Starfield will be the next big RPG from Bethesda. As presumably a pure single-player title, it is supposed to be “different,” but still carry “the DNA” of Bethesda, as chief Todd Howard explains (via Eurogamer.net).
What exactly this means remains open for now. What is certain is that it will be a sci-fi setting that aims to differentiate itself from well-known universes like Star Wars and Star Trek (via GameStar.de).
Starfield will be a new IP that apparently has nothing to do with the established series of Elder Scrolls and Fallout. Depending on what exactly Howard means by the “DNA” of Bethesda games, Starfield could feature things like:
- a large open world with an elaborate story and side quests
- mod support and community content
- great freedom and choice in character creation
Will Starfield be a service game? Details are still scarce on this as well. Presumably, Starfield will be strongly linked to the Xbox Game Pass to make it more attractive. Therefore, it would make sense if new content in the form of DLCs or free updates is released, which would also be included in the subscription. It works similarly for Sea of Thieves. Sea of Thieves also has a battle pass.
When and where will Starfield be released? So far, there is no specific date for the release of Starfield. Rumors range from late 2021 to late 2022. Gaming expert Jason Schreier also speculates on late 2022 (via Twitter.com).
According to insiders, Starfield is set to be released exclusively for PC and Xbox to make the Game Pass more attractive (via VentureBeat.com). Thus, the new role-playing game would not be playable on PlayStation 5.
While Bethesda stated that many sought-after games will still be released on Sony consoles after the Microsoft acquisition, that will apparently not be the case for Starfield. According to Xbox chief Phil Spencer, a decision will be made on a case-by-case basis for each new game on a case-by-case basis. For Starfield, this case seemingly means exclusivity.
