What you need to know
- Bethesda Game Studios is currently working on the next big Starfield update.
- This update is set to include over 100 improvements for the game, including better lighting and textures, bug fixes, and more.
- The update is currently planned to enter Steam Beta testing on Jan. 17, 2024, launching for all players on Xbox and Windows PC two weeks later.
- Bethesda Game Studios is also continuing to work on features like city maps and the official Starfield Creation Kit.
Another update is on the way for Bethesda Game Studios' sprawling science-fiction RPG, and it's a substantial reinforcement.
According to the developer, the next Starfield update is planned to be the biggest one so far, with over 100 improvements across Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC. In a thread on Twitter, Bethesda Game Studios shared some of what players can expect when this patch arrives, with the fully detailed patch notes coming next week.
A number of quest bugs are being fixed, with Eye of the Storm problems and Temples not showing up during Into the Unknown being specifically called out. Lighting improvements and better textures are also being implemented. Elsewhere, general bugs like the ever-persistent asteroids that follow ships are being patched again.
This update goes into Steam Beta on Jan. 17, 2024. It's then planned to arrive for all players two weeks after.
What else is coming to Starfield in 2024?
Starfield is set to receive regular updates in 2024 — which Bethesda Game Studios has indicated it will try to release roughly every six weeks — with the development team continuing to work on highly-requested features like city maps, an official Creation Kit for modders, a "new way of traveling," and more.
Outside of these updates, the game will also be getting its first paid expansion. Dubbed Shattered Space, little is known, but this DLC is included with the Digital Deluxe Edition of Starfield.
Analysis: Just a couple of weeks to wait
Starfield has crossed 13 million players as of a few weeks ago, and that number should continue to climb this year as long as these updates continue to arrive. As I've mentioned before, I'm extremely eager to dig into the Starfield Creation Kit and start experimenting with possible mods.
I'm also starting to formulate theories about just what Shattered Space will entail. Obviously, it'll be part of the Settled Systems we haven't explored yet, but could that even include House Va'ruun space? I'll go anywhere if Vasco and my wife Andreja are with me.
In the meantime, while I was planning to start playing again early this year, I'll hold off for a couple of weeks until this big update arrives. In the meantime, I'll definitely be checking out the Xbox Developer_Direct next week. While Bethesda Game Studios won't be there, its ZeniMax Media sister team MachineGames will be, with 10 minutes of reveals for the Indiana Jones game, including the first trailer and some gameplay footage.
