A video game is already being labelled as “unplayable” - despite it not being released yet.
Starfield is the latest RPG by Bethesda, the developer behind the acclaimed Fallout 4 and The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, which enthralled gamers with its vast open world setting. Its latest title is aiming to exceed this, with the developer confirming that Starfield’s main quest will be 20% bigger than these two titles.
It will be set in the Milky Way galaxy and feature more than 100 star systems and 1,000 planets to explore. The story will revolve around a brutal war for territory in space, with players able to create their own character and battleships.
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But despite the stunning gameplay footage seen at the Xbox and Bethesda Showcase earlier this week, many are fearing the release will not live up to the hype. CEO of Xbox Game Studios Phil Spencer announced that the game will be restricted to 30 frames per second (FPS) on the Xbox Series X/S.
Higher frame rates can result in smoother gameplay and less stuttering, but many developers do not optimise their games for this to save costs, especially on consoles which have less power than PCs. Spencer said that restricting Starfield to 30 FPS was a “creative choice” and denied it was linked to the performance limitations of the Xbox consoles.
However, many fans disagreed. One person on Twitter said: “A creative decision to make the game unplayable?”
Another added: “It’s clear that the game is too much for series x and s. All this time 'next gen' consoles have been no more than broken promises.”
This anxiety is compounded by Bethesda’s Fallout 76, which was heavily criticised due to numerous reports of bugs, glitches and poorer gameplay options compared to its predecessor. Spencer has pledged that Starfield will have the "fewest bugs" of any Bethesda game.
Games by other developers, such as Ubisoft's Watch Dogs, also faced criticism not matching the quality seen during its first unveiling. Despite this, some are more relaxed about Starfield's frame rate.
One person said: “Grand Theft Auto 5 was 30fps, you think it’s bad?” Another added: “If it’s actually smooth and fun and doesn’t crash I don’t care.”
Starfield will be released on September 6, although you could get access earlier if you pre-order the game. It will be available on PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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