Starfield is considered a crowning achievement for Bethesda and has left many players wondering how long the game was in development. Fans have been left in awe by Starfield‘s mammoth scale and unprecedented levels of exploration. For some, the sci-fi RPG can be considered Bethesda’s magnum opus and a return to form for exclusive Xbox titles. The game was considered a dream project at the studio internally, but how long did it take to get the wheels in motion? Here’s everything we know about how long Starfield was in development.
How Long Was Starfield in Development For?
Starfield officially entered development in 2015, meaning it took eight years to make the game. The concept existed well before then, though. Bethesda Director Todd Howard has previously described the game as the culmination of 25 years of work. From this, we can assume that the idea behind it existed at Bethesda for a considerable length of time. A trademark for the sci-fi RPG was filed in 2013, two years prior to the official development cycle.
The game would later be officially revealed at E3 2018 with a brief teaser. Bethesda began to shift focus towards Starfield that same year and entered full production in the development cycle. Given the substantial leap in console hardware technology, many expected a long wait before they could explore the stars.
Bethesda initially announced a 2022 release date for Starfield. Naturally though, as with many modern titles, there were bumps in the road to contend with. The studio delayed the game by almost a full year in order to iron out bugs and reach the sky-high standards that were expected of the game. Finally, the game was released officially on September 6, 2023. The general consensus is that the space-opera epic was worth the wait and is one of the finest entries in the studios stellar line up of RPGs.
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That’s everything we know about how long Starfield was in development for. You can play the game now on Xbox Series X/S and PC.
