"Fallout" on Amazon Prime Video has no sooner stolen the hearts and minds of gamers writ large, wrangling a 93 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes and proving once more that video games can find fame on the silver screen. The nuclear-wasteland-set franchise, which first launched in 1997, has been bedridden following the release of 2018's Fallout 76. 

Reemerging in the form of a TV series (like a vault dweller opening the gates unto the wasteland for the first time), "Fallout's" exciting debut made me long for a trip back to its most enticing iteration yet — an experience now a decade removed from its last entry and nearly 15 years old at the time of writing.

As my first foray with the franchise, "Fallout 3" opened my eyes to a world that clung to its own weird identity. The game marked its first-ever 3D structure, replacing the age-old 2D graphics and turn-based combat with real-time action that was punctuated with a so-called VAAT system, making everything from shooting an AK to throwing a grenade that much simpler.

But beyond its reinvented gameplay and looks, "Fallout 3" stuck out due in large part to an endearing story that saw players traversing the apocalyptic wasteland of Washington DC in search of their father, aptly voiced by Liam Neeson. Along the way, you're welcomed into this hell hole with a laundry list of characters and places that still hold up to this day, giving "Fallout" its original nature. 

Despite its age, there's no better time to relive the magic of this incredible "Fallout" entry, one that today is far too often forgotten in the face of modern experiences across the franchise. It's high time for a return trip back to the Capital Wasteland. 

A lonely road...

"Fallout 3" brings to life a world torn apart and ripped asunder that was the literal capital of America. A place that once stood for freedom and democracy over 200 years prior to the story told in "Fallout 3" now stands in refuse, with structures of political and historical importance sliding into mangled ruins. 

Though steeped in its grey and dark hue, "Fallout 3" still looks incredible 15 years strong following its release. Maybe that's just the nostalgia talking, but it's hard not to fall in love once more with its eerie backdrop, one that sees such an interesting blend of character in its myriad towns and landscapes. 

Case in point being the dilapidated aircraft carrier-turned post-apocalyptic settlement of Rivet City, which literally hums in its own rocking movement as the ship's metal screams with centuries of rust and decay. There's also the delightful first stop for all wary "Fallout 3" travelers in Megaton, a small shanty town that feels as if it's held together by glue (and precariously lives with a nuclear bomb at its center). 

Bringing to life these unforgettable places is a score led by long-time Fallout composer Inon Zur, who gifted this world a pseudo-peaceful ambiance with mystic undertones mixed with light horrific notes. The music itself has character all its own, uplifting your time within this world with a tinge of hope as you barrel down the lonely road in search of your next adventure. 

"Fallout 3" is such a prized jewel in this regard. It's OST doesn't necessarily stick out as an immediate winner, but years later I've come to find a strange sensation in how it leaves me wanting more. The music makes me want to continue — not merely out of playing's sake but to see the world right again, despite its lost nature. 

It's these moments where it's just you and the music floating through the experience wherein "Fallout 3" really comes to life. You're left enraptured not just by its tantalizing and unforgettable places, but how the music evokes this incredible feeling within them that's almost a blend of loss and a bit of hope. 

...Fueled by the zany

But it wouldn't be a "Fallout" game without its wacky and violent nature. The aforementioned Megaton is of major note here, proving to be a stepping stone for the player in their moral quest through the game. The town stands there as a beacon, a question of right and wrong: do you prime the nuclear bomb at its center and kill hundreds (if not thousands) of people? Or, do you fix it so that it never goes off and keep the evil at bay?

For a 15-year-old kid, this premise was quite alarming, to say the least. Of course, everyone has to try blowing up Megaton at least once in a playthrough — if only to see the magnificence of a nuclear detonation set on the backdrop of an already desolate plane. But this very type of quest and moral ponderance is exactly what "Fallout" is all about, and it's one of the few missions across gaming that has stuck with me time immemorial. 

And it's not alone. Look no further than the Paradise Falls location, which houses a group of seedy slave traders. Wanna join up and enslave the Capital Wasteland? If that's your prerogative, "Fallout 3" lets you do that. The game isn't afraid to make you truly feel something, and more often than not you will be left in quite the emotional rut. 

"Fallout 3" also isn't without its incredible combat encounters. I doubt few will ever forget their first nail-biting run-in with a Deathclaw, a towering draconic-looking creature that moves in swift fashion. An armory of guns at your disposal thanks to the Pip-Boy on your wrist more often than not proves of little help against these terrifying beasts. 

A mini nuke to the face, though, will do. 

A modernized wasteland experience 

"Fallout 3" is definitely in need of a return to form. You can always dive into "Fallout 4" and now "Fallout 76" is free via Amazon Prime, so I wouldn't miss out on that deal. But both experiences are just not the same. "Fallout 3" has such a rich and hilariously different world, one ripe for exploration. It's hard not to fall in love with the Capital Wasteland and all its forgotten, delipidated splendor. 

It's sad to me that "Fallout 3" never got a retouching in the same style as "Skyrim" over the past several years. Sure, the experience can now be played alongside the rest of the "Fallout" franchise on Game Pass, with Xbox Series X/S players capable of hitting 4K/60fps. But, it's just not the same — especially since my first experience of "Fallout 3" was on the PS3. 

Playing of late on Sony's 2006-based hardware has most definitely been a chore, but worth its highs and lows in returning to my youth, wherein I spent hours upon hours scouring this wasteland. And now, it merely feels like I'm back home again circa 2008 feeling the wonders of a land crushed by its own violent nature.

Well...war never changes after all.

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• 'Fallout' TV show copying Netflix could be a big mistake for Prime Video
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My former colleague Roland Moore-Colyer likes Bethesda’s latest title a fair bit more than me, and I get where he’s coming from… to an extent. In his excellent Starfield review, my old boss described Bethesda’s sweeping sci-fi adventure as “the apex of Bethesda’s open-world games and a killer Xbox Series X and PC game, giving players a slice of galaxy to explore, exploit, raid and wander for ages.”

Before I go to town dunking on the biggest Xbox exclusive of the year, let me make a few things clear. First off, as you can see from the paragraph above, this is in no way Tom's Guide's official Starfield review, merely my own personal take on the time I've spent with the game. I'm also in no way either a Bethesda or Xbox 'hater'. I adored Skyrim and I literally used to pay the bills working for the UK's (sadly defunct) Official Xbox Magazine. 

So with that cleared up, let's get back to it. I think Starfield is a perfectly okay game. Albeit with a heavy emphasis on the ‘okay.' It’s the video game equivalent of a big dollop of intergalactic vanilla ice cream. Translation: it’s utterly unobjectionable. But who the hell goes for vanilla when you can have raspberry ripple?

Fundamentally, I don’t overly disagree with any of the points Roland makes in that statement. I think the scope of the game is certainly admirable, and there’s no denying the Xbox ecosystem needed such a big hitter when PS5 has been slaying it with exclusives like Horizon Forbidden West, Returnal, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and the recently released Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. 

I’m not sure the “wander for ages” is all that much of a selling point in my book, though. I’ve probably clocked up around a dozen hours in Starfield at this point, and there’s definitely been a whole lot of wandering. Trouble is, I’ve found it to be largely aimless. And most of it has involved ambling around procedurally generated planets that look roughly as interesting as gigantic bowls of celery soup.

I’ve killed some big space bugs that look like they’ve come straight from the set of Starship Troopers, I’ve merced a bunch of space pirates during surprisingly decent firefights and I’ve… ugh, jumped around a big city that I can’t remember the name of a lot purely because the jetpack is a hoot to use.

Lost in space

But my two abiding Starfield memories don’t paint the action-RPG in a flattering light. The first is that truly awful opening. When a game promises you literally thousands of planets to explore, then forces you to play the role of a sci-fi miner as you potter around a dreary network of caves, something has gone awry.

In a parallel universe, it would be like the movie equivalent of Spielberg deciding to open Raiders of the Lost Ark not with that incredible setpiece full of spike traps, spiders and that boulder, but with Indy meticulously going over his students’ archaeology homework.

Compared to Skyrim’s electrifying “Am I about to get my head chopped off? Oh no wait, here’s a dragon to save the day by burning my enemies alive," it’s a stinker of an opener. Add in the fact those caves look so horribly washed out due to Starfield’s questionable HDR implementation, and it’s like the game actively goes out of its way to make the worst first impression it possibly can.

My other lasting memory from Starfield? Painfully fiddling about with the camera in tiny increments so I could look at juuuust the right gap of a glass exhibit that, if you get the finicky technique right, means you can nab the excellent Mark 1 Spacesuit from the Lodge in New Atlantis without any lockpicking skills. As memorable moments go, it ain’t exactly up there with BioShock’s “would you kindly…” monocle-dropping twist.

So yeah, Starfield is a bit dull and its opening hours have caused me to bounce off it hard. And I’m not the only one. A cursory overview of some Steam Charts stats don’t paint a pretty picture for the game’s long-term player base going forward. Certainly not on PC, at least.

At time of writing, Starfield’s concurrent peak number of players over the last 24 hours is 47,455. It’s all time peak — and bear in mind the game has only been out for a little over a month at this point — is 330,597. That’s quite the drop off.

Delving deeper into the numbers, the peak number of players over the last 30 days is 187,094, which represents almost a 50% decrease in the amount of players diving into Starfield on Steam on a daily basis compared to nearer its launch window.

Running out of Steam

To put those already daming figures into a wider context, over the same period, Cyberpunk 2077’s peak number of daily players hit 273,990 — no doubt thanks to its excellent Phantom Liberty DLC. While recent RPG smash Baldur’s Gate 3 can boast a whopping high of 389,351 peak players during the last month.

It might be a slight overstatement to say Starfield’s Steam community is sinking like a certain ship after it got too intimate with a giant block of ice. Yet the numbers paint a picture of alarming decline considering this is still a new game, and certainly the most high-profile one of the year.

Can Starfield bounce back and find a new lease of life through canny tweaks and generous expansions ala No Man’s Sky? Absolutely. For a game that rode the hype train quite like any other in recent memory, I hope Bethesda keeps supporting its cosmic quest with new content to keep those previously highlighted numbers from truly dropping off a cliff.

My slight concern is the megaton studio’s attention will now almost entirely shift to The Elder Scrolls 6, leaving less room for Bethesda to focus on feeding Starfield the fresh content it will need to keep players wriggling on its space hook as time passes.

It’s somewhat reassuring that the developer is working on at least one major expansion (called Shattered Space), but it’s unclear when this piece of DLC will launch.

If my faltering Starfield attention span (alongside those concerning Steam stats) are anything to go by, I worry many interstellar explorers will have ventured onto pastures new by the time it comes out, never to return.

More from Tom's Guide

• Starfield review: The Xbox strikes back
• Starfield on the world's best OLED TV looks incredible — you need to see this
• How to use Starfield photo mode to snap space shots

Selling contraband in Starfield isn’t a friction-free process. Contraband in Starfield can come under many guises, but at heart, what you’re dealing with are illegal intergalactic items. 

From stolen space artwork, harvested organs or special types of chemicals, the various authorities in Bethesda’s colossal galaxy basically don’t want you turning a fast buck on them. 

Thankfully, finding contraband items in Starfield is a relatively straightforward process. You'll usually always find some contraband on ships from the Crimson Fleet or Spacers. Likewise, you can find it easily by landing on a planet, bringing out your scanner to search for the nearest base or research facility, where you'll often find and be able to plunder their naughty contraband. And when we say ‘plunder’, we mean ‘shoot a bunch of space pirates / mercenaries, then loot their corpses to obtain said wares'.

Once you’ve claimed possession of Starfield contraband, it’s then a case of finding places to hock your illegal goodies. Most stores / sales folk want nothing to do with contraband items, but thankfully Trade Authority vendors have no such qualms about buying your naughtily obtained goods. 

Below, we’ll walk you through the process of how to find and sell Starfield contraband if you’re just starting out in the biggest Xbox Series X game of the year. With our easy-to-follow steps, you’ll be looting and profiting from Starfield contraband in no time at all. 

Please note: The following guide assumes you are playing Starfield with a gamepad, so these steps show Xbox controller buttons, rather than keyboard inputs.

How to find and sell Starfield contraband  

1. Find contraband in bases and research facilities 
2. Go through your inventory to check for contraband
3. If you’re just starting out, travel to Jemison 
4. Head for the city of New Atlantis 
5. Find the Trade Authority office
6. Start selling your illegal wares   

Read on to see full illustrated instructions for each step.   

And that’s it! You can now pawn off your ill-gotten gains and make a tidy profit. In need of more Starfield guidance? Then check out how to use Starfield photo mode, get up to speed on how to increase carry weight in Starfield and make sure you know how to upgrade your ship in Starfield.  

If you're scratching your head wondering how to change ship in Starfield, don't worry, we've been there too. It's not as straightforward as it sounds.

