Bethesda Softworks has a number of expectations riding on it this year due to Starfield. The space RPG is embraces a brand new aesthetic in NASA-punk while aiming for more “hardcore” role-playing experience than the studio’s previous titles. In a new interview on Bethesda’s official website, lead designer and writer Emil Pagliarulo spoke about what the game means to him along with its influences.
Pagliarulo, who’s worked on franchises like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, notes that saying you’re going to create Bethesda’s first new IP in 20 years is “one thing” but pulling it off is “a different story.” “It’s been so awe-inspiring watching Starfield morph into this amazing game, little by little, and with us covering SO much new ground. There comes a point when you’re working on a game, and it’s just kind of a mess, especially early on, because – news flash! – that’s what game development is.
“But then you get to that point where systems really start to come online, and things start to work well, and gel, and you see everything forming into the vision you had when you first started on this crazy journey. When that first happened with Starfield, it really was an, ‘Oh. Oh wow. Yeah. This is… something really special. Players are going to lose their minds.’ Now we just have to finish it!”
The team at Bethesda has drawn a “lot” of inspiration from other titles with Pagliarulo stating, “There’s always something that inspires or excites me. I really love playing games that just make me shake my head, like, ‘Wow. I know how they did that, and it is a crazy accomplishment.’ The newest Spider-Man games have been like that for me. Or Cyberpunk [2077]. Man, to make a giant, open-ended environment like Night City? That is no easy feat. Seriously impressive.”
Starfield is currently slated to release on November 11th for Xbox Series X/S and PC along with launching day one on Xbox Game Pass. Bethesda’s Todd Howard has promised a proper showing in Summer 2022, which should line up with the rumored E3-style showcase that Microsoft is reportedly arranging for June. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.