Any discussion about the game Starfield is met with various reactions, depending on where you stand with the title. If you recall its launch in 2023, which was heavily delayed, the game was met with mostly positive reviews from critics, which seemed to point to the game being another “Bethesda hit.” However, the game had a much different reaction from fans, which prompted a series of unique events that called out how Bethesda treated fans at times and respected their opinions. Not to mention calling out the game development practices of the company as a whole. In other words, it’s incredibly divisive.
Yet, Bethesda has tried to push the game not only as a success but as one of the “hallmarks” of their publishing arm. If you don’t believe us, take a look at this recent Zenimax job listing. In it, Zenimax lists all the “blockbuster franchises” that Bethesda has produced over the years, and right at the front of all of those games is Starfield. That…seems like a bit of a reach.
We’re not saying that to be mean, either. Instead, we’re talking not only about fan reaction but how the game compares to other titles in Bethesda’s arsenal. For example, do you know how many units the game sold?
That’s honestly a bit hard to answer. Based on estimates from 2024, the game sold 3 million units total, give or take. On the surface, that’s not “too bad.” However, when you remember that this game had been in the works for about 8 years, and Bethesda was pitching it as its “next big IP,” that feels a bit low. Plus, when you compare it to other titles that Bethesda released from its ACTUAL blockbuster franchises, it doesn’t even hold a candle to what they did.
Things only get worse when you look at even more recent fan reactions to the game. For example, if you go to the main games’ Steam page, you’ll see over 100,000 player reviews, and the results of them are “Mixed.” Then, if you go to the DLC page for the content that was dropped last year, you’ll find that the reviews are “Mostly Negative.”
In those reviews, many called out Bethesda for charging $30 for content that took only a couple of hours to beat and was basically content that was originally meant to be in the main game. Some even called it the “worst DLC ever.”
So, while Bethesda may be trying to do more with its spacefaring franchise, the fans will need a ton of convincing to buy into what they’re selling.
