Is Xbox’s Starfield going to get its ‘Cyberpunk 2.0’ moment? — Rumors swirl around a secret event and a PS5 launch.

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Starfield generated a lot of excitement before its release, but many players found the game didn’t quite meet their high expectations.

Starfield marked a new beginning for the creators of beloved games like Skyrim and Fallout 3 & 4. Headed by Todd Howard of Bethesda, the game aimed to deliver the open-world, player-driven experience they’re known for, but set across a massive galaxy. It was also the first major Bethesda title released under Xbox ownership, following Microsoft’s purchase of ZeniMax.

Bethesda games are known for being huge, but Starfield might have tried to do *too* much. The game’s technology struggled to deliver the seamless space travel the developers aimed for, leading to frequent loading screens between planets. While the game world is massive, truly detailed and unique content can be surprisingly hard to find.

Many players were disappointed with the first downloadable content for the game, Shattered Space. They had hoped it would significantly improve some of the game’s core mechanics and features, in addition to adding new story elements.

Starfield fans have been eagerly awaiting news from Bethesda about what’s next for the game.

As an analyst, I’ve been tracking Starfield’s development closely. Back in March, Bethesda started hinting at what was coming next, but then communication went quiet for a while. They did release some updates throughout the year, but they didn’t quite match the level of excitement initially suggested on X. Then, last September, Tim Lamb from Bethesda shared that the team had been concentrating on improving the space gameplay experience, aiming to make space travel more engaging. He also mentioned they were working on new game systems and a few smaller enhancements.

It looks like we’ll be hearing official news about Starfield soon. I saw a post from @LukeStephens on X confirming rumors that Bethesda recently held a private event to show off their plans for the game. I’ve also talked to several people who have inside information to get a better idea of what to expect.

It looks like Starfield will offer a much smoother space travel experience, moving away from frequent loading screens. If the reports are true, players can expect more seamless and continuous flight, along with overall improvements to how you explore space. The game’s engine has apparently been significantly upgraded to support these changes, and these improvements will likely be used in future games as well.

Many were curious if Bethesda would move to the Unreal Engine for future games like an Oblivion remake. However, it appears they’re continuing to improve their own Creation Engine, especially for Starfield.

From my analysis, it looks like Starfield is expanding beyond Xbox and PC. We’re now anticipating a release on the PlayStation 5 in 2026, and surprisingly, also on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. The good news is that Bethesda has already been working on optimizing the game for lower-powered hardware, like handhelds, which suggests the Switch 2 version could run quite well.

I’ve heard from a few sources that the Starfield expansion was originally intended to release in 2025. However, with Microsoft already having a lot of major games coming out around the holidays, and the postponement of Grand Theft Auto 6, they decided to push the expansion to the first half of 2026. Others, like @DetectiveSeeds on X, believe the updates won’t arrive until later in 2026.

There’s been some disagreement about the rumors surrounding the Starfield update, so it’s best to be cautious about what you hear. Some sources suggest the changes won’t be as massive as some are claiming – it likely won’t be a complete overhaul like the Cyberpunk 2.0 update. However, others who were at the event, including Todd Howard, seemed much more excited about what’s coming. It looks like the expansion, possibly called ‘Terran Armada,’ is likely to be a divisive topic among players.

Starfield doesn’t really need a “Cyberpunk 2.0” moment

I had a lot of fun playing Starfield. While it didn’t quite capture me for as long as games like Skyrim or Fallout 3 and 4, it was still a great open-world RPG with many exciting and memorable experiences to find as you explore space.

Starfield feels like it has a lot of promise, with a well-developed backstory and impressively large scope – almost like a massively multiplayer online game. However, the game’s biggest weakness is that its world feels empty. There just aren’t enough interesting places to explore, and those that exist aren’t diverse enough.

It’s frustrating to clear out big mercenary bases and not find anything worthwhile. While I understand the idea of using 3D-printed construction for buildings, it feels strange when natural caves look exactly the same, even if they’re on different sides of the galaxy.

I’m still learning about what’s coming for Starfield and will share updates as soon as I can. Tim Lamb hinted at new gameplay features and smaller improvements in the next big update, which is arriving later than expected. Hopefully, this will include better variety when exploring and improvements to items and other in-game elements. I’ll let you know more as soon as I have it.

Apparently, Bethesda is spread thin trying to take advantage of the popular Fallout TV series and working on both current and upcoming projects, all while developing Elder Scrolls 6. This leaves Starfield with fewer resources. If this is the case, I hope the second DLC for Starfield provides a strong conclusion to what has become one of the most debated games of recent years.

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2025-12-18 07:10