You probably shouldn’t bet on a Starfield sequel if news coming out of Xbox’s reset is anything to go by.
According to a new report from Bloomberg, Microsoft’s restructuring of Xbox will see Bethesda focusing on a handful of franchises going forward: Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Wolfenstein, Doom, and Quake. These five franchises are expected to be a priority, with at least three of them already having games in development. There have been rumblings that another team like Obsidian could be set to work on a Fallout game, as Bethesda has its hands tied up with The Elder Scrolls 6, but nothing has been confirmed.
However, many were quick to point out that Starfield is seemingly absent from Bethesda’s priority list. The sci-fi game debuted back in 2023 after an extended development and was a passion project for Bethesda boss Todd Howard. Unfortunately, Starfield largely failed to meet fan expectations, and subsequent updates and expansions haven’t really moved the needle on that sentiment. Still, some of the game’s more hardcore fans had hoped that Starfield would go on to at least get more expansions, and maybe even a sequel, establishing itself as Bethesda’s third franchise. Those hopes may have been dashed.
Starfield fans are now mourning the fact that the franchise doesn’t appear to have much of a future going forward. Some are even actively protesting Xbox over Starfield’s potential demise.
“If you end Starfield, I am leaving,” said one Xbox player. “I became part of the Xbox family for this game, a game that was finally something unique instead of the same franchises regurgitated, and I won’t stay on a platform where it’s no longer possible. My wallet will stay closed.”
“If this means no more new Starfield development, I absolutely hate this,” said another player. One other fan pleaded to Microsoft/Bethesda: “Please don’t give up on Starfield.”
Others were a bit more understanding of the potential reality that Starfield may not continue. The game had a prolonged development and didn’t hit the mark for fans, making it an easy decision for Microsoft to at least put it on the back burner.
“The amount of time it took to develop and then the end product just not hitting the mark, it’s understandable. I think we do need to get out of the 10+ year wait for the next Fallout or Elder Scrolls,” said one fan. Another echoed these thoughts: “Starfield left a bad taste in people’s mouths, and given the time/budget they would require for a sequel, I understand why Microsoft is more eager to invest in other IP.”
“Based on its own merits, that should be a one and done. For every good design choice there is a bad one,” said another unimpressed player.
Starfield was released on PS5 earlier this year but analysts believe the game sold poorly on Sony’s console, something that may not have happened had the game had a day and date release on PlayStation back in 2023. Whether or not Starfield returns decades from now remains to be seen, but it looks unlikely.
Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN’s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.
