Starfield has been played by over 17 million players since its September 2023 launch on Windows PC and Xbox Series X, with a PlayStation 5 port released in April 2026 [1, 2]. Players have logged nearly a billion hours across all platforms, underscoring its dedicated fan base despite mixed critical reception and sales below Bethesda's Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchises [3, 1, 2, 4].
Bethesda confirmed Starfield "remains an important part of our future" and revealed plans to expand the game's Settled Systems region with new stories, gameplay improvements, and updates as the title enters its third year of post-launch support [3, 1, 2, 5, 4]. Todd Howard said, "With over 17 million players logging almost a billion hours to date, Starfield remains an important part of our future. As we enter Year 3, we'll continue expanding the Settled Systems with new stories, targeted gameplay improvements, and additional updates, while preparing for the launch of new Starborn content next year" [2].
Bethesda is preparing new "Starborn" content, expected to launch sometime in 2027 [3, 1, 2, 5, 4]. The company also noted that more than 40% of players customize their experience using the Starfield Creations modding system and will continue to support modders, saying they will "continue investing in creators and giving players new ways to make Starfield their own" [3, 1, 2, 4].
The studio has faced recent layoffs as part of Microsoft's Xbox gaming division restructuring, which affected Bethesda staff but reportedly did not impact development of The Elder Scrolls 6 [3, 1, 2]. Meanwhile, Bethesda is also in pre-production on Fallout 5 and has announced remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas alongside new Fallout titles [1, 4].
Starfield first launched on September 6, 2023, followed by a PlayStation 5 version in April 2026. The planned Starborn content release in 2027 marks the next major expansion for the game [1, 2, 3].
