Starfield side-by-side comparison proves the delay was worth it
A side-by-side comparison of Starfield in 2022 and 2023 shows what Bethesda has been doing with the game since it was delayed.
14th Jun 2023 11:28
343 Industries | Bethesda
Starfield side-by-side comparison proves the delay was worth it
A side-by-side comparison of Starfield in 2022 and 2023 shows what Bethesda has been doing with the game since it was delayed.
14th Jun 2023 11:28
343 Industries | Bethesda
We're reaching for the stars with Bethesda's Starfield, and hoping to prove it's more than just Skyrim in space, the sci-fi epic is trying to push the boundaries of new-gen gaming. While we heard that before with Cyberpunk 2077 and were left disappointed, Starfield looks pretty glossy.
Although Starfield was originally blasting off for a 2022 release, it was pushed back to this year alongside Arkane's Redfall. Looking at how that vampiric romp 'sucked' and ended up looking like a sparsely-populated wasteland, there were worries that Starfield would be the same. But, fear not.
Starfield is looking pretty good right now
The results of a 12 month delay.
by u/ThinWhiteDuke00 in Starfield
Despite complaints that Starfield will be locked to 30 FPS on Xbox, a side-by-side comparison shows what Bethesda has been tinkering with under the hood. Even though Microsoft has something of a questionable history with graphics, thanks to Craig the Brute, we're hoping Starfield can dodge the curse.
Over on Reddit, u/ThinWhiteDuke00 shared a screenshot from last year's Starfield reveal and this year's Xbox Games Showcase that gave us a deep dive into the spacefaring adventure. The first is a generic astronaut shot, while the second looks like Red Dead Redemption 2 in space - showing a well-populated town.
Others were blown away by the differences, noting there's been more than just graphical improvements, this spruced-up Starfield feels more alive than ever. In particular, they called out the improvements to New Atlantis, which Bethesda has told us is the biggest city it's ever built. Take that, Skyrim.
One supporter cheered, "As much as I hated the delay at the time, I admit that it was 100% worth it. Looks much better than before," while another added, "Been burnt so many times on games this year, very glad they decided to delay rather than move forward and release an unfinished game."
A third asked, "Imagine if CDPR bit the bullet and delayed Cyberpunk for the same amount of time," others praised improved gunplay alongside NPC reactions, and a fourth concluded, "They even fixed the Constellation members' faces!! No more big goofy googly eyes."
Phil Spencer delayed Starfield
Despite the Starfield delay being called out at the time and its subsequent delay into September being equally frustrating, it's clear this is only for the best. We often see a game rushed for release just so it can hit a deadline - we're looking at you, Redfall.
Interestingly, it was Xbox boss Phil Spencer that pumped the brakes on Starfield. Speaking during a Giant Bomb livestream, Spencer confirmed Starfield was aiming for a much earlier release until Microsoft bought Bethesda parent company ZeniMax. Spencer was among those who delayed it until 2022, and then, even later.
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.
