Starfield is going to be at Xbox Gamescom 2023, but not quite in the way we were hoping. The anticipation for Bethesda’s next great RPG is building to a fever pitch, and gamers want to see it in action. With that in mind, we expected to see a playable version of the game at the upcoming Xbox Gamescom 2023. However, according to Microsoft, there will be no playable version of Starfield available. Instead, there will be an unplayable showcase of the game. Bethesda is keeping this one close to the chest and doesn’t want to spoil the surprise. So, we will be waiting a little longer to see what this title has to offer in terms of gameplay.
Starfield Will Be at Xbox Gamescom 2023, but Not in Playable Form
Starfield is Xbox‘s biggest shot to take back some luster from the PS5, but Bethesda isn’t letting us in on how the game feels to play just yet. The presentation at Gamescom 2023 has been revealed to be a theater presentation. With this, we expect to see a lot concerning story elements and exploration of the game world. The space-faring aspects of the game have also been emphasized a good deal, so it’s expected we will see something in that realm as well.
We’ve seen that the gameplay mixes third and first-person shooting with spaceship combat. There is also a heavy emphasis on exploration, but the jury is still out on how these systems work together and what it’s like to control them. Much like No Man’s Sky, you can land on and leave planets without cutscenes or download screens in between, which is a feature we have yet to see in action.
Starfield might not be playable yet, but that isn’t stopping Gamescom 2023 from having additional titles see their first playable states released to the crowd from August 23rd to August 27th. Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, and Payday 3, among 21 other titles, will all be seeing playable game booths. Bethesda has yet to provide a statement as to why Starfield won’t be playable at Xbox Gamescom 2023 and are unlikely to do so, considering the launch is just two weeks after the start of the event.
If you’re chomping at the bit for Starfield like we are, there is a way to gain Early Access to playing it. The download size has been revealed to be 125 GB for both PC and Xbox consoles, so clear some space for this one. Sit tight; we’re just over a month out from playing Bethesda’s next big game.
Starfield releases September 6th for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
Adam Braunstein is a video game writer, VR expert, actor, and all-around gaming enthusiast. His work has appeared on Attack of the Fanboy, Daily Gamer, VR Fitness Insider and The Nerd Stash. He loves games of all genres and exploring the amazing worlds that video games have to offer.