Starfield could come to Xbox Series X this year

Starfield
(Image credit: Bethesda)

We really don’t know all that much about Starfield, Bethesda’s upcoming science fiction RPG, but thanks to a VentureBeat reporter, we might finally have some insight into when the game will release on Xbox Series X - and it could be this year.

Reporter Jeff Grubb shared his knowledge about Starfield on an appearance on a Dealer - Gaming YouTube video. Grubb stated that Bethesda is gearing up to fully reveal Starfield during its E3 2021 digital event. 

If you’re thinking that’s unrealistic - there’s only six months between E3 and the end of the year, after all - this short time frame between announcement and release isn’t unprecedented for Bethesda, particularly when it comes to its wheelhouse of large-scale RPGs. 

Star trekking across the E3-verse

Bethesda announced Fallout 4 for the first time during its E3 2015 press conference with the game releasing worldwide in November that year. Similarly, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim was first announced in late 2010, with that game releasing less than a year later in November 2011.

Now that Bethesda is a part of Microsoft Studios, a 2021 Starfield release could be a huge boon for the Xbox Series X, with the game potentially being a console exclusive as well as landing on Xbox Game Pass on day one, as is Microsoft’s policy with its first party developers.

That just leaves one question, then: will Starfield also be coming to PS5? We know that Microsoft has an understanding that Bethesda is sticking to its contractual obligations with some of its titles, including Deathloop, which is a timed exclusive on the PS5. 

Starfield was initially teased all the way back in 2018, long before Bethesda had confirmed negotiations with Microsoft. As such, it’s possible, if unlikely, that owners of Sony’s current-gen machine will also get to experience Starfield without having to pony up for an Xbox Series X.

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Rhys Wood
Hardware Editor

Rhys is TRG's Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.