There are a few ways to switch ships in Starfield. There's the most obvious, which is simply to dock with and board another ship — usually in an act of piracy — and then sit in the pilot seat. You'll then have changed ships, as you can fly this ship away.

However, this method only works one way. To be able to add a ship to your roster permanently so you can switch to it as you like, you have to make the new ship your Home Ship, which automatically dispatches the ship you were previously flying back into storage. You can't then switch between the two in space. If you sit in a pilot seat of a new ship and then re-board your old ship and fly away without making the new ship your Home Ship, the new ship will be lost, as it won't add to your roster. Unfortunately, you can't tow in Starfield either to simply drag the new ship along with you and board to switch as you please.

To switch between ships properly, you need to visit a ship services technician at a space port, or visit one of your outposts. When you do this, you can switch between ships as you like. We'll show you how to do it below, using the space port method, as this is open to you as soon as you complete the tutorial, via the New Atlantis ship services technician.

Here's how to change ship in Starfield.

How to change ship in Starfield

Before we get started, you'll need to land at a space port or space station (which has a space port) and talk to the ship services technician. In this example, we're using the ship services technician at The Key. The dialog you see may be slightly different between space ports, but should be relatively similar.

After some more Starfield tutorials? We can also show you how to sell ships in Starfield, so you can make a little (no, seriously, not very much) money. We can also teach you how to upgrade your ship in Starfield, to make it a more formidable battleship or a better cargo hauler. And we can walk you through how to increase your carry weight in Starfield, so you can fill up your inventory with more extravagant loot. Fancy being annoyed? Learn how to get the Adoring Fan in Starfield.

Wondering how to sell a ship in Starfield? That's understandable. One of the best things about Bethesda's latest epic RPG is the ability to indulge in a little piracy, roaming space for ships to fight, commandeer and sell.

What's also understandable is that you might not have figured out how to sell ships yet. Starfield is a big game, and part of the point is it leaves you to your own devices. As such, many mechanics go unexplained by the game itself, ship selling being one of them.

What complicates things further is that selling ships isn't as straightforward as selling average loot. Part of what can stump new players is that to sell a ship, a couple of hoops need jumping through first: that ship much be registered before it can be sold, and it must be deselected as a player's Home Ship.

I'll quickly explain both of those things here so you have a little theory behind the practice. Registering ships is annoying, but must be done before sale. Ostensibly, this has no real purpose aside from balancing — registering a ship will cost just under what you'll get selling the ship (usually a few thousand credits), thereby stopping the player seriously profiteering from piracy. This sucks, as that's the whole point of piracy, and only making a measly few thousand even when you sell massive ships kinda nerfs the enjoyment and reward to be had from the pirate life. Bethesda instead want you to enjoy being a pirate by playing the Crimson Fleet missions, which are pretty tame and aren't very profitable. Boo Bethesda.

A quick word of caution on registering ships: you need to have enough credits to register a ship, otherwise you can't register and can't sell it. You'll need around 85% of the sale value of the ship.

The Home Ship mechanic is there to stop you becoming shipless, as you need a ship in Starfield. Subsequently, you cannot sell your Home Ship. When you take a new ship, it'll automatically become your Home Ship, meaning you can't sell it, so you'll need to deselect it as Home Ship first if that's the one you want to offload. We'll walk you through it all here.

Ready? Here's how to sell a ship in Starfield.

How to sell a ship in Starfield

To sell a ship, you'll need to land in a spaceport or dock to a space station that has a Ship Technician. New Atlantis will work, which you have access to straight away as part of the tutorial. Here, we're demonstrating at The Key.

We'll start by covering how to register a ship, then deselect it as your home ship, before moving onto selling it.

See, not difficult, but not exactly straightforward if you didn't know what you were doing. For more Starfield guides, check out how to modify your weapons in Starfield, how to upgrade and customize your ship in Starfield and how to increase your carry weight in Starfield.

Next: By Vectera, by Vectera, by Vectera... here's how to get the Adoring Fan in Starfield

The Federal Trade Commission vs. Microsoft case has been a gold mine of leaks this week. Yesterday we learned Microsoft targeted a 2028 launch window for a successor to the Xbox Series X and Series S. The latest leak reveals a number of unannounced Bethesda games, including remasters of Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. 

The documents, apparently accidentally published as part of the FTC's ongoing legal challenge of Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard, include a management forecast from Zenimax, Bethesda's parent company, put together in July 2020 ahead of its purchase by Microsoft for $7.5 billion in March 2021. Obviously, given when the chart was drafted, some of the release windows are out of date. Nonetheless, it gives us a clear picture of Bethesda's planned release schedule through the fiscal year of 2024 (at least as of three years ago).

You can find the full list here. Some of the highlights include: 

• An Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remaster, originally listed for fiscal year 2022, but has obviously been delayed since
• A game based on the Indian Jones IP, also originally targeting a fiscal year 2022 release
• Doom Year Zero in fiscal year 2023, with DLC planned for fiscal year 2024
• A Fallout 3 remaster in fiscal year 2024
• Ghostwire: Tokyo 2 in fiscal year 2024
• Dishonored 3 in fiscal year 2024
• The Elder Scrolls VI in fiscal year 2024

Some of these timelines have almost definitely shifted. For example, Starfield, Bethesda's highly anticipated RPG set in outer space, is listed for a FY2021 release, with DLC planned for FY2022. But after development faced several delays, we only just got our hands on Starfield earlier this month. Release windows for DLC expansions remain up in the air. 

Though it wasn't the plan Bethesda had in mind, Starfield's release couldn't have come at a better time. With the disastrous launch of Xbox's other big exclusive this year, Redfall, Xbox desperately needed a hit with Starfield to keep its consoles competitive with the PlayStation 5. In our Starfield review, we hailed it as “one of the biggest Xbox series X games of the year if not the generation.”

Even though the document is over three years old at this point, the reveal of upcoming projects like Oblivion and Fallout 3 remasters and Dishonored 3 is still a big deal, as neither game had been confirmed to be in the works. And while I'm a fan of both and excited to see them brought to current console generations (or future ones, given Bethesda's history of delays), I can't help but think the schedule seems a bit light. Especially in the wake of Starfield. No doubt Bethesda's betting on the kind of long-term success it saw with Skyrim to keep the hype afloat. 

The three unnamed projects included in the chart could be promising, but the fact that production is in such early stages that they remain untitled likely means we have a while to wait. Some of these games will no doubt materialize eventually; it's just a matter of when. 

More from Tom's Guide

• Steam Deck has stopped me obsessing over frame rates
• Forget Steam Deck: I’ve been playing Starfield on this Android handheld
• 3 reasons why I picked the Xbox Series S over other next-gen consoles

If you go in with low expectations, you’ll never be disappointed, right? That was my thinking when approaching Starfield on Steam Deck. The year's biggest Xbox Series X title and potentially one of the best PC games we’ll see in quite some time isn’t the sort of project that was designed with Valve’s handheld in mind.

Recently, I’ve grown to massively appreciate the handheld PC after being an elitist ignoramus who still owes every Steam Deck owner a massive apology. With that said, I’m still keenly aware of its limitations. 

This is a piece of portable hardware that was designed to make indie darlings sing. Serve Steam Deck the likes of Disco Elysium: The Final Cut, Dead Cells or kitty-centric sensation Stray, and you’re going to have a blast. 

Starfield, on the other hand, is exactly the sort of game the Deck wasn’t built for. With thousands of sprawling procedurally-generated planets, this is a space saga painted on the broadest of canvases.

With its relatively meager AMD APU — which consists of a Zen 2 CPU and a GPU that runs on 8 RNDA compute units — it clearly can’t match the power of the best gaming laptops.

From a purely technical perspective, Starfield vs Steam Deck looks to be about as fair a match up as pitting Little Bo Peep against King Kong over 12 rounds. And yet, it’s actually not quite the technical horror show I was expecting.

Stacking the Deck

Don’t get me wrong, Starfield on Steam Deck is definitely playable but it isn’t going to blow your space socks off. You're also going to have to drop literally every graphical preset to low (and I really do mean every single one). You also have to enable AMD’s subpar FSR2 upscaling technique to have any chance of locking down a consistent 30 fps at native 720p resolution. 

If you can stomach a whole lot of visual cutbacks, though, the game often hovers between 24-30 fps. Not great, but again, 'playable'. Of course, when heated battles break out, performance can tank into the teens. 

At time of writing, Starfield has only been out a matter of days, so there’s every chance Bethesda Softworks could implement future patches to boost performance. Steam Deck’s tirelessly committed community will also no doubt come up with clever mods and tweaks to improve the experience of playing this epic sci-fi RPG on Valve’s handheld hit. 

Right now, both Bethesda and the modding community have work to do across the board. Playing Starfield on Steam Deck shines a light on its biggest visual flaw, and it’s a problem that plagues both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S versions, too. 

Brighten up

Regardless of whether you’re playing on Xbox, one of the best gaming PCs or Steam Deck, Starfield has a serious HDR problem. The game’s high dynamic range features currently appear to be borked on Microsoft’s consoles, while there’s no native HDR support for the PC version at all. 

Sure, you can find out how to turn on Windows 11 Auto HDR, but on my high-end gaming rig, the game constantly looks washed out in darkened areas on my Alienware AW3423DWF QD-OLED gaming monitor. 

The only way I could make contrast performance look semi correct to my obsessive eyes was by going into the Game Optimizer on my LG C2 OLED TV and turning the Black Stabiliser all the way down from its default setting of 10 to a big fat zero. Hardly an ideal or elegant solution to fixing a visual flaw that should have been addressed before the vast space adventure was released.  

In this respect, Starfield on Steam Deck is doubly screwed. Not only does its 7-inch LED screen pale in comparison to the best OLED displays when it comes to generating convincing black levels, but the poor little handheld isn’t helped by a baffling in-game omission on Bethesda's part. Drum roll, please…

Starfield currently has no in-game brightness slider. And no, that’s not a typo. At time of writing, there’s no way to manually tweak how bright or dark you want Starfield’s image to look from the game’s menus. As I said, a truly head-spinning omission. 

Bethesda has at least admitted there’s an issue with Starfield’s HDR output / general color gamut issues, with its support team tweeting the following statement (thanks, Pure Xbox):  

In the meantime, we just hope Starfield’s current performance problems on Deck and general HDR issues across all platforms can be addressed post-haste. If you’re playing on PC, mods like this are trying to fix the game’s washed out image issues.

Until Bethesda confronts these technical hiccups head-on, though, I fear Starfield isn’t going to shine quite as brightly as it should; be it on Steam Deck or Xbox Series X. 

More from Tom's Guide

• Starfield on the world's best OLED TV looks incredible — you need to see this
• These are my favorite non Steam Deck Verified games 
• How to use Starfield photo mode to snap space shots

Want to use Starfield photo mode but find yourself perplexed about how to enable the snap-happy feature? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Starfield is inarguably the biggest exclusive game to come to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S in years, and as you explore its thousands of procedurally generated planets, you’ll undoubtedly want to document your adventures via virtual photos.

Initially, the process of actually getting photo mode to work in Starfield seems needlessly complicated. Though it appears in the pause menu right from the beginning of Bethesda’s epic sci-fi quest, it’s grayed out by default.

Before you can start taking proper pics in Starfield, you’ll first need to play through the opening ten or so minutes of the open-world RPG until the feature opens up. 

There are actually two ways to initiate Starfield’s photo mode. Though the one that first pops up is a little more tricky to use than the second option that soon becomes available after you enter your hero’s spaceship and blast off from the game’s initial mining colony. 

Below, we’ll guide you through the steps needed on how to enable photo mode in Starfield to ensure you’ll be an alien-snapping expert in no time at all. 

Please note: The following guide assumes you are playing Starfield with a gamepad, and so certain steps show Xbox controller buttons, rather than keyboard inputs.  

How to use Starfield photo mode 

1. Complete the opening mine section until you reach 'the Artifact'
2. Once you awaken, press the Menu button, then the View button
3. Navigate to the ‘Photo Mode’ option, then enter it to start snapping
4. Leave Vectera and travel to Kreet to unlock the scanner 
5. Once unlocked, press LB then click RS to open photo mode
6. Go to the pause menu and select ‘Photo Gallery’ to view your pics    

Read on to see full illustrated instructions for each step.   

Congratulations! You now know how to use Starfield photo mode, and are officially an intergalactic Ansel Adams. Starfield is easily the best looking title Bethesda Game Studios has ever made, so make sure you regularly use photo mode to document the incredible sci-fi adventures that lie ahead.  

Looking for more Starfield assistance? Learn how to modify weapons in Starfield, read up on how to get the Adoring Fan in Starfield, get the skinny on how to upgrade your ship in Starfield and don’t forget to check out how to increase carry weight in Starfield. 

