Starfield is reportedly set to be the most polished Bethesda game yet

With Starfield set to be Bethesda Game Studios' latest and biggest launch, many fans are wondering about its final technical makeup. Leakers suggest the massive sci-fi open-world RPG will be the most refined game from the studio thus far. This has sparked debate, as the developer's past entries have been criticized for their lack of polish.

Multiple sources have come forward stating the same, so here's the rundown.

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Is Starfield really the least buggy Bethesda game ever made?

That's been the overarching sentiment from people who have played the game. Insider Gaming also confirmed with their sources and evinced five individuals who claim to have encountered no major issues with the game after dozens of hours of playtime. Due to embargo restrictions from Xbox and Bethesda, these sources were kept anonymous.

However, this lines up with a statement made in June 2023 by Matt Booty, Head of Xbox Game Studios. Speaking in an interview with Giant Bomb, various executives from the publishing company appeared on their show, including Xbox head Phil Spencer. Matt Booty had the following to say:

"...Working with Todd [Howard] and the team, I see bug counts, and just by the numbers, if it shipped today, this would have the fewest bugs any game from Bethesda has ever shipped."

Considering the sheer scope and scale of the game, this is a massive statement. Starfield promises an enormous open-world experience with entire galaxies available to explore both on-foot across planets and in spaceships through the emptiness of space. In other words, it is much bigger than anything the American developer has created thus far.

Noting this with the studio's reputation for lack of polish, and it does sound incredible. Titles such as Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls 5 Skyrim were acclaimed universally and continue to receive plaudits to this day. However, they are not renowned for their polish, with both games riddled with bugs at launch. The breaking point was 2018's Fallout 76, which was publicly released in an unfinished state.

This led to an unprecedented backlash against the studio, with ridicule across the gaming hemisphere. On the flip side, this event might have prompted Bethesda to reassess its priorities. Matt Booty adds in the Giant Bomb interview that they had a large number of members on board for QA testing. That said, players must wait until launch to see if these claims ring true.

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Starfield is set for release on Xbox Series X|S and PC platforms on September 6, 2023.

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Check out the Starfield Mantis puzzle walkthrough and guide.