The Xbox Games Showcase was missing several highly anticipated titles. State of Decay 3, for instance, was nowhere to be seen. The reboot of Perfect Dark was also notably absent. But perhaps the most disappointing no-show was Starfield, especially for the game's dedicated fanbase.
The Starfield community had hoped Bethesda would reveal something new about the game at the Xbox showcase. While The Elder Scrolls Online and Fallout 76 received updates, Starfield was completely overlooked. There was no mention of DLC, expansions, or a PlayStation 5 release—nothing at all.
It's clear that the Starfield community is growing disillusioned with Bethesda. The studio's prolonged silence on the matter has been deeply concerning for players.
"I was really hopeful for today's Xbox showcase, but nothing happened," shared a user named acatato on the Starfield subreddit. "After such a long period of silence, aside from minor updates, the game feels abandoned. It's disheartening."
"This is a total letdown," added totallynormalpersonz. "Nowadays, the only news we get from Bethesda about Starfield is through the Creation Club. The Xbox showcase would have been the perfect opportunity to announce something new. Unfortunately, it seems like Bethesda doesn't care anymore. I wouldn't be surprised if they've given up on the game and expect the community to create content instead. This doesn't bode well for the studio's future projects."
"Bethesda makes it incredibly difficult to defend this game," commented TheVossDoss. "I love Starfield and have sunk over 1,100 hours into it. Without mods, I would have quit a long time ago. Even though Bethesda will likely never read this, I'll say it anyway—shame on you for leaving your loyal fans in the dark and seemingly giving up. If you've decided to move on, at least let us know so we're not left hoping. I can't believe Starfield wasn't even mentioned today. A huge thanks to all the modders keeping the game alive, but I fear we're approaching a point of no return."
Xbox Games Series Tier List
Xbox Games Series Tier List
Clearly, fans are simply asking for some form of communication from Bethesda regarding the game's future. If the studio has moved on, they want to know. If the promised second expansion is still in the works, they want to know. If Starfield is coming to other platforms, they want to know.
Frustration is spilling over into Bethesda's social media posts about unrelated topics. For example, a post discussing a Fallout 76 interview at Summer Game Fest was flooded with comments about Starfield. Users asked, "Why did you abandon Starfield?", "Have you given up on Starfield?", "I'm tired of waiting and uninstalling the game," and "RIP Starfield." The sentiment is unmistakable.
Despite the disappointment, some community members speculate that Bethesda might shadow-drop a Starfield expansion or a PS5 release. The studio previously found success with The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, which was surprise-released in April and attracted over 4 million players. Perhaps this is Bethesda's new strategy. If so, a Starfield update could be just around the corner.
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Regardless, the Starfield community is left analyzing Bethesda's previous statements for any sign of hope. Starfield launched in September 2023 as Bethesda's first new IP in 25 years. However, it didn't receive the same acclaim as the studio's previous Fallout and The Elder Scrolls titles. The Shattered Space expansion, released a year later in September 2024, has garnered 'mostly negative' user reviews on Steam.
While Starfield eventually reached 15 million players, speculation about Bethesda potentially abandoning the game to focus on other franchises has persisted since its launch. In June 2024, Bethesda reiterated its commitment to supporting Starfield, confirming at least one more story expansion would follow Shattered Space. In an interview with YouTube channel MrMattyPlays, Bethesda Game Studios' Todd Howard stated the team aims to release annual story expansions for "hopefully a very long time."
Fans are still waiting to see if those promises will be upheld.