During your adventures in the Starfield universe, you’ll collect a lot of items, from weapons to crafting material, within just minutes of starting your adventure your pockets will already be overflowing with loot. That’s why knowing how to increase carry weight in Starfield is so important. 

Your starting stats might be enough to get you through the tutorial portion and a couple of early missions, but it won’t be long before you see the dreaded warning that you’ve maxed out your carry weight and are now over-encumbered. This doesn’t just prevent you from picking up more stuff, it also dramatically shortens how long you can sprint for as well as disables your ability to fast travel. 

You could regularly return to your ship to deposit items, or sell your unwanted junk to a local vendor, but these are only half measures, and eventually, you’re going to want to carry more than your initial limit allows. Fortunately, we’ve got the answer you need, so let’s dive into our step-by-step guide on how to increase carry weight in Starfield. Just bear in mind, that to boost your carry weight, you will need a skill point which is awarded after leveling up. 

1. Open main menu 
2. Select the skills menu 
3. Navigate to Physical skills 
4. Select the Weight Lifting ability 
5. Spend skill point

Read on to see detailed instructions for each step.

And that's all you need in order to increase your carry weight in Starfield. Just remember that you'll need a skill point to boost your character's strength, and you can further level up the Weight Lifting ability by completing challenges in order to increase your carry weight even further. However, if you don't have an available skill point to hand, storing excess items on your ship or in a storage container in an owned house is a suitable alternative. Just be sure to remember what you left where. 

Next up: check out our guide on how to upgrade your ship in Starfield.

In Starfield, your ship functions as both your home base and your ticket to visiting the galaxy’s many star systems and planets, so you’ll definitely need to know how to upgrade your ship before you get too far into your intergalactic adventure.

From the jump, you’ll be the recipient of your first ship, the Frontier, and while it’s a surprisingly solid craft, you might find that in space skirmish against pirates and raiders, your starter weapons and shield generator just aren’t getting the job done. Fortunately, getting some initial upgrades is extremely straightforward, but it will cost you some credits.

As you progress further you’ll eventually unlock new ships by completing certain missions, and you might even save up enough creds to buy that massive freighter of your dreams. However, if you want to give your starter ship a boost as you take your first few steps in this massive new world from Bethesda, we’re here to help. So, here’s how to upgrade your ship in Starfield. 

1. Travel to New Atlantis 
2. Speak to the Ship Service Technician 
3. Select upgrades for your ship
4. Purchase your upgrades 

Read on to see detailed instructions for each step.

And that's how you can upgrade your ship when starting out in Starfield. You'll definitely need quite a large amount of in-game currency if you want to purchase the most powerful upgrades, but credits aren't too hard to come by so long as you're regularly selling your surplus weapons, armor and items to vendors. You'll also be rewarded with credits for completing most missions and taking on bounty quests.  

I’m not normally a jealous type but the news that people are playing Starfield early has definitely given my envious synapse a twinge. 

This news popped up as Starfield was seen by Reddit user cyberRakan in the ‘Popular with friends’ segment of Xbox. Who are those lucky few? Well, it turns out that it's Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer and Pete Hines, senior vice president at Bethesda Softworks, not regular Joes like you or I. 

It’s not a huge assumption that two very senior people in the world of Xbox have access to Starfield. But what’s notable here is the game must be in a rather playable state given it’s in front of executives. 

This is to be expected as Starfield is now only several weeks away from launching, with September 6 set as its release date. And as Spencer and Hines are playing it, it looks almost certain that the release date won’t slip. Starfield missed its original launch date of November 11, 2022. 

I hope the experience Spencer and Hines are having is also top-notch, as big open-world Bethesda games have a reputation for launching with a host of bugs. With Microsoft’s support, I’m crossing my fingers and toes that Starfield will have less technical quirks than Skyrim did at launch. 

How to get early access to Starfield  

If you want early access to Starfield you can get it. It won’t be as early as Spencer and Hines’ access, but if you pre-order the Digital Premium Edition of Starfield you can play the sci-fi game up to five days ahead of its launch. 

Added to that, the edition will offer access to digital extras, like a soundtrack and art book, and bundles in the first story expansion for Starifeld dubbed “Shattered Space” when it gets released at an as yet undisclosed date. 

People who want even more Starfield can opt for the pricey Constellation Edition, which also throws in a form of smartwatch and extra in-game items. To track one down, check out our guide on how to pre-order Starfield Constellation Edition. 

More from Tom's Guide

• Excited for Starfield? You need to watch Prospect tonight
• Exclusive: No Man’s Sky developer shares how they brought it to macOS
• Forget Starfield — Star Wars: Outlaws could be the proper Han Solo simulator

GPU giant AMD has announced a new partnership with Bethesda that will see Starfield optimized on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and gaming PCs.

While the hardware optimizations from AMD sound promising, the deal could have gamers with Nvidia GPUs sweating over whether they'll be getting the best Starfield experience possible. 

Speaking in a new Starfield video, Jack Huynh, SVP and GM for Computing and Graphics at AMD revealed the upcoming space epic would take advantage of both Ryzen 7000 series processors and Radeon 7000 series graphics.

“These optimizations both accelerate performance and enhance the quality of your gameplay using highly multi-threaded code that both Xbox and PC players will get to take advantage of”, says Huynh. “The partnership with Bethesda and AMD will create a transformational experience with more immersion, more detail, and more exploration.”

In the same video, Starfield’s game director, the legendary Todd Howard added: “We’ve built all new technology for it with Creation Engine 2, and working with AMD on that to make it look great and run great has been really, really special.”

“We have AMD engineers in our code base working on FSR image processing and upscaling and it looks incredible,” continued Howard. “You’re going to get the benefits of that obviously on your PC, but also on Xbox.”  

 Playing the (Star)field  

Specifically, Starfield will use AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution 2.0 technology to improve the colossal sci-fi RPG’s performance. Many recent big hitters have taken advantage of FSR 2 temporal upscaling tech, like Call of Duty Warzone, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Forspoken, and Cyberpunk 2077.

All of the above sounds like great news for players intending to play Starfield on either Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S or one of the best gaming PCs with an AMD GPU. 

But what about Starfield fans with Nvidia GPUs? 

 Analysis: Nvidia gamers are angry

Predictably, Nvidia fans are pretty annoyed at this potentially divisive Starfield deal. At time of writing, AMD’s official YouTube channel  has nearly 1,700 comments, and many of those from Team Green fans who are concerned their GPUs will miss out on key graphical features. 

Users like @polarbear359 “hope Bethesda can still add support for NVidia technologies too even if they can't get outside help with that.” @SLAYERXUK adds “I use DLSS, hope this works out though. Would be a shame for the game to suffer because of a “Deal.” While @silverbison feels strongly that “Modern PC games should support all available upscaling technologies. DLSS 2/DLSS 3 and XeSS must be supported as well!”

As someone with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090, I get these concerns. DLSS 3 is a feature I love, and Nvidia’s fps-boosting tech is an absolute game-changer in the PC versions of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Remastered and its Miles Morales spin-off. If Starfield misses out on DLSS upscaling because of AMD’s deal with Bethesda, I’ll be pretty cheesed off.

Without knowing the precise ins and outs of the partnership, it’s impossible to know at this stage whether Starfield will get Nvidia-friendly features in the future.

The good thing is, there are plenty of games that support both DLSS and FSR – think the recent Dead Space remake, Need for Speed Unbound and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. So hopefully there shouldn’t be any technical reasons that should stop DLSS from coming to Starfield eventually.

Considering Bethesda is working so closely with Nvidia’s main rival, with so many AMD techniques being baked into the game’s code, it’s obviously a concern that Starfield may not be quite as well optimized on Team Green graphics cards.

Bethesda has a history of launching its games in rough shape — the PS3 version of Skyrim says hi — and there’s already controversy about Starfield only running at 30 fps at launch on Xbox Series X.

Thankfully, we don’t have long to wait to find out if our Nvidia GPU worries are misplaced or not, with the megaton sci-fi adventure launching on September 6.

More from Tom's Guide

• If Starfield isn’t a hit, I think it could be game over for Xbox Series X
• Excited for Starfield? You need to watch Prospect tonight
• Forget Starfield — Star Wars: Outlaws could be the proper Han Solo simulator

After a few months of silence, Bethesda dropped a video of an interview with studio director Todd Howard. In it, he answers a number of questions about Starfield. 

One of the enduring topics of conversation was just how ‘hard sci-fi’ Starfield will be. Apparently, Starfield will be more grounded in real science than other games, but not so much that it ruins a player’s enjoyment. For example, ships won’t run out of fuel, avoiding the “you die in space cold" conundrum. 

For the uninitiated, hard sci-fi is science-fiction that's rooted firmly in the confines of our current understanding of science. A series like The Expanse has elements of this. In hard sci-fi, the likes of gravity and g-forces can play havoc with the human body as you travel from one planet to another at great speed. Starfield won’t lean too hard into that complexity. But its ships and setting indicate how humans made it out of Earth’s gravity well and into the stars. 

That’s a major change in tone from other games Bethesda has developed. But Starfield will still possess traits from its Elder Scrolls and Fallout lineage. 

For example, Howard noted how the game will have 252,953 different dialogue lines in Starfield, compared to the mere 60,000 lines in Skyrim. Expect a lot of close-up conversations with a range of characters, in that “classic Bethesda-style dialogue," but with many more options.

Speaking of which, Starfield will also have a range of selectable character traits. But these characteristics will also come with drawbacks. The "introvert" trait, for example, penalizes endurance when a character is around people, but boosts endurance when they are alone. But if these traits cause problems, Howard noted that following certain quests can remove them. 

This gives me the impression that Starfield will be a seriously evolved take on the open-world RPGs of Bethesda’s past, but with an intriguing new setting. I expect the power of the Xbox Series X and new PC hardware to make this pseudo-hard-sci-fi game feel deeply immersive and absorbing. 

The only problem I have is that Bethesda has no firm release date for Starfield. So far, we know it’s coming in the first half of 2023, but that's about as narrow as the release window gets right now. 

If you need an open-world game to tide you over, I’d suggest Elden Ring, which has really sunk its sharp claws into me. Sci-fi fans could also check out Mass Effect Legendary Edition. 

You could think of Redfall as a mix of Back 4 Blood multiplayer action with the powers and quirks of Deathloop, all wrapped up in a story about vampires taking over a sleepy little island town. 

Redfall sees four players take on a mix of vampires and their human thralls in the titular town of Redfall, with a variety of weapons and abilities. 

The game is somewhat exclusive too, coming on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC, as well as being available on Xbox Game Pass. 

So with that in mind, read one for everything you need to know about Redfall. 

Redfall release date 

After a delay, Refall was released on May 2, 2023. And is currently available to play right now on Xbox Game Pass. 

If you want to buy the game then check out the box below, which aims to flag the best prices for Redfall. 

Redfall trailer

There's a whole host of videos on Bethesda's YouTube channel detailing various aspects of Redfall. But the most compelling os far is a deep-dive into how Redfall will play, via a 10-minute gameplay video. Check it out above. 

Redfall gameplay 

As showcased by the first gameplay trailer, Redfall is a first-person “open-world co-op shooter." And it has echoes of a blend of Left 4 Dead survival shooter action with a narrative that sees players, explore what went wrong with the island of Redfall.

Players are able to do this by themselves or with a group of fellow players. And each of the characters payers will be able to step into, and each character has a range of skills and abilities, some of which seem plucked out of Dishonored. Oh, and there's a decent selection of guns as well.

Players will need these guns, gadgets and powers as they will be up against a range of enemies, from standard human cultists to fast and dangerous vampires. 

But players don't have to run-and-gun, as there are options to take a more stealthy and tactical approach. 

Redfall characters 

Redfall’s trailer introduces us to four playable heroes: Devinder Crousley, Layla Ellison, Jacob Boyer, and Remi De La Rosa. Each character has their own personality and their own abilities on the battlefield.

These unique powers include Remi being able to control a robot companion, and Layla having telekinetic powers. It seems that each character will play substantially differently from the rest, and finding out which one suits your playstyle will be a big part of the fun. 

We’ve also got a look at the various villains of Redfall. These include uber-powerful vampires, but also a human cult that worships the creatures of the night. Our heroic foursome will have to do battle with both in order to survive till dawn. 

Redfall is set in a world where a science experiment gone wrong accidentally created vampires. These creatures are continuing to evolve as well, so expect multiple classes of bloodsuckers hunting you down. 

These former humans have managed to isolate the island and have blocked out the sun leading to never-ending darkness in a small Massachusetts town. It’ll be up to you, and your co-op companions, to prevent the titular Redfall from being bled dry. 

Redfall Xbox and PC exclusivity 

When Microsoft purchased ZeniMax in 2020 and thus snapped up Bethesda and Arkane in the process, it looked like the writing was on the wall for Redfall on PS5. 

