Starfield is a success. What does that mean for the future of Xbox?

Bethesda Game Studios

Starfield was 1 of nan astir captious video crippled launches ever.

The past mates of years person been afloat of whiplash for Xbox fans, afloat of precocious highs and debased lows. After a coagulated autumn 2021 crippled lineup, 2022 was comparatively barren for first-party Xbox games. Microsoft past started nan twelvemonth connected a beardown statement pinch Hi-Fi Rush’s astonishment motorboat earlier crashing and burning pinch nan disastrous merchandise of Redfall, nan first heavy marketed AAA crippled coming retired from Bethesda aft it was acquired by Microsoft. Starfield, a crippled that galore were uneasy astir owed to its scope, would inadvertently go a make-or-break infinitesimal for Microsoft.

In May, I wrote that Starfield was “the astir pivotal crippled for nan early of nan Xbox marque since Halo: Combat Evolved” because of what I thought was astatine liking if it failed. Well, Starfield conscionable launched, and … it’s a hit. It’s not nan genre-defining, industry-changing mega-RPG that immoderate fans were lauding it arsenic prerelease. However, it’s still an enjoyable sci-fi escapade that’s receiving affirmative attraction contempt immoderate drawbacks. And it’s already earned over 1 cardinal concurrent players crossed each platforms. Digital Trends gave it a three-and-a-half prima review, writing, “though it can’t astir present connected Bethesda’s intergalactic ambitions, Starfield is an awesome abstraction RPG filled pinch impactful decisions.” On Steam, complete 24,000 reviews are averaging a ‘Very Positive” consensus.

While not a full stunner, Starfield hasn’t derailed Xbox aliases caused nan nationalist to suffer religion successful its first-party games; successful fact, it has renewed immoderate confidence. Reassessing Xbox’s early post-Starfield, it’s clear that it’s still reliant connected thing it has struggled pinch this full console generation: consistency.

It’s each astir consistency

Despite nan occurrence of Xbox Game Pass and immoderate fantabulous first-party games for illustration Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush, Microsoft has struggled to found consistency crossed messaging, crippled motorboat cadence, and quality. That has wounded it this console generation, wherever it has felt for illustration Xbox has promised much than it’s delivered contempt respective crippled institution acquisitions and breathtaking announcements. It doesn’t thief that Sony and Nintendo person been astatine nan apical of their crippled successful respect to those things successful caller years.

Bethesda Softworks

That’s yet what put truthful overmuch unit connected Redfall and Starfield. They needed to salary disconnected an costly Bethesda acquisition and usher successful a dependable watercourse of caller Xbox games. Perhaps that’s why nan mediocre value of Redfall felt for illustration specified a slap successful nan look for Xbox fans. What should’ve cemented a accordant Xbox first-party output alternatively highlighted each of its problems. This made Xbox’s business heading into Starfield’s motorboat consciousness dire, moreover much truthful than it really was successful reality for a branch of a megacorporation for illustration Microsoft.

But now Starfield is present and group for illustration it, moreover if it has immoderate evident flaws. Starfield was neither nan Redfall-level captious flop that would termination Xbox nor nan 11/10 crippled immoderate group expected. It’s conscionable an entertaining RPG that Xbox players tin suffer themselves successful and consciousness a small spot of console pridefulness over. The vibes crossed nan Xbox organization are mostly affirmative correct now, and Microsoft needs to support that feeling.

The anemic first-party 2022 lineup and nan unsmooth authorities of Redfall near america wondering if nan only point Xbox was accordant astatine was disappointment, but Starfield and different caller efforts from Microsoft-owned studios bespeak that this is not nan case. Since Redfall, we’ve sewage a large Monkey Island-themed update for Sea of Thieves, an fantabulous remaster of Quake II, a coagulated Xbox Series X/S larboard of Age of Empires IV, and Starfield to show that Xbox’s studios are backmost connected track. It’s up to nan Xbox squad to support up that momentum aft Forza Motorsport launches and nan Activision Blizzard acquisition yet concludes this October.

Bethesda

Its 2024 crippled lineup looks patient pursuing an fantabulous Xbox Games Showcase successful June, acknowledgment to games for illustration Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Avowed, and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Beyond that, location are games for illustration South of Midnight, Clockwork Revolution, Fable, State of Decay 3, and The Outer Worlds 2, positive description s for Starfield and different projects. If nan Xbox crippled merchandise cadence gets dependable erstwhile again and each of nan titles are astatine nan value level of, if not amended than, Starfield, past things are looking up for Microsoft.

The peaks and valleys of Microsoft’s gaming efforts person been a chaotic roller-coaster thrust for years, and it’s clear that Xbox is backmost connected nan upswing aft Starfield. All nan pieces are present for Microsoft to return nan affirmative notes from this captious Starfield motorboat and its early crippled lineup and commencement delivering value games connected a much accordant basis. There won’t beryllium different azygous crippled that makes aliases breaks Xbox complete nan adjacent respective years; it will travel down to whether aliases not Xbox tin capitalize connected what it now has pursuing nan successful motorboat of Starfield.

Editors' Recommendations

• You don’t request an Xbox Series X to play Starfield. Here’s how
• Starfield’s astir awesome characteristic misses what makes Skyrim truthful memorable
• Turn your Xbox Series X into a Starfield instrumentality pinch this console wrap
• Starfield’s record size is monolithic nary matter what level you’re playing on
• You can’t play Baldur’s Gate 3 connected Xbox, but you tin play these 6 Game Pass RPGs

Tomas Franzese is simply a Staff Writer astatine Digital Trends, wherever he reports connected and reviews nan latest releases and exciting…