Starfield On Game Pass Standard Is Exactly What Bethesda's RPG Needs Right Now
Starfield has a new platform and it might be just what it needs to get players back on board. Starfield released after a long time of great expectations and anticipation, getting delayed several times for various reasons. When it did release, the hype rose and fell fairly quickly, making it harder for the RPG to stay ahead and get players to keep playing, but its presence on Game Pass Standard may change that.
Starfield is currently just on Xbox, although there are hints that that may change. For the current run of the game, however, it has only been on Xbox and PC. While it had a lot of elements from other Bethesda RPGs, it has had ups and downs, and getting players back into the game has been difficult. Hopefully, with the move to Game Pass Standard, the game might have hit its stride.
Starfield Is Finally On Game Pass Standard
A Move That Will Get More Players
Starfield has been on Game Pass Ultimate from Day 1, but this is the first time it has been available on Game Pass Standard. Game Pass Standard is a little cheaper and more accessible for players who only have an Xbox console. There are four main versions of Game Pass: Ultimate, Standard, Core, and PC.
Core currently doesn’t give players much beyond the ability to play online multiplayer games. It only includes 25 games in the catalog, which doesn’t seem like much. Standard, however, is the one that typically makes the most sense for players who do not also have a PC. It includes most of the game catalog, but it usually misses out on the Day 1 releases, like Starfield.
Starfield On Game Pass Will Bring In A New Audience
A Different Mode Can Get New Players Into The Game
This move to Game Pass Standard is a big deal, as it will pull in those gamers who only have an Xbox and are not willing or able to spend more for Ultimate.Starfield has been unavailable on Game Pass Standard for a year and a half now, and an influx of new players is just what the game needs. It is fairly typical for a game to see a fair number of new players once it gets added to the lower tier.
It is also far enough removed from the initial release that some of the technical problems have been fixed, even if some of the complaints were not addressed. There are also a lot of builds for players to create the ship of their dreams now, making it easier to jump into one of the best parts of the game.
Starfield Being More Widely Available Is Good For DLC
Starborn Will Get Extra Players If More Have Enjoyed The Base Game
While the Shattered Space DLC released to less excitement last year, there is a new DLC on the way that could save Starfield. Starfield has struggled to perform well for a long time, and it was compared, often unfairly, to a lot of other big RPGs that have been released in the past few years, most notably Baldur’s Gate 3. Shattered Space added new content, but it didn’t feel like enough to fill in some of the missing gaps.
However, the Starborn DLC could change that, and with a group of new players to try out the game, they could be among the first to hop into that DLC as well. Starborn has a lot of work to do, but if it manages to make the gameplay feel fresh, the new players could see the game with cleaner eyes, and it could begin to change Starfield’s reputation for the better.
While not much is known about the DLC, as most of what is known is due to leaks at the moment, there is a chance that this could change the game for the better. With any luck, the world will feel less empty, and the narrative choices could become more complex. Having more players overall and having even more who didn’t pay for the base game might mean more people are willing and able to pay for the new DLC as well.
More Players In Starfield Could Reinvigorate The Game
A Fresh Start With More Realistic Expectations
Reinvigorating the game could very well take more than just being added to the lower tier of Game Pass. It will take some work on Bethesda’s part to keep maintaining and updating the game. However, an uptick in players is a good thing for any game, and the combination of factors might give the game the life it needs to keep that support. The game had high expectations to live up to, given the anticipation that predated it. No game could have possibly lived up to what was expected of it, but this could give it a second chance.
New players entering the game with no unreal expectations that can enjoy the game for what it is. It is much easier to give a game a chance when you don’t have to risk anything to play it, and that could lead to a host of players who are having fun, exploring the world, and romancing their companions. While some of the complaints were justified, there is more to the game than some players likely remember. New players may be much more open to what the game was, and enjoy some of the beautiful vistas in space.
And that renewed interest might allow the game to receive more support, and more DLC like Starborn. Starfield had a lot of potential, and trying out a brand new IP for the first time in years was a bold move on the developer’s part. It would be a shame if that unique IP was lost to time because the launch didn’t go very well. The past has proven that a bad launch isn’t necessarily the death of a game, as many of them have become well-regarded cult classics in their own right.
With a fair amount of time having passed since the launch and a group of new players, this could put Starfield on the road to becoming one of those games. While it may not be guaranteed, and it may not happen right away, there is every chance that it could happen. Either way, opening up Starfield to a new audience by putting it on Game Pass Standard is a good start to reinvigorating the game.
