Bethesda dev says Starfield is its best game, but fans disagree
Morrowind is literally right there.
03rd Oct 2024 11:48
Images via Bethesda
Bethesda dev says Starfield is its best game, but fans disagree
Morrowind is literally right there.
03rd Oct 2024 11:48
Images via Bethesda
As the first Bethesda new IP in 25 years, it's fair to say there was plenty of hype for Starfield ahead of release. After being announced in 2018, the years of anticipation only grew with Starfield's many delays and eventual September 2023 release, although some argue it wasn't worth the wait.
Bethesda titles have been known for their buggy releases at this point, but while we've grown to love these quirks in The Elder Scrolls and Fallout games, the tide had turned by the time it came to Starfield. With the harshest critics calling it a bland trip to the stars, it was hardly the showstopping sci-fi explorer many hoped it would be.
Bethesda dev gets cooked for calling Starfield its best game
The recent release of Starfield's Shattered Space DLC was hoping to give it the Cyberpunk 2077 treatment, similar to how CD Projekt Red's sci-fi flop was finally able to live up to its expectations thanks to its 2023 Phantom Liberty DLC. While Shattered Space has definitely brought eyes back to Starfield, it's not exactly the reinvention Bethesda was hoping for.
In a new interview with GamesRadar+, Starfield Design Director Emil Pagliarulo has claimed it's the 'best' game Bethesda has ever created. Gushing to the outlet, Pagliarulo said, "I think in a lot of ways, Starfield is the hardest thing Bethesda has ever done. We pushed ourselves to make something totally different.
"To just jam into an Xbox the biggest, richest space simulation RPG anyone could imagine. That we pulled it off makes Starfield something of a technical marvel. It's also, in a lot of ways, the best game we've ever made. But for us, most importantly, Starfield has its own unique personality, and now sits right next to Fallout and Elder Scrolls."
There's no denying that Starfield is grand in its scope, and while the team has done a lot to restore its reputation following a pretty savage launch, the idea of putting it up there with something like Skyrim or Fallout 3 has seen Pagliarulo ridiculed online.
When the article was shared on X, few defended Starfield. With most of those who worked on the Bethesda 'classics' having moved on, one sceptic chuckled, "Yeah, because none of them probably worked on the other Bethesda games."
Another scathing comment read, "It's not even close to their best game 🤣 f**king delusions man these people make such mid games and act like they're the best thing ever made 🤦♂️," while a third mocked, "If this is the best, they must make a lot of sh*tty games." We'll admire Pagliarulo for his faith, but it's not something that gamers seem to share.
Giving their own opinion, someone said, "Morrowind, which is creeping up on 30 years old now, is a vastly superior game in every way except for graphics." Someone else concluded that Starfield might be Bethesda's best-looking game, but with it being eight years between it and Fallout 4 (as well as a new console generation), we'd hope so.
At the time of writing, Shattered Space's Steam reviews sit in the dreaded "Mostly Negative" category, while player numbers have a pretty paltry 24-hour peak of 11,809. Considering Starfield sat at 12,098 on September 28 (two days before the DLCs release), it's not looking like the savior Bethesda was hoping for.
We know Bethesda has grand plans for Starfield, with Todd Howard confidently saying, "This is a game people are going to play for a long time." There are plans for at least one more DLC, and recent trademarks have hinted at Starborn, so let's hope lessons can be learned from Shattered Space's lukewarm reception.
Having confidence in your product is one thing, but with several branding Pagliarulo and Starfield's scores on the doors being a fair way off what you'd typically consider Bethesda's 'best', his words of encouragement haven't exactly landed among the grouchy gaming community.
About The Author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
