With Bethesda promising to keep expanding Starfield after the launch of its first DLC this autumn (the spooky-looking Shattered Space), the game’s most devout fans may have uncovered a juicy clue about a future prologue.
Earlier this month, Bethesda’s parent company, Zenimax Media, quietly filed a trademark application titled Starborn, as spotted by users on Reddit and X (formerly Twitter).
Some are convinced that the filing is a nod to the game’s second DLC and, you know what, they may be on to something. The fact that it's described as a “downloadable computer game software … for personal computers and home consoles” is a pretty big tell.
But, an even bigger giveaway is the title. In Starfield, the term Starborn refers to individuals who have undergone a transformative experience by passing through the Unity (a mysterious entity capable of transporting people across multiple universes).
Without spoiling the game, these galactic explorers are integral to Starfield’s central narrative – and you’ll get a first-hand idea of what that means by completing the main quest (with some epic loot to boot).
Is the filing the real deal? A new Starfield DLC that delves further into the game’s multiverse concept doesn’t sound out of this world to us. If it really commits to the bit, Bethesda could even introduce multiple versions of your character for you to bump into in other universes (like a cosmic version of Marvel’s Miles Morales and his Spider-Man alter-egos).
It looks like Starborn may be Starfield's next expansion pic.twitter.com/wisHr7ohzI
— Timur222 (@bogorad222) July 29, 2024
Before we get too ahead of ourselves, it’s worth noting that Shattered Space doesn’t even have a concrete release date yet, let alone the second Starfield DLC.
When the first expansion does arrive at some point this autumn, it will whisk players to the menacing home planet of the game’s only non-joinable faction, the religious zealots of the House Va’ruun.
Bethesda boss Todd Howard has said the plan is to keep adding to Starfield’s story with new DLCs, while also continuing to pump out quality of life improvements between these bigger updates. The studio is already balancing a few plates with games like Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5 on its docket but Howard has promised to shorten the gap between releases.
