There's a common piece of knowledge within the gaming community regarding Bethesda titles - every Bethesda game is at its worst state at launch. Avoiding the 'Bethesda window' refers to waiting for the addition of DLC from Bethesda and community mods that elevate these open-world sandbox games to the next level. We might already have a sneak peek into the upcoming Starfield Shattered Space DLC.
For those who are unfamiliar, Bethesda has announced the first Starfield DLC titled Shattered Space. Historically, Bethesda has always launched around 2-3 DLCs for their games, and Shattered Space will be the first addition to Starfield. So, let's learn what the DLC is, its release date and what we hope to see.
What is the Starfield Shattered Space DLC?
The Starfield Shattered Space DLC is a story expansion for Starfield. It will introduce a new set of missions and another campaign-style adventure. The name "Shattered Space" implies the possibilities of multiversal travel, potentially as a result of all the new game plus loops.
There are many possibilities, such as a new interdimensional threat like the Starborn, visiting the collapse of civilisation on Earth or even a new Terrormorph invasion.
Starfield Shattered Space DLC Release Date and Leaks
The Starfield Shattered Space DLC was officially announced during the Starfield Direct showcase of June 2023. The official release date for the DLC is still uncertain, but if we look at the pattern set by Skyrim's first DLC, it was launched about eight months after the fifth Elder Scrolls game. If Shattered Space follows a similar schedule, an early 2024 release could be expected.
This information was also confirmed in the FTC leaks during the acquisition of Bethesda by Microsoft. There is no price for the DLC confirmed yet, but players who bought the game's pre-order editions can get the DLC for free.
Will Starfield Shattered Space DLC be on Game Pass?
Starfield Shattered Space DLC has yet to be confirmed for Game Pass release. While Starfield was made available to Game Pass players for free at launch thanks to Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda, the same might not be true for the Shattered Space DLC. So far, the only Xbox DLC released on the Game Pass has been for Gears 5. The Fallout 4 DLC was not made available on Game Pass either.
It would be surprising to see the Shattered Space DLC on the Game Pass roster. It would be an unpopular move with the players who pre-ordered the deluxe editions of Starfield. However, Game Pass owners can still use the 10% discount on DLC purchases from the Microsoft Store.
Starfield Shattered Space DLC - What We'd Like to See
As stated earlier, Bethesda games are at their weakest at launch, and the DLCs and expansions significantly improve the overall experience. Here's a list of changes and additions we expect and would like to see.
- More Laser weapons. Seriously, there are only a handful of them in the base game, and Bethesda is definitely aware of this.
- Improved melee combat with two-handed weapons. The melee weapons and their move sets could be better for a futuristic setting.
- More companions. While Starfield features many companions, it'd be great to meet newer faces with fleshed-out characters.
- More romances. While Starfield has romances such as Sarah Morgan, Sam Coe, Andreja and Barrett, these characters are all goody two shoes. Having more choices and diversity in your romance options would be great.
- Quicker leveling progress. XP grinding becomes tiresome later on in Starfield.
- Better options to sort and organize your inventory.
- Improve everything from our list of things players hate in Starfield.
That's all we know about the Starfield Shattered Space DLC so far and what we'd like to see from it. While we wait on new information, learn advanced shipbuilding and check out our tips and tricks.
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