Those awaiting the release of Starfield should reign in their hopes as the game might possibly be pushed out of its tentative 2021 release window.
Taking to Twitter earlier today, Fanbyte editor (and former GameInformer editor) Imran Khan stated that the impact of COVID-19 from last year will continue to take its toll in 2021 on production schedules. Hence, “players are not going to get every game developers want to put out this year,” a statement made to Khan by an unnamed designer presumably from Bethesda Softworks.
Re: the Deathloop delay
I'll point out this part of my recent COVID piece. I'll probably point to it several more times this year. https://t.co/3XSl5pALuK pic.twitter.com/ZRu8tnE07D
— Imran Khan (@imranzomg) April 8, 2021
The suggestion being that Starfield, a game which has only been rumored, albeit quite strongly, to release before the end of the year will probably be delayed. Deathloop, the time-bending action adventure from developer Arkane Studios, was delayed just yesterday to gain additional time for further polishing. It hence would not be surprising if Bethesda Softworks decided to take the same course of action to ensure a polished and consumer-worthy product.
Earlier in the year, a known industry insider claimed that Bethesda Softworks was still looking to release the new space epic role-playing adventure in 2021. That being said, COVID-19 has been a real menace and due to newly birthed development challenges, the publisher might consider a delay if deemed necessary for the sake of Starfield.
Starfield was announced back in 2018 as the first new Bethesda intellectual property in over two decades. There have been fairly little details shared with the public so far. The game, for example, will be strictly single-player and will receive modding support, presumably post-release. That and players can expect an open world larger than The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim and Fallout 4.
Bethesda Softworks has been vocal about only revealing Starfield when the game nears completion. There will be no rushing here, particularly after the mess that was Fallout 76.
