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Starfield Rumors: Development Paralyzed by Engine Woes & Fallout 76 Failure

Last Updated September 23, 2020 1:17 PM
Thomas Bardwell
Last Updated September 23, 2020 1:17 PM
  • Starfield development is in trouble, according to a new rumor.
  • The aftermath of the Fallout 76 disaster is to blame.
  • Furthermore, Creation Engine limitations may be affecting production.

A new rumor reports that Bethesda’s upcoming sci-fi RPG, Starfield, is weathering significant development roadblocks as the studio scrambles to save Fallout 76 after a disastrous launch.

The rumor comes from a Reddit user unimaginatively sporting the StarfieldLeaker handle . At this point, we’ll refer you to the all too familiar refrain of exercising skepticism and taking all this with a generous pinch of salt. You know the drill.

The Fallout 76 Problem

The rumor explains that Fallout 76 has forced studio head, Todd Howard, to juggle multiple projects simultaneously. As a result, he’s been less involved in the day to day development of Starfield.

StarfieldLeaker also suggests that Fallout 76 has hogged resources at both the publishing and development levels. Recent attempts to reverse the game’s fortunes attest to this.

Most recently, Bethesda unveiled the Fallout 1st $100-per-year premium subscription service , which, as you can imagine, went down like a lead balloon among the player base.

In tandem, the studio continues to work on the elusive NPC-introducing Wastelanders update. Initially slated for release by the end of this year, it was pushed back to next year.

Starfield Development Stunted By Fallout 76 Failures & Engine Woes
Fallout 76’s woes have contributed to Starfield’s stunted development. | Source: Bethesda 

Starfield Production Hurdles

On the production side of things, the leak suggests Starfield’s development isn’t all that peachy either. Bethesda’s proprietary Creation Engine allegedly struggles to keep up with the demands of fast-paced space flight.

StarfieldLeaker says:

The Creation Engine’s cell-based loading system causes significant frame hiccups when trying to incorporate fast-moving vehicles.

Not exactly what you want to hear about a space-faring role-playing title. Then again, this could be viewed as a natural game development hurdle that Bethesda will invariably overcome in time.

To rounds things off, it appears that having scattered Bethesda Game Studios subsidiary locations is proving detrimental to cohesion among the teams involved in Starfield. That’s slowing progress even further.

As stated above, this remains a rumor, but if true, these roadblocks don’t bode well for a studio that desperately needs a win.