But there was a PS5 version of Redfall in the works, only it got scrapped. In an interview with IGN France, Arkane's Harvey Smith explained:  “We got bought by Microsoft and that was a huge sea change. They said, ‘no PlayStation 5. Now we’re gonna do Game Pass, Xbox, and PC.’”

So unlike Arkane's previous game Deathloop, the PS5 will have no chance of getting Redfall. And that could give you one compelling reason to get an Xbox or a powerful gaming PC.

Redfall PC specs and requirements 

Microsoft has released the PC requirements for Redfall. They fall into Minimum, Recommended and Ultra categories and are as follows: 

Minimum

• CPU: Intel Core i5-8400 @ 2.80GHz or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 
• GPU: AMD RX 580 / Nvidia Geforce GTX 1070 / 6GB VRAM 
• RAM: 16GB 
• Storage: 100GB SSD
• OS: Windows 10 64-bit 

Recommended

• CPU: Intel Core i7-9700K @ 3.60GHz or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X 
• GPU: AMD 5700 / Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 / Intel ARC / 8GB VRAM 
• RAM: 16GB 
• Storage: 100GB SSD
• OS: Windows 10 64-bit

Ultra

• CPU: Intel Core i7-9700K @ 3.60GHz or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X 
• GPU: AMD RX 6800 XT / Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 / 10GB VRAM 
• RAM: 32GB
• Storage: 100GB SSD
• OS: Windows 11 64-bit 

Redfall performance controversy

Somewhat surprising is that Bethesda has announced Redfall will be locked at 30 frames per second when it launches on Xbox Series X. While it'll be rendered at 4K, rather than the 1440p of the Xbox Series S, it won't be able to hit the smooth 60 fps we've come to expect from first-person shooters. 

A 60 fps "Performance mode" is set to arrive as a post-launch update. But it's a bit baffling why this wouldn't be included at launch. 

With fast-paced games, a faster frame rate is pretty much key to ensuring you're popping off headshots and moving fluidly around arenas. 30 fps can feel sluggish in comparison. 

If developer Arkane can ensure the frame pacing in the 30 fps mode is super stable, that could go some way to mitigating the lack of a 60 fps mode at launch. But we'll have to wait and see; as a result, it may end up being the case that playing Redfall on one of the best gaming PCs could be the way forward. 

Redfall crossplay

In some very welcome news, developer Arkane has confirmed that Redfall will be crossplay between players on different platforms. So, whether you're playing on Xbox or PC (via Game Pass, Steam or Epic Game Store) you'll be able to play with your friends. Plus, this should help keep the Redfall player base nice and healthy even months after launch. 

Redfall early impressions and reactions

Despite all the promises of the above, Redfall appears to be a bit of a disappointment. Not only is it reportedly very buggy, its action and setting appear to be rather bland in comparison to previous Arkane games. 

Our colleagues over at PC Gamer noted that "Redfall fails at not only being an immersive sim, but everything else, too."  While GamesRadar said Redfall "feels rushed, unfinished, and unsatisfying." 

We hope patches can claw back some of the early goodwill towards the game, but even then it looks like a title that perhaps won't hit the high points of Arkane's back catalog. We'd cautiously suggest you give it a try on Xbox Game Pass, but perhaps wait for some patches first. 

Update: Starfield has survival elements — but won’t warp you mind with dull tasks. 

Last week, we learned that Bethesda’s upcoming sci-fi RPG Starfield will have about 1,000 different planets to explore. Luckily, though, it doesn’t seem like you’ll have to visit all of them if you just want to play through the game’s main story. Todd Howard, executive producer at Bethesda, recently revealed that the game’s main story will take about 30-40 hours to complete. That’s not obscenely long, by RPG standards — but it is longer than the main story modes from both The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4.

Howard spoke with IGN after the recent Xbox Games Showcase, and discussed the main story’s length, as well as how the metric probably won’t apply to most players. He said that Starfield’s story campaign “might be in the 30s, maybe 40” in terms of hours played, and added that it has about 20% more story quests than games such as Skyrim and Fallout 4. This math seems to track, as Skyrim and Fallout 4 were somewhere in range of 25-35 hours, if you stuck mostly to the main goals.

On the other hand, Howard doesn’t think that players are necessarily going to shotgun the game from start to finish, stopping for absolutely nothing along the way.

“We’ve learned that people do play our games for a really, really long time,” he told IGN. “They’re still playing Skyrim — not straight for 10 years, but they leave it and they come back and there’s extra content. Certainly we’re going to be doing extra content for this game.”

Skyrim and Fallout 4 both had substantial expansions, so it stands to reason that Bethesda would plan something similar for Starfield. Howard also pointed out that Bethesda games have huge and passionate modding communities, which also keep players coming back for years.

Apart from that, though, Bethesda games aren’t really about the main narrative thread in the same way that many other RPGs are. The focus has always been on exploring the world and making your own story as you go, based on what you discover and what you feel like pursuing. 

Starfield doesn’t seem like it will be any different, particularly since you can potentially explore so many different planets along the way. While we doubt that every single planet will have a whole game’s worth of content on it, we wouldn’t be shocked if Bethesda tried to put something worthwhile on every one, even if it’s just a small quest or trinket.

Starfield will be out next year for PC and Xbox consoles, and Tom’s Guide will have more information on the game as it becomes available.

The Xbox Games Showcase Extended event is now over. The 90-minute showcase certainly delivered on its promise of new trailers, developer interviews and fresh looks at some of the biggest games featured during Sunday’s Xbox & Bethesda Showcase. 

We got to hear more about Starfield and Redfall from Bethesda's Pete Hines, although the lack of new gameplay footage was pretty disappointing. Other highlights included a closer look at Minecraft Legends and a deep dive into the Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Edtion. We also saw Forza Horizon 5 Hot Wheels DLC, which looks like a total blast. 

It was primarily a live stream covering previously announced games, but we did get confirmation that Valheim is coming to Xbox in Spring 2023, and will be on Xbox Game Pass at launch. Plus the event ended with a short look at Stalker 2 and a very poignant video from the development team at GSC Game World, based in Ukraine. 

The showcase was another great advertisement for Xbox Game Pass with most of the games included coming to the subscription service over the next 12 months. It might not have been the most hyped event of the summer, but the Xbox Games Showcase Extended is certainly worth reliving down below. 

Hello! Welcome to our live coverage of the Xbox Games Showcase Extended event. I’m deals editor Rory Mellon, and I’ll be taking you through the entire live stream as we get an extended look at some of the biggest games coming to Xbox Series X and PC over the next 12 months. 

Which games are being showcased today? We don’t officially know, but personally, I’m hoping to see more of Starfield and Pentiment. Make sure to keep a window open to follow along with this live blog for all the latest updates, and maybe even a few hot takes from yours truly.

Starfield was the closer during Sunday's Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, and it's definitely the game I'm most eager to hear more about today. In particular, I want some extra clarification on the reveal there will be more than 1,000 planets to explore. Mainly, I want to know if each planet will offer a unique reason to visit, or will most just be filled with filler activities. Here's hoping Todd Howard is on hand to ease my worries that Starfield might be too big! 

The other game I'm really hoping we see more of during the Xbox Games Showcase Extended live stream is Pentiment. This game has caught my eye for two reasons: The development team at Obsidian is being led by Josh Sawyer, who was the director of Fallout: New Vegas, and its super striking art style. Plus, this murder mystery game strips away flashy combat for a purely dialogue-driven experience which also sounds like a refreshing catch of pace. 

I'm definitely expecting we'll hear more about the next Sea of Thieves update during this show. To be honest, I've never actually played the online Pirate game myself, it's tepid reception at launch put me off, but it's been four years now and I've heard the game has significantly improved over that period. Perhaps this showcase will convince me it's time to finally jump in. 

The Xbox Games Showcase Extended kicks off in around 30 minutes, and we've just had two games confirmed for the show: Ara: History Untold and As Dusk Falls. The latter's unique art style has proved to be quite divisive on social media, so it will be interesting to see more from it. 

It looks like Xbox's Aaron Greenberg has confirmed what most of us already suspected, this showcase won't have any new announcements and will just offer extended looks at previously revealed titles. This will come as a disappointment to anybody hoping for a "mic drop" moment, but credit to Xbox for making sure to set viewer expectations at the right level. 

The official Microsoft-hosted live stream of the Xbox Games Showcase Extended is now live and is offering a few teases at what we'll be seeing: As Dusk Falls, Grounded and an interview with Bethesda's Pete Hines are all coming up. Can somebody please ask Pete Hines if we can expect The Elder Scrolls 6 anytime within the next decade? 

The Xbox Games Showcase Extended is officially beginning now! Stand by for rolling updates through the whole show. 

First up is actually some breaking news: survival sandbox game Valheim is coming to Xbox in Spring 2023. And it'll be included with Game Pass at launch!

Now Bethesda's Pete Hine is being interviewed on stage. He's talked about the reasons Starfield and Redfall were recently delayed into 2023 (to make sure they meet Bethesda's quality standard) and is now teasing why these games will definitely be worth the extra wait. 

The Elder Scrolls Online newest expansion is being touched upon next. High Isle will take players to a never before explored part of Tamriel. Whereas the next Fallout 76 update will take you to a slightly more familiar location, The Pit. Hines also notes that where Fallout 76 is now after its rocky launch is "truly remarkable." 

Hines is now talking about Starfield (finally!). It seems that player choice will be a big part of the experience, if you want to focus on exploring, power through the main story, or seek out loot to upgrade character and ship you'll be able to. The game can also be a guided experience, or you can make your own fun. I'm sold! 

Starfield's completely customizable spaceships are now being talked about. The system is far deeper than just minior cosmetic changes, you can basically build the ship of your dreams. Although, building a juggernaut will cost you a lot of in-game currency! 

Next we're taking an extended look at battle royale game Naraka Bladepoint which will celebrate its first anniversary later this year (and launches on Xbox later this month). I'm not really a battle royale player but this one does look quite interesting, and the news that a co-op campaign mode is being added has definitely grabbed my attention. 

The developers behind the upcoming PC strategy game Ara: History Untold are now being interviewed. I'll be honest when I first saw the reveal trailer on Sunday, I assumed it was a new Civilization game, which makes sense as many of the developers at Oxide Games have worked on the Civilization franchise in the past. 

Now we're talking a look at the 1.0 release of backyard survival game Grounded. The game has been in early access for a while now, but it's getting ready to fully launch in September. Of course, the updates won't stop there, the game will likely keep expanding over the coming months and years. But the 1.0 update will bring a complete story, new items and new insect enemies to fight. 

Microsoft Flight Simulator is taking the spotlight next. Look away if you've got a fear of flying because we're being treated to some amazing aerial shots. 

As revealed during Sunday's showcase, World Update X is out now, and there will be two more to come in August and October and then in November Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Edition will launch. This will include classic planes from across the franchise's history. It will be free to current owners of the game and Xbox Game Pass subscribers. 

Justin Roiland, the creator of Rick and Morty, is here to talk about his studio Sqaunch Games' latest effort: High on Life. Fans of zany humor will surely want to play this one, though I'm hoping there's more to the game than just witty banter. The shooting will also need to be solid if it's going to be a truly memorable experience. 

We just got a trailer for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, a multiplayer horror game based on the iconic horror movie of the same name. It joins the likes of Friday the 13th: The Game, Predator: Hunting Grounds and Dead by Daylight in what is quickly becoming a very overstuffed genre. Can it do enough to set itself apart when it launches in 2023?

Now we're getting an extended look at Pentiment. I could look at this game all day just because of its art style, really can't wait to dive into this one later this year. Hoping its story can match its amazing look though. 

Speaking of distinctive art styles next up is As Dusk Falls. This narrative adventure is aiming to tackle subject matters "not normally included in video games" but to be honest, it's just not speaking to me. The snippets of the story we've seen have seemed a bit cheesy and I really don't like the visual style. It's coming to Game Pass next month, so perhaps I'll give it a shot, but so far I'm far from sold. 

We're now getting a lengthy gameplay demo for Slime Rancher 2. It doesn't look especially different from the first game, but that's not necessarily a bad thing as its predecessor was uncomplicated fun. It's scheduled to launch Fall 2022 and will be coming to Xbox Game Pass. 

We're getting a longer look at Forza Horizon 5's upcoming Hot Wheels DLC now, and it looks super fun. I've never been a big racing games player but Forza Horizon is the exception. Can't wait for this expansion, and it looks like the DLC pack will have a lot of variety thanks to multiple track types and new Hot Wheel cars to drive.  

Minecraft Legend is taking center stage now, it's an action strategy take on the wildly popular sandbox game. It's being designed to appeal to new players as well as existing Minecraft fans. It'll have a narrative driven campaign, as well as future surprises that will come down the line. It's set to launch on PC and console next year. 

We're closing with an interview with Xbox's Sarah Bond, she's talking about the power of games but also the ongoing development of STALKER 2 which is being worked on by a team based in Ukraine.

After an extremely poignant video showing how the lives of the developers at GSC Game World have been impacted by the war in Ukraine. The Xbox Games Showcase Extended concludes with a brief look at STALKER 2. It definitely looks visually stunning but it's hard not to feel like video games are unimportant in the wake of such harrowing footage. 

And that's all folks! Thanks for following our Xbox Games Showcase Extended live blog. My highlight had to be hearing more about Starfield. Until next time! 

Update: The Xbox Games Showcase Extended is less than two hours away, make sure to follow our live blog for complete coverage of the event. 

Microsoft will hold a second Xbox game event just two days after the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase on June 12. 

Dubbed the Xbox Games Showcase Extended, this follow up event will take place on June 14, with a livestream starting at 10 a.m. PT. The Xbox Wire blog detailed that the extended 90-minute show will reveal new trailers, deep dives and interviews breaking down the June 12 showcase. 

With that in mind, here's what you need to know about the Xbox and Bethesda Game Showcase and the Xbox Games Showcase Extended.

Xbox and Bethesda Game Showcase June 12

June 12 is the main day for Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase and will start at 10 a.m. PT, 1 p.m. ET and 6 p.m. BST. The Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase will simulcast on YouTube, Twitch, Twitter and Facebook pages. The initial stream caps at 1080p HD at 60 frames per second. But for those wanting higher quality, there will be a 4K 60 fps rebroadcast on the Xbox YouTube page following the livestream. 

Expect updates on the latest games coming to Xbox from Bethesda Games, most likely Starfield and Redfall, and Microsoft’s stable of studios and updates on Xbox Games Pass and PC gaming.

Xbox and Bethesda Games Extended 

The Xbox and Bethesda Games Extended takes place on June 14, at 10 a.m. PT, 1 p.m. ET and 6 p.m. BST. 

It will take a deeper look at the games and updates revealed in the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase two days before. Expect a deep dive into the likes of Starfield, likely longer game footage for titles like Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl, Scorn and Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, as well as a breakdown of mechanics of Redfall; do bear in mind this is just speculation on our part.

The Xbox and Bethesda Games Extended will simulcast on YouTube, Twitch, Twitter and Facebook pages, though some languages may not be available until a week after the June 14 air date.

Do we know what games are appearing? 

The short answer? No. Microsoft has not revealed the schedule for the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase or Xbox and Bethesda Games Extended. With Bethesda involved, Starfield is likely to come up. It is Bethesda’s most anticipated game since Skyrim, and even with a 2023 release date it would be a shock not to see anything. 

On the Xbox side of the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase, I would be very surprised not to hear something about Halo Infinite. The first person shooter is currently a focus for Xbox and Microsoft, with the newly released Season 2: Lone Wolves now available to play.

And a whole lot more is also likely to be revealed, from closer looks at games that have only been teased so far, to announcement trailers for new tiles and IPs, such as Avowed. Now that we're some 18 months into the lifespan of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, we can expect there to be a bigger range of games to showcased from Microsoft and its bevy of studios.

Bethesda recently announced that its eagerly anticipated sci-fi RPG Starfield won’t release this year. The company also delayed Redfall in order to polish both titles further. At the moment, we have no idea when either game will see the light of day.

Delays have become more common in the video game industry lately due to the global pandemic disrupting supply chains and forcing many developers to adapt to working from home. Major titles such as Breath of the Wild 2 and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League are now slated for 2023. God of War: Ragnarok is due this year, but given the circumstances, it’s entirely possible it could face a second delay and not release in 2022. Such is the state of the world.

Even though I'm not clamoring for Starfield like some of my friends and colleagues are, the delay was the final straw for me. After so many announced delays over the past two years, I’ve gotten to the point where I no longer trust any proposed release date. I literally laughed out loud when I saw that the Dead Space remake will release on January 27, 2023. What reason do I have to believe this game will meet its release date? Or any game?

Perhaps I’m being hyperbolic, or too cynical. I’m sure the vast majority of titles will release when intended. Generally speaking, indie titles haven’t faced significant delays during the pandemic. This is likely in part because indie developers were largely used to working from home or in remote teams prior to the global lockdowns. But as far as major big-budget games are concerned, things are looking pretty grim. Yes, God of War: Ragnarok is slated for 2022, but as I said, I don’t see a reason why I should believe it will actually come out this year.

In short, I've stopped getting hyped for upcoming games. And perhaps you should too.

Delays make new consoles less enticing 

These recent delays present a problem for the two main current-gen systems: PS5 and Xbox Series X. Folks have been keeping an eye on PS5 restocks and Xbox Series X restocks since both launched in late 2020. But given the lack of major first-party titles coming to each platform this year, not to mention the abundance of cross-platform titles on both current and last-gen platforms, there isn’t a compelling reason to want either system. I understand that FOMO is a real thing, but people are not missing out on much. I've been playing PS5 for over a year and I'm still waiting for it to feel like a "next-gen" console.

The Xbox Series X is in an even worse state, and not just because Starfield and Redfall have gone MIA. Halo Infinite – a title that was itself delayed – failed to live up to expectations. Though updates are coming in Halo Infinite Season 2, the game currently feels incomplete due to missing key features like co-op mode.

Aside from the plethora of old titles available on Game Pass, there’s not much reason to get an Xbox Series X, especially if you want first-party current-gen exclusives. Sure, Forza Motorsporrt 8 is supposedly releasing this year, but a racing game isn’t going to move consoles. Even if PS5's 2022 first-party output has been paltry, it still has a decent amount of exclusives (even if most are on PS4). The Xbox Series X/S doesn't have that luxury, despite Microsoft having acquired Bethesda and Activision Blizzard.

I'll no longer get hyped for upcoming games 

One of the gaming industry’s most significant issues is its over-reliance on hype. Companies bombard us with a slew of trailers, developer diaries, blog posts and more to drum up excitement for whatever title they want us to buy. Gamers feed into this hype via social media sites like Twitter and YouTube. It gets to a point where some titles cannot possibly live up to the hype generated. See Watch Dogs, Anthem, Duke Nukem Forever, Aliens Colonial Marines and Cyberpunk 2077 for examples.

Delays only make things worse. On one hand, the longer a game takes to release, the more unrealistic expectations can become. Conversely, whatever hype a game generated can fizzle out if it takes too long to release – see The Last Guardian. In the case of Starfield, it may face the former scenario and perhaps not live up to what people expect it to be.

So what do we do? As hard as it may be, it’s best if we stop feeding the proverbial hype machine. Even if you are looking forward to Starfield, God of War: Ragnarok or any other blockbuster title, you should probably temper your enthusiasm until the game is actually in stores. I would have said to wait until a game goes gold, but as we’ve seen with Cyberpunk 2077, even that doesn’t guarantee a locked release date or a finished game. Forgive the cynicism, but at this point, I’d suggest curbing your hype until a game is either in your hands or in your console’s SSD storage.

Starfield, Redfall, Final Fantasy XVI and all of the other big games on the horizon will come out one day. It may not be when we expect, but we’ll see them eventually. To that end, I’m going to keep a list of games to look forward to and then forget about said list and occupy myself with other hobbies. When titles I want to play come out, I can be pleasantly surprised instead of being frustrated that a game took so long to release.

The current state of global affairs will likely persist for the foreseeable future, and that means we should probably expect more delays. So the best thing to do is not put faith in any official release dates. If you do, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment. Follow my lead and stop getting hyped for upcoming games.

Update: Starfield is what happens when hard sci-fi meets classic Bethesda games.

I was having a good day; the sun was shining, I had just tried the weird Dyson Zone, and I finally got a haircut. Then Bethesda announced Starfield is being pushed back to 2023. 

This was a sucker punch. Over the past few months I’ve written a fair bit about Starfield, having pored over the developer videos, and I was pretty confident in the announced release date of November 11. But now Bethesda has pushed Starfield and its vampire multiplayer survival shooter Redfall back to the first half of 2023. 

Admittedly, that’s not a huge delay. But my excitement for Starfield has been picking up pace recently, especially as the developer videos teased a form of hard sci-fi setting that I’ve grown very interested in after watching The Expanse. However, the holiday season will now contain a Starfield-shaped black hole. 

This is a big serving of disappointment to swallow, as I’ve been waiting for a new open-world Bethesda game for a while; The Elder Scrolls 6 appears to be ages away.

Yet ultimately, these delays tend to be for the best. Bethesda open-world games have a history of being buggy at launch, so if the studio uses the extra time to polish the game to a pristine sheen, I’m all for it.

After all, Starfield has had a lot of work put into it. Surely it makes sense to ensure it's close to perfect, rather than rush it out with good ideas and a compelling world marred by bugs; that arguably did for Cyberpunk 2077.

We’ve yet to see any proper game footage from Starfield, but Bethesda says it's coming soon. So hopefully that’ll give us an idea of what to expect and give the studio the scope to fine-tune it based on reactions.

Where things get a little more complicated, though, is in thinking about what will fill the space left by Starfield. 

Not a great deal by the looks of it, for both Xbox Series X and PS5. With the exception of God of War: Ragnarok, which is apparently still on track to release this year, there aren't many other compelling games on the horizon.

The past few months have been loaded with huge games, notably Elden Ring, Gran Turismo 7 and Horizon Forbidden West, plus a few other attention-worthy titles such as Dying Light 2 Stay Human, Total War: Warhammer 3 and Kirby and the Forgotten Land. As such, 2022 has been front-loaded with exciting options, making it a fantastic time to be a gamer on any one of the current, and even last-gen, consoles or PC.

However, perhaps our cup had runneth over a little too much, as there aren't many other big games coming out over the next few months. Starfield was set to be the next major release, but without it, the tail-end of 2022 looks a little barren, beyond God of War: Ragnarok. Nor is it great news for Xbox console exclusives, which surged last year with the likes of Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5, but which now appear to be few and far between; Fable 4, for example, still seems a way off.

So, if you’ve worked hard to find an Xbox Series X restock or PS5 restock, you might find that towards the end of the year there’s not a wealth of new games that take advantage of the powerful hardware.

Should you be annoyed at this? Well no, as there are plenty of excellent older titles that are well worth revisiting, or indeed trying for the first time; if you have Xbox Game Pass, this is trivially easy. 

For example, if you want a sci-fi fix, I’d recommend Mass Effect Legendary Edition. Or if you fancy a game with an engaging story, then The Last of Us 2 runs very well on the PS5. Open-world fans should check out Red Dead Redemption 2 and The Witcher 3. And fans of character creation and development, should turn to Disco Elysium or Divinity Original Sin 2.

Plus, bear in mind that some older games have been updated to work well on the latest Xbox hardware, so are definitely worth a revisit; Star Wars Squadrons and Gears 5 both have updates to run better on the Series X and Xbox Series S.

In short, delaying Starfield is a bit of a blow for big Xbox exclusives. But if it makes for a title that could win a spot on our best Xbox Series X games list, then I can stomach the delay. Here’s hoping Xbox gives us some Avowed footage this summer to compensate for any Starfield disappointment.

Update: Starfield is what happens when hard sci-fi meets classic Bethesda games.

Bethesda Game Studios titles have almost always had powerful and evocative soundtracks, and it looks like Starfield will be no different. It could even hit the high notes of Skyrim’s epic Dragonborn theme. 

In the latest ‘Into the Starfield's developer video, titled "The Sound of Adventure,'' Starfield composer Inon Zur and audio director Mark Lampert discuss the soundtrack of Bethesda’s upcoming sci-fi epic. It’s another reason to get excited. 

"I always say that music is the fourth dimension. It is the emotional dimension," said Zur. "And so in order to create this, you have to ask these questions: Where are you going? What is your motivation? What is your story? What is really pushing us?" He went on to explain how the composition for Starfield aims to be “circular,” in that it aims to capture the idea of going out on an adventure, discovering the secrets of the galaxy and then returning home. 

"There is always this drive to go back home; we want to complete our mission; we want to complete our journey,” added Zur. 

The video also showed off some new artwork, which drives home that Starfield will be all about exploration. 

With hints of '70s-style pulpy sci-fi, elements of Star Wars’ ‘lived-in’ galaxy and nods towards more realistic intergalactic travel, as seen in The Expanse, Starfield is shaping up to be an interesting new IP from Bethesda, despite the fact that we’ve yet to see any actual game footage.

The discussion around music has me feeling particularly excited, as one of my favorite bits of Skyrim was its soundtrack. From the powerful opening bars of the Dragonborn theme, to the ambient tracks of Far Horizons and The Streets of Whiterun, Skyrim's soundtrack created a sense of place that evoked emotions, rather than gave you the feeling that you were actively listening to the music. 

If Starfield can reach towards this level of mastery, then I’ll be thrilled.

Of course, Starfield will be up against some stiff competition when it comes sci-fi game music. The Mass Effect Legendary Edition, for example, has a fabulous soundtrack, from the '80s-inspired dark synth music of the first game, to Mass Effect 2’s huge Suicide Mission track.

Either way, the signature tone of Starfield looks set to encompass the idea of going out into the wilds of space. As we've learned from other videos, such as the introduction of robot companion Vasco, it looks like there’ll be more to the game than just wandering around intriguing worlds, though.

Personally, I have five things I really want from Starfield. And if Starfield can nail a few of them, we could be looking at a 2022 game to challenge the mighty Elden Ring.

Starfield is arguably one of the most exciting upcoming games of 2022, despite it not coming to the PS5. But so far, all we’ve had is a drip-feed of information about this brand-new sci-fi game from Bethesda, mostly in the form of behind-the-scenes videos. 

So far proper game footage and action has been elusive, though we hope to see some relatively soon given Starfield is due to be released on November 11 this year.

As such, Starfield is open to a galaxy of speculation. And that’s exactly what we’ll do. Here are five things we want to see from Starfield. 

Pilotable spacecraft  

It’s an obvious request, but we want to be able to fly the starships in Starfield. Bethesda has promised multiple worlds to explore, but we don’t want to simply fast travel to them, we want to be able to take the far-future NASA-looking craft into the deep black of space and see what we encounter as we fly towards the next planet on a star map. 

And with space flight comes the idea of space combat. We know there’s been conflict in the universe of Starfield, so it’s not going to be a peaceful place. So we hope Bethesda let us take those battles to space. They wouldn’t even need to be in real-time; they could be some form of neat turn-based system that sees pilots balance power to weapons, engines and life support while trying to get the edge over attacking craft. 

An epic sci-fi story

One of the weaknesses of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and its predecessor Oblivion was arguably the main story. Sure, the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood side quests were brilliant, as were the odd small quests that popped up as you explored the open worlds. But the main story of both games were fairly run-of-the-mill fantasy fare that perhaps didn’t do the lore and vast space of the games justice. With Starfield, Bethesda has the scope to start afresh and create a completely original story that can draw upon established sci-fi inspiration but forge its own path. 

Given there’s a hard sci-fi look, not dissimilar to that of The Expanse books and TV series, Starfield feels rather different to say Star Wars or Mass Effect. I just hope that the story isn’t just compelling in scope but also in depth, with one’s actions in the game having an effect on the narrative throughout its course, rather than towards the end. Games like Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Divinity: Original Sin 2 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt are all good examples of how side-quest action and story can rub against the main plot in interesting ways. 

Compelling companions and characters 

We've already seen that Starfield will have a companion in the form of utilitarian robots Vasco. And the look and sound of the bot hints that there’s more to it than just simple utility. But even if that’s not the case, we want to see Starfield full of interesting companions and characters. 

Sadly, these were somewhat few and far between in Skyrim, with companion characters especially being little more than well-armoured pack horses. Given the scope of Starfield and the idea that outer space could be rather lonely, We'd like to see a host of interesting companions and followers to chat to as we explore the universe of Starfield; after all Han Solo and Chewbacca, The Mandalorian had Baby Yoda, and err… Ripley had Jonesy.    

Kinetic combat  

Fighting enemies in Skyrim was a lot more kinetic than the floaty hacking and slashing of Oblivion, but even with Dragon Shouts it wasn’t exactly dynamic. Starfield has the chance to introduce a whole new combat system; sure guns will be involved but its doesn't have to be a basic first-person shooter. 

We’d like Bethesda to draw inspiration from the V.A.T.S system and its Fallout games, and have some tactical elements in Starfield’s combat. Even if some form of turn-based combat isn't introduced, we’d like to see some hard sci-fi elements used, say only being able to use recoilless guns in space or low-gravity so that you don’t end up with the recoil from traditional guns throwing you backwards in a vacuum. 

Or we'd like combat to be dynamic, with an element of verticality, say fighting on towering structures or moving from ground battles to dogfights in the upper atmosphere. Give Bethesda’s said nothing about Starfield combat other than a lingering image of a future rifle, there’s all sorts of directions the developer could go. 

Galaxy-scale customization

The Elder Scrolls and Fallout games weren't short on customization. But we want to see a greater level of that in Starfield so that players really feel they are having an experience that unique to them. By that we mean everything could be customizable, from attachments on EVA suits and weapons, to tweaking the engines, weapons and environment of one's spaceship. 

And we’d like to see this customization affect combat tactics, the way the universe of Starfield perceives the player’s character, and the profession one can pursue. It may be wishful thinking but we’d love there to be different, or at least interweaving and diverging storylines for characters of different professions; a trader could have a drastically different story to that of a bounty hunter. Dragon Age: Origins does this rather well with its titular origin stories, so I’d love to see Bethesda draw inspiration from that. 

If Bethesda can just pull a few of the above elements off, while creating a compelling sci-fi experience, then Starfield could very well end up being a game of the year contender. It'll have to do something very special as Elden Ring has captured the attention of a lot of Tom's Guide's gamers. 

Update: Starfield is what happens when hard sci-fi meets classic Bethesda games.

Continuing its drip-feed of Starfield information, Bethesda has released a behind-the-scenes video showing off a robot called Vasco. 

This bipedal bot seems to be a companion character of sorts for Starfield players as they explore the sci-fi worlds beyond humanity’s solar system. And I'm hoping it’ll be a panacea to the rather dull and two-dimensional companion characters in the otherwise-brilliant The Elder Scrolls Skyrim. (Looking at you, Lydia, and your low-key sass at being asked to carry items.)

At first glance Vasco looks like an intimidating robot, akin to something you might see in Aliens or The Expanse. But Starfield’s lead artist Istvan Pely describes the robot as a primarily “peaceful” machine, whom players will see as a “reliable companion.” Having said that, Vasco can apparently defend itself, so expect the bot to kick some extra-terrestrial ass if needed.

Vasco is also described as a “utilitarian, heavy industrial machine well-suited to the rigours of space travel,” which would suggest that it's more of a handy machine for dealing with heavy objects than a robot with a C-3PO or R2-D2 level of personality. Then again, Pely said that Vasco has become one of the Starfield development team’s “favorite companions in the game." To me, that suggests there’s more to the robot than meets the eye.

What’s more, the weathered look of Vasco would hint at a robot that’s been though a lot. We wouldn't be surprised if some errant code left the robot with some form of personality, and some stories that player will uncover over the course of what’s likely to be a very long game.

I do hope Bethesda puts some work into the characters and main story of Starfield, as these have previously been weak points in The Elder Scrolls games. Skyrim's world is deeply compelling to explore, and it’s festooned with interesting side-quests, but the main story was rather rote. And the companions had all the character of wet paper.

As with previous Starfield news, this tidbit has turned up my hype for Starfield by another notch. And I hope that Bethesda shows off some proper Starfield in-game action before too long. I’m holding out hope for a big summer showcase, likely in partnership with Microsoft and its Xbox division. 

As an Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC exclusive, Starfield also presents a compelling reason to seek out an Xbox Series X restock or one of our best gaming PCs. It'll also launch day-one on Xbox Game Pass, so that's well worth getting, too. 

Ghostwire: Tokyo is a fairly radical departure from developer Tango Gameworks' previous two titles. While the studio cut its teeth on two brilliant survival-horror games, The Evil Within and its sequel, Ghostwire: Tokyo is an almost entirely different beast. 

For starters, the perspective has switched from third-person to first, and while Ghostwire: Tokyo is enjoyably spooky, it’s by no means a horror game. Perhaps the biggest directional change, though, is that Ghostwire: Tokyo consistently empowers you. From the start, players are given access to a whole arsenal of paranormal abilities to play with. 

Set within a gorgeous recreation of the Japanese capital, Ghostwire: Tokyo feels refreshingly compact in scope. This year has already seen a glut of open-world titles. The likes of Dying Light 2: Stay Human, Horizon: Forbidden West and Elden Ring all demand players commit dozens of hours to see everything, but Ghostwire: Tokyo is less intimidating in scale.

There’s an awful lot to like about Ghostwire: Tokyo, and while it does stumble in some key areas, the overall package is one that’s easy to recommend — especially to those players looking for an experience that won’t require months of effort. Read on for our full Ghostwire: Tokyo review.

Ghostwire: Tokyo review: Story

Ghostwire: Tokyo throws you straight into the thick of things. The breakneck pacing of the game’s opening cutscene is almost jarring. However, it does a serviceable job of setting up the stakes. The citizens of Tokyo have mysteriously vanished and the city is being overrun with sinister spirits. To make matters worse the city has been blanketed in thick, very deadly, fog.  

As Akito, a man possessed by the spirit of a former police officer known as KK, you must set out on a journey to unravel the mystery behind these strange paranormal events. You’re also trying to locate a shady group wearing traditional Hannya masks who appear to be up to no good, and could be connected to the proceedings.

There are also personal stakes to the story, as Akito’s sister is wrapped up in the events. Plus, KK’s backstory is more complicated than he first lets on. However, none of these mysteries feel all that compelling. It's perhaps in large part because Akito seems so unfazed by the spooky occurrences in his home city; if the game's protagonist can’t even muster the energy to seem interested, why should you? 

The interplay between Akito and KK (who share the former’s body, and are in regular communication) is also fairly wooden. They quickly form a sort of buddy-cop dynamic, but neither character is all that compelling and it’s hard to buy into their personal arcs. 

The game’s narrative also concludes surprisingly quickly. Just as I felt the story was starting to build towards something slightly more interesting, I was informed I was about to reach a point of no return, so needed to wrap up any outstanding side quests before venturing further. 

Ghostwire: Tokyo review: Gameplay

Akito's main weapon against his foes is the ability to wield elemental spells with a single button press; you can shoot wind, fire and ice from your fingertips, while holding the cast button will perform a more powerful attack that can do some serious damage. 

The “karate meets magic” combat is flashy, but surprisingly simplistic, and your arsenal barely evolves over the course of the game. You unlock all your elemental powers within the first hour or so, which makes enemy encounters feel a tad repetitive towards the end of the main campaign. However, casting spells feels novel enough that the combat just about holds your attention throughout. 

The enemies you’re up against are sinister invading spirits known as Visitors. These foes can be quite aggressive, and while Ghostwire: Tokyo is by no means challenging in the Elden Rings sense, enemies can overwhelm you in numbers. Playing smart and keeping your distance is key to coming out of battles in one piece. A stealthy approach is also viable, but being sneaky isn’t especially enjoyable, thanks to enemy detection AI that is easy to exploit. 

Another key pillar of combat is the ability to rip an enemy’s core out of their body, although only once you’ve softened them up a bit. There’s no variety in how this sequence plays out each time, but it always feels highly satisfying, thanks in large part to the DualSense controller’s haptic feedback adding to the immersion. 

When you’re not battling spectral spirits, you’re free to explore the game’s scaled-back depiction of Tokyo. That's highly recommended, because the setting is the game’s true star, offering you a densely packed location that is a joy to aimlessly wander around. For narrative reasons, the city is entirely devoid of other humans, which creates a wonderfully eerie atmosphere. After a short prologue, you are given the freedom to tour Tokyo as you see fit and there’s plenty to keep you occupied. 

Within minutes, your map will be overflowing with icons and points of interest begging to be explored. Some of these distractions definitely feel like the standard open-world fluff you’ve probably experienced in countless other games. For example, you'll spend a lot of time cleansing gates to defog the map and absorbing lost spirits, which can be exchanged for XP/currency; both activities feel like exercises in checking a box. 

However, the game’s numerous side missions shine. Throughout the world you’ll find lost souls with unfinished business who ask for your assistance. These additional missions don’t try to compete for your attention with the main campaign but instead offer satisfying bite-sized adventures. Some of these can be completed in less than five minutes, and even the longest one I encountered didn’t take more than 20.

The most mundane of these jobs involve fighting a pack of standard enemies, but some tell genuinely touching stories. The best ones cast you as a paranormal investigator and ask you to comb through intricately detailed environments for hidden secrets. Because of their brevity, side quests work as a great palette cleanser when you want a temporary break from the main story. 

It’s a shame that the rewards for thoroughly exploring and completing side quests aren’t more substantial. Ghostwire: Tokyo does have a reasonably large upgrade tree but the vast majority of new skills are just minor stat boosts with no tangible impact on gameplay. There are no new powers or abilities to unlock, which feels like a missed opportunity. Instead you’ll spend your XP on upgrades that are technically useful but hardly noticeable. For example, one unlockable skill makes charging up a fireball a fraction of a second quicker.

In a sea of open-world games seemingly competing to offer the longest completion time possible, Ghostwire: Tokyo’s compactness feels refreshing. The main story can be blasted through in less than 15 hours, and even with plenty of optional activities undertaken you’ll reach the end within 30 hours. 

If you’re looking for an open-world game that doesn’t totally overwhelm you with more content than you could dream of completing, Ghostwire: Tokyo fits the bill nicely. 

Ghostwire: Tokyo review: Visuals and DualSense features

Ghostwire: Tokyo is another impressive showcase for the graphical power of the PS5. The city streets of Tokyo look almost photorealistic under the correct lighting, and defeated enemies explode into a shower of sparks — an effect that still wowed me even after a dozen hours. 

I was also impressed with how finely polished everything was. I didn’t run into a single technical issue of note, and only encountered a handful of minor bugs. Even with smaller open-world games you typically have to make allowances for some technical shortcomings, but in my experience Ghostwire: Tokyo is a rare exception.

The implementation of the many features of the PS5 DualSense controller is another highlight. The adaptive triggers make spell casting feel like a genuine effort, and the haptic feedback makes ripping out an enemy’s core feel satisfying every single time. It’s no exaggeration to say playing Ghostwire: Tokyo on an alternative controller would be doing the game a disservice.  

Ghostwire: Tokyo review: Verdict 

While Ghostwire: Tokyo is disappointingly unremarkable in the story department, its recreation of Tokyo begs to be explored and its slick combat remains consistently cinematic throughout. Its collection of gameplay mechanics and system are far from innovative, but everything blends together to create a cohesive package that is regularly greater than the sum of its parts. 

PlayStation gamers have already been treated to several heavy-hitters in 2022. While Horizon: Forbidden West and Gran Turismo 7 have hogged the spotlight, Ghostwire: Tokyo should not be overlooked. It might not quite stand up against the greatest exclusives that have already graced Sony’s next-gen console, but Ghostwire: Tokyo is another PS5 must-play. 

In a strange way, Ghostwire: Tokyo feels like the end of an era. Developed by Tango Gameworks and published by Bethesda, in the wake of Microsoft’s $7.5 billion purchase of Zenimax in 2020, there is a possibility that this will be the last Bethesda game to grace the PlayStation platform.   

In an even stranger twist, Ghostwire: Tokyo is actually launching exclusively on the PS5, due to a deal inked before Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda’s parent company. Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, has been pretty coy about the future of the publisher's games on PlayStation, but we do know that Bethesda's next flagship RPG, Starfield, will be an Xbox console exclusive. 

If Ghostwire: Tokyo is to be Bethesda's PlayStation swansong, the publisher appears to be going out on a high. Tom’s Guide has received early access to Ghostwire: Tokyo, and while we can’t share our full thoughts yet, we can give our initial impressions after around four hours of playtime. 

Based on the game’s first two chapters, Ghostwire: Tokyo is shaping up to be the next must-play PS5 exclusive. It definitely falls into some familiar open-world grooves. But its varied arsenal of paranormal powers, and a well-realized depiction of Tokyo, make for a compelling concoction that has us itching to play more. 

A paranormal playground 

Ghostwire: Tokyo is a radical departure from Tango Gameworks’ two previous survival/horror games, The Evil Within and its sequel. For starters, the camera perspective has shifted from third- to first-person. And while Ghostwire: Tokyo is certainly atmospheric, it’s not a horror game. 

Instead of wielding guns or sharp melee weapons, your arsenal in Ghostwire: Tokyo consists of elemental spells. With a single button press, you can shoot wind, fire, ice and more from your fingertips. The game’s combat system has a “karate meets magic” feel, and even after several hours of casting spells with a flick of your character’s wrist, it still feels highly satisfying. 

The enemies you face are sinister invading spirits known as Visitors. Once softened up, enemies enter a downed state, and you can finish them with a takedown move that involves ripping their core out in a shower of sparks. However, this is easier said than done. Enemies are aggressive and can easily overwhelm you in numbers. 

Instead of going all spells-blazing, you also have the option of stealth. Thinning groups of enemies with a few silent takedowns first is a wise move, as your paranormal abilities require a resource that isn’t always available in abundance. However, I found myself being sneaky more out of necessity than enjoyment, as the stealth mechanics are underwhelming, and the enemy detection AI is easy to exploit.

After a linear first chapter, which sets up the game’s core premise and main players, you drop into an open-world Tokyo and have free reign to explore. The central location of Tokyo appears to be the game’s biggest strength. I spent a surprisingly sizable chunk of my four hours with the game just wandering the streets and enjoying the sights. 

This eerie depiction of the Japanese capital is crammed full of points of interest and collectables. But there’s also a lot of the standard open-world fluff that you’ve probably done in plenty of other games, from corrupt zones filled with optional enemy encounters, to shrine gates that defog the map and act as fast travel points. Moments after unlocking my map, it was already overflowing with dozens of icons. 

There are also plenty of side quests to undertake in-between story missions. Lost souls with unfinished business will regularly ask for your help in return for XP and valuable currency. The most mundane of these jobs entail merely fighting a group of enemies, but some side quests cast you as a paranormal investigator and involve some highly-enjoyable detective work. 

From what I’ve played so far, Ghostwire: Tokyo does a fantastic job of balancing cinematic moments and consistently engaging combat with a visually impressive open world that begs to be explored. There’s an awful lot to like about that mixture. But if there’s one area that doesn't quite measure up yet, it's the story. 

Where did everyone go?  

Ghostwire: Tokyo wastes no time throwing you straight into the thick of things. The opening cutscene sets the stage at a breakneck pace. The citizens of Tokyo have mysteriously vanished. The city is being overrun with sinister spirits, and blanketed in a thick — not to mention deadly — fog. 

You play as Akito, a man possessed by the spirit of a former police officer known as KK. Together, you set out on a journey to unravel the truth behind these strange events, and also to stop a group wearing Hannya masks, who seem to be connected to proceedings. 

The game quickly adds some personal stakes for Akito, as his sister is also wrapped up in the mystery. There may also be more to KK’s backstory than he lets on. Frustratingly, in its first two chapters Ghostwire is practically obsessed with setting up new mysteries, to the point of slowing down the story’s pacing with endless cryptic teasing. 

Akito and KK instantly form a sort of buddy-cop duo, but their interplay is fairly forced, and the former seems oddly unphased by his home getting overrun with literal ghosts. At least the game has a pleasing comedy streak that will keep you engaged. For example, the item shops dotted around the city are manned by levitating cats that spout puns. 

Of course, two chapters is not a large enough sample size to definitively judge a game’s story, and there could be some engaging wrinkles just around the corner. However, based on what I’ve played so far, Ghostwire: Tokyo is definitely more gripping from a gameplay perspective than a narrative one. 

We’ll be able to give our final Ghostwire: Tokyo verdict soon, but so far it seems set to continue the PS5’s impressive streak of must-play exclusives in 2022. Let’s just hope the narrative pacing picks up, pronto.  

Update: Starfield is drawing inspiration from NASA — and that's super-exciting.

It appears that Bethesda’s long-awaited sequel The Elder Scrolls VI is still in pre-production nearly four years after its initial reveal.

Thanks to information listed on a Bethesda HR employee’s LinkedIn profile, as reported by our sister-site GamesRadar+, we can be fairly confident that The Elder Scrolls VI is still in pre-production. The sentence that spills the beans sits at the bottom of the employee’s explanation for their job at Bethesda. It states that the company is hard at work on Starfield, its brand-new sci-fi IP launching later this year, and is currently in pre-production phase of The Elder Scrolls VI.

Originally revealed via a short cinematic trailer at E3 2018, The Elder Scrolls VI is the next planned installment in the decades-old franchise and would be the first mainline entry in the series since 2011’s immensely popular The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. In the years since Skyrim’s release, it has received a myriad of ports and remasters for newer platforms, while spin-off titles like The Elder Scrolls Online and The Elder Scrolls: Blades have helped somewhat with keeping series fans busy. But nothing seems to be able to stop people from speculating on when we may see the sixth mainline game release.

Of course, Bethesda’s hard work on Starfield ahead of its November 2022 launch certainly helps explain why the team would still be in the early stages of production on The Elder Scrolls VI. Additionally, creative director Todd Howard’s comments about the series have made it no secret that there would be a rather large gap between the mainline installments.

Speaking to IGN late last year, Howard stated that "it’s going to be roughly, probably, 15 years between Elder Scrolls games." Given Skyrim’s 2011 release, this would mean The Elder Scrolls VI could see a release sometime in 2026 or 2027. If it’s still in pre-production, as this new information suggests, that definitely sounds like a plausible expectation.

Thanks to Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda last year, The Elder Scrolls VI is reportedly planned to be an Xbox and PC exclusive when it eventually launches.

Update: Starfield’s music could be its killer feature — hear it in action. 

There’s been a deluge of different sci-fi shows and movies over the past few years. From so-so enterprises like Netflix’s Star Trek Discovery, Another Life and Amazon’s Star Trek Picard, to stellar hits like Denis Villeneuve’s new Dune movie. But the standout sci-fi show for me has to be The Expanse. 

Based on the hard sci-fi — whereby gravity and the laws of physics really matter — writing of James S. A. Corey’s (actually the pen name of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck) Leviathan Wakes. The Expanse series made its debut in 2015 and won a cult fan following, thanks to its gritty realization of what life might be like if humanity managed to travel to the farthest reaches of the Solar System, yet didn't have the more traditional sci-fi tropes of faster-than-light travel or teleporters. 

Rather than breeze around in futuristic onesies like the crew of the USS Enterprise, space-faring folks in The Expanse are clad in magnetic boots to stop them floating around in weightlessness. And when a spaceship like The Expanse’s hero craft, the Rocinante, engages its Epstein drive, the crew is injected with a cocktail of drugs shot into them to negate some of the dangerous effects of high-G "burns." 

While this hits home the grim realities of space travel, it makes for interesting ship designs and maneuvers, as well as a deep plot of intrigue based around different factions fighting for status, resources, power and survival across the solar system. Yet, there’s also an alien element that feels seriously mysterious and otherworldly, that other sci-fi properties have, arguably, failed to convey. 

As such, I’m a huge fan of the series, which is why I’m excited that Bethesda's Starfield has a whiff of The Expanse about it. 

While The Expanse could make for a great game setting, I don't foresee any developers getting the licenses to do so, especially as the upcoming season of The Expanse will be its last. But going by Bethesda’s new Into the Starfield: The Endless Pursuit video, we might get a heady swirl of Skyrim exploration mixed in with a realistic sci-fi setting, which tickles my gaming fancy. 

While the new video mostly features Bethesda boss Todd Howard and fellow developers discussing how they are approaching Starfield in terms of it being similar to Skyrim in scope, but grounded in more realism, a few new screenshots/artwork were showcased. 

Take the screenshot below; it shows off an interior of what appears to be a spaceship. Rather than it being slathered in holographic displays and hissing sliding doors, it looks brutally functional. 

Webbing is used to hold things in place, not some buzzing force field. And the walls are stuffed with details such as storage units, showing how in space, nobody has space to waste. I love the Normandy as a ship to explore in between mission in Mass Effect Legendary Edition, but this shot suggests there'll be masses of things to pour over in Starfield’s ships. 

Flip over to the exterior and the below shot of a spaceship doesn't show of a sleek saucer or sharply angled craft, but rather one that could have been conceivable cooked up by both NASA and the ship designers of The Expanse.

It looks like function over form has been employed here, showing that spaceships need to be engineered to handle the rigors of space, not simply look cool when slipping between gas giants.

Again, this looks like a ship I would spend ages staring at in-game, sucking in all the details. 

And in someway’s, that’s very much what I did with Skyrim. Only rather than pour over paneling and piping, I was drawn to the clusters of books, pots, goblets and other gubbins in the halls of various Jarls.

Another similarity to Skyrim can be seen in this final fresh screenshot above, in which a ship is framed against a sunset. 

Skyrim has many a captivating sunset; it looked stunning back in 2011 and still rather good today. And I lost hours simply positioning my character's gaze so that I could then snap the perfect screenshot of a land bathed in the ruddy orange of a sinking sun.

And thanks to Amazon taking over The Expanse’s production and stopping it from being caned by SyFy, it also has some stunning visual flair and the odd captivating sunset; it’s space battles look epic too. 

In short, Starfield may, and I stress may as we’ve not seen any proper game footage, be a heady mix of Expanse-inspired hard sci-fi and Skyrim exploration. If this is the case then, Nov. 22 of 2022 is set to be a very good time for me and fellow sci-fi fans; well, providing they can find an Xbox Series X restock. 

Update: A new Starfield behind-the-scenes has shown off robot companion Vasco, and it could be the antidote to Skyrim's dull companions.

Bethesda has released a fresh Starfield trailer that gives us further information about the game’s sci-fi world and showcases a range of concept art alongside a very brief snippet of gameplay. 

The trailer runs only a minute and a half in length but is surprisingly dense with details. Narrated by the game’s design director, Emil Pagliarulo, it introduces us to The Settled Systems. This is an area of space located approximately 50 light-years from our own Solar System and is Starfield’s primary setting. 

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The game itself will take place in the year 2330, but the trailer reveals that just 20 years earlier The Settled Systems was not so peaceful. During this time two factions, the United Colonies and The Freestar Collective, were engaged in a bloody war for control of the system.  

However, there is now an uneasy peace between the two groups. Don’t be surprised if that peace gets slightly fractured during the course of Starfield’s main campaign. It’s not just these two groups you’ll encounter, other threats within The Settled Systems include mercenaries, space pirates, thuggish spacers, and religious zealots. 

While the trailer is comprised primarily of some rather beautiful concept art showing off everything from a seedy underworld to a high-tech metropolis, there is also a brief snippet of gameplay at the very end. These few seconds of footage shows off a rocket preparing for lift-off, and unfortunately nothing else. 

Starfield will be Bethesda Game Studios’ first new original RPG in 25 years after the company spent the last two decades working on The Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchises. It’s also the first effort from the development studio since it was purchased by Microsoft in 2020. Because of that acquisition, it will be exclusive to the Xbox Series X on console, with PS5 players set to miss out. 

The game is currently scheduled to launch on November 11, 2022, which gives you plenty of time to hunt down an Xbox Series X restock before then. It’s also been confirmed that the RPG will be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch.

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Look out, PC gamers — new malware is going after your Steam, Epic Games, EA Origin, Bethesda and GOG accounts.

The malware, dubbed "BloodyStealer" by its discoverers at Kaspersky, swipes session cookies, passwords and credit cards, takes screenshots, profiles infected PCs and tries to hide from antivirus software. 

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It's active in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America, but like a lot of malware, it won't function on computers in Russia or other former Soviet republics.

"Gaming accounts are clearly hunted by cybercriminals, so if you want to enjoy gaming peacefully and not worry that your in-game credit or accounts will be gone, make sure you protect your account through two-factor authentication and use a reliable security solution to protect your devices," said Kaspersky security researcher Dmitry Galov .

Stolen accounts for online gaming platforms can be sold on the black market, often packaged in bundles. Even session cookies that provide only temporary access to other people's games are worth something.

Would-be bad guys can "subscribe" to BloodyStealer for about $10 per month, or can get a lifetime license for $40. (Malware coders often use subscription models to distribute their wares to criminals, sometimes with tech support built in.)

It's up to the subscribers to package and deliver the malware to victims. The infection vectors may vary, but often come in the form of pirated games, license-code "cracks" or even software updates.

How to avoid BloodyStealer

To avoid being infected by BloodyStealer or similar malware, don't download pirated or cracked games, be wary of links inside game chats, install and run some of the best Windows 10 antivirus software — and scan whatever you download with that antivirus software before you run the installation process.

To avoid having your online gaming account stolen by any means, use two-factor authentication (2FA) as indicated above — here's how to set up 2FA on Epic Games — log out of game accounts when you're not using them, and use one of the best password managers to generate strong, unique passwords and "remember" them all.

"BloodyStealer is a prime example of an advanced tool used by cybercriminals to penetrate the gaming market," wrote Galov and fellow Kaspersky researchers Leonid Bezvershenko and Marc Rivero in a technical report.   With its efficient anti-detection techniques and attractive pricing, it is sure to be seen in combination with other malware families soon."

Update: Starfield is drawing inspiration from NASA — and that's super-exciting.

We haven't heard much about Starfield since the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase at E3 2021. However, fans have spotted three unlisted videos posted on the Bethesda Software YouTube channel that seemingly revealed the top three locations of the cosmic RPG. 

It appears that the three videos have been posted on August 4 and last less than a minute. However, the behind-the-scenes commentary narrated by Emil Pagliarulo, design director of Bethesda Game Studios, gives us a pretty good idea as to what to expect from the upcoming Xbox exclusive. 

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The videos provided details on three cities called Neon, New Atlantis, and Akila, with each location having its own distinctive features and an interesting backstory. The videos are unlisted, meaning you can only view them through a direct link and they won't appear on the Bethesda Software YouTube channel. 

However, according to IGN, Bethesda has now confirmed that the videos were shared with the members of "Constellation," a community club that anyone can sign up for in order to receive early updates and any new information about Starfield.

So let's break it down, what do we know about each of the locations so far. 

Starfield location: Neon

Described as "the pleasure city of Neon," this vibrant-looking urban area was initially built as a giant fishing platform "on a rather nondescript aquatic world" by the Xenofresh Corporation. The company later discovered a fish with "psychotropic" properties and realized that it could salvage the situation in a much more profitable way. The Xenofresh Corporation then developed a drug called "Aurora" and is apparently only legal on Neon. 

"People come from all over to experience it and everything else Neon has to offer," explained Pagliarulo. 

Starfield location: New Atlantis

Pagliarulo shared more information on another Starfield location, the spaceport of New Atlantis. It's the capital of the United Colonies (otherwise referred to as the U.C.), which Pagliarulo described as "the most powerful, established military and political faction in the game." 

The video only gives us a single snapshot of the city, with someone looking over the sights of the city while standing next to a spacecraft.

This Cyberpunk 2077-looking city "is a melting pot" with a diverse population that's "a true reflection of the future of our world."   

Starfield location: Akila

The third video revealed Akila City, the capital of the Freestar Collective, which consists of three star systems. According to Pagliarulo, Akila is populated by a diverse set of people who share a strong belief in personal freedom and individuality. 

If you look closely at the image, you'll be able to get a glimpse of a wall, which surrounds the entire city for a good reason. It protects its citizens from the deadly creatures called Ashta, described as "alien predators that are a cross between a wolf and a velociraptor."

More on Starfield

• Bethesda confirmed that Starfield will arrive on November 11, 2022
• The gameplay could be similar to the likes of Skyrim and Fallout 4
• It will likely follow an open-world and the choose-your-own adventure format
• Starfield will be an Xbox Series X/S and PC exclusive

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The new Forza Horizon 5 is coming to Xbox Series X and S on November 9, 2021, as confirmed during the Xbox and Bethesda showcase at this year’s E3 2021. As expected, the game will be an Xbox exclusive and will be available on Xbox Game Pass on launch day.

According to Mike Brown, Playground Game’s Principle Game Designer, Forza Horizon 5 will be the largest and "most beautiful Forza open-world game yet.” In order to faithfully recreate Mexico, Forza developers even captured 24-hour-long HDR footage of real-life Mexican landscapes to use as a foundation for its in-game environments. 

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The stunning in-game footage shows players cruising alone or with friends across a diverse selection of Mexican cities, beaches, deserts, canyons and rainforests. 

According to Brown, Forza Horizon 5 will see the introduction of Forza Link, a co-op assistant that will help players form co-op teams by sharing objectives and GPS directions during expeditions. 

Xbox’s E3 presentation also gave us a glimpse at some of the cars in the new game, including off-road dune buggies, the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE Forza edition and the iconic Mitsubishi Lancer.

Forza Horizon 5 will feature several different game modes, including a story campaign and a battle royale mode called “The Eliminator.” Additionally, players will be able to compete in a team-based game mode called Piñata Pop, where drivers must trample over as many piñatas as they can in a certain amount of time. 

Make sure to buckle in, because Playground Games also confirmed that Forza Horizon 5 will feature Stadium, a game mode that will allow players to design their own mini-games by altering rules and building their own custom maps using in-game assets. It seems to be a remix of a similar idea found in GTA Online.

Previously, we awarded Forza Horizon 4 a top-three spot in our best Xbox Series X games round-up, so we’d expect nothing less from Forza Horizon 5. In our Forza Horizon 4 review, we also gave it our Editor’s Choice badge, naming it “the best Xbox arcade racer.” 

And if you’re excited about other upcoming game announcements due to arrive in the coming days, make sure to take a look at the E3 2021 schedule that we’ve prepared for your convenience. 

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Update: A new teaser trailer for Starfield suggest it'll be a cross of Skyrim meets The Expanse.

Starfield, the next RPG from Bethesda the developers of Skyrim and Fallout 4, is reportedly set for a release date in 2022 and looks likely to be an Xbox Series X and PC exclusive. 

While the news that Starfield will most likely be exclusive to Xbox/PC has been predicted since Microsoft acquired ZeniMax (Bethesda’s parent company), several analysts had tipped the game for a release in 2021. That now looks very unlikely as a tweet from Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier has suggested the game will instead be a 2022 release.

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The news gets even worse for Xbox fans, as Schreier claims that the game is facing a launch in late 2022 rather than the first half of the year. While Starfield release date rumors have been flying around for a while, Schreier is one of the most reputable sources in the industry so there’s a strong possibility the game won’t be released until 2022.

At least the leak has been softened somewhat by Schreier also claiming that Bethesda plans to show off Starfield at E3 2021. This would be very welcome because beyond a vague teaser and a logo we basically know nothing about the game. Hopefully, next month’s E3 showcase brings actual gameplay and a confirmed release date.  

In a strange twist, if Starfield doesn’t launch this year then Bethesda’s output for 2021 will in fact be exclusive to the PS5, as both Deathloop and GhostWire: Tokyo (developed by Arkane and Tango Gameworks respectively, both games will be published by Bethesda) are timed exclusives on Sony’s console. That’s probably not quite how Microsoft envisaged its first year owning Bethesda would go. 

Starfield vacating this year would also mean that Xbox Series X is banking solely on Halo Infinite to fight the PS5 this holiday season. Sony has already released multiple exclusives this year, with more still to come including Horizon Forbidden West, so Starfield being pushed into 2022 is a real blow to the current Xbox software lineup. 

Perhaps by the time Starfield does release buying a next-gen console will actually be straightforward instead of the headache-inducing experience it currently is. If you’re still after a new gaming machine make sure to keep tabs on our Xbox Series X restock and PS5 restock guides, for the latest stock information as we get it. 

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Update: Starfield is drawing inspiration from NASA — and that's super-exciting.

Starfield is shrouded in mystery as well as an abundance of rumors, since nothing about the upcoming game has been officially confirmed yet. Nonetheless, recent leaks suggest that Microsoft may announce a release date some time later this year.

One of the leaks in question revealed what looks like a concept art of Bethesda's upcoming sci-fi game and has a lot of fans debating over the design including spaceships, smartwatches, and more. There was also speculation surrounding the alleged ad purchase for the game listed for 2021, which also hints at a sooner release date.

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The leaked concept art was initially spotted on the Starfield Reddit page, though the post was deleted quickly afterwards. However, at that point users had already taken it to Twitter to share the images, which were then circulated all across the Internet.

The photographs show what appear to be sketches of multiple assets that are expected to be featured in the upcoming game, including designs of a watch, a spaceship and some sort of solar system. However, it is unclear whether this design leaked from a reliable insider source or if it was simply a mockup. Fans are already coming up with theories as to what the designs could mean for the game. 

Microsoft buying ad time for Starfield

Prior to that, a rumor surrounding alleged ad purchases came afloat, after they were first mentioned by Sikamikanico, Spheshal Ed and Colt Eastwood during the Xbox Era podcast. Speshal Ed claimed that Microsoft has reportedly purchased ad time for Starfield to be circulated in 2021, speculating that the game's release might be some time soon. 

This isn't the first time we've heard about a 2021 release date. We've seen reports that Bethesda has reportedly filed a new copyright reservation for Starfield, which appears to be dated for 2021. 

Other than a short teaser for the game, Bethesda hasn't shared or confirmed anything since the initial announcement. However, there are plenty of other rumors surrounding the big release that are hard to ignore. But then again, the studio is known for not giving a lot of the details away prior to the official launch.

Starfield: An Xbox exclusive?

We've previously spotted rumors around Starfield being an Xbox exclusive and about it being included in the highly-praised Xbox Game Pass. Not so long ago, another podcast host Rand Al Thor shared the following:

"I've been told, by very reliable people, that Starfield [is] 100% an Xbox exclusive," the tipster said. "I'm really, really confident that Starfield is only releasing on Xbox when it does and I've been told as well that Microsoft is trying their hardest to get the game out for this holiday." 

This doesn't come as a big surprise since Bethesda was recently acquired by Microsoft following the purchase of ZeniMax Media.

The leaker also speculated that the studio is apparently wrapping up the game already: "The game's basically finished. It's in, like, bug-squashing mode right now, QA stuff very much like Halo Infinite. It would be a big boon for Game Pass and Xbox if they could both launch Halo and Starfield this fall."

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The Xbox Series X could get a killer exclusive game this year in the form of the highly-anticipated Starfield. 

At least that's what Xbox tipster and host of the Xbox Two podcast, Rand al Thor 19 claims he's heard from insider sources, and said: "Microsoft is trying its hardest to get the game out for this holiday."

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"I've been told, by very reliable people, that Starfield [is] 100% an Xbox exclusive," the tipster said. "I'm really, really confident that Starfield is only releasing on Xbox when it does and I've been told as well that Microsoft is trying their hardest to get the game out for this holiday." 

And apparently developer Bethesda, which Microsoft acquired by purchasing ZeniMax