Starfield’s Free Lanes Update Improves Expert/Master Lock Loot, Bounty Targets in Cities, and More

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The free ‘Free Lanes’ update is here for Starfield, released alongside the ‘Terran Armada’ DLC and the game’s version for PlayStation 5. We’ve already detailed the major new features, but the complete patch notes reveal a number of smaller changes that dedicated players will likely enjoy.

We’ve made some improvements to higher-level loot! Opening Expert and Master locks should now be more rewarding, matching the difficulty of unlocking them. We’ve also fixed a couple of issues: weapon damage will now be consistent, and the accuracy boost from the CombaTech magazine will work as intended.

We’ve improved how you interact with bounty targets, and potentially fixed the issue of them rarely showing up in cities. You can now also jump while reloading three specific pistols: Livingstone’s Pistol, the Old Earth Pistol, and the XM-2311. We’ve also fixed bugs in several quests, including “Friends Like These,” “Guilty Parties,” and “One Giant Leap.” Finally, we’ve made improvements to the Ship Builder and it should be easier to place Weapons Workbenches in your homes and ships.

See the patch notes below for complete details, and you can find more information here. While you wait, you might enjoy reading our reviews of the PS5 version (which includes Free Lanes) and Terran Armada.

Starfield Update 1.16.236

General

  • Steam – Disabled DLC will no longer re-install when launching the game.
  • General crash and stability fixes.

Gameplay

  • Improved loot found in containers with Expert and Master level locks.
  • Reactive Equipment – Resolved an issue with the sound effects for the Reactive legendary effect.
  • Addressed an issue that could cause NPCs to calculate weapon damage inconsistently.
  • Fixed an issue with CombaTech magazine accuracy bonuses not applying consistently.
  • The player can now jump while reloading the XM-2311, Old Earth Pistol, and Livingstone’s Pistol.
  • Bounty targets in cities should now be properly interactable.
  • Resolved an issue that could potentially cause non-combat background music to no longer play.
  • Photo Mode – Addressed an issue that could cause issues when entering photomode while also entering an interior.
  • Photo Mode – Addressed an issue that could cause the player’s right foot to display awkwardly.

Quests

  • Friends Like These – Players should now be able to return the Terrormorph data at the end of the quest.
  • Guilty Parties – Addressed an issue where this quest could possibly not start after completing “Background Checks”.
  • Missed Beyond Measure – Addressed an issue that could cause the player to be locked with an invalid companion.
  • One Giant Leap – The player’s helmet should now be visible.
  • Refurbished Goods – All weapons required by the quest should now be able to be found.
  • Refurbished Goods – Turning in this quest will no longer take incorrect items from the player’s inventory.
  • The Hammer Falls – Addressed an issue that could cause the player to not receive the Star Eagle ship upon completion.
  • Two Tales, Two Cities – Addressed a situation where the player could potentially be control locked if choosing to arrest Tahir.

Locations

  • Resolved an issue that could cause some beds in Akila City to not grant Rested Bonus as intended.
  • Characters should now correctly sit in chairs in the Explorer’s Refuge.

UI

  • Improved and issue that could make Weapons Workbenches difficult to place in houses or ships.
  • Added visual improvements to the Ship Repair UI.
  • Ship Builder – Addressed an issue that could prevent unique or stolen ships from being renamed.
  • Ship Builder – Resolved an issue that could cause a duplicate model of a ship to persist on the landing pad after modifying it.
  • Ship Builder – Hopetech All-In-One Berth 2×2 furnished version is now accessible in game.
  • Ship Builder – Improvements to UI in Large Font Mode.
  • Outpost – Improvements to UI in Large Font mode.
  • Players can now use the escape key to back out of renaming an item in a workbench. (PC)
  • Fixed a typo with the Scan Jammer’s description.

Shattered Space

  • The Oracle has updated music.

Creations

  • A Perfect Recipe: Resolved an issue that could prevent the Ashta from spawning.
  • At Hell’s Gate: Plushies can now be placed in Plushie cases.
  • The “Plushie Case – Mount” can now be placed closer to the “Plushie Case – Stackable” variant.
  • Allied Winter Camo Skins will now show up on the Creation menu when installed.

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2026-04-07 20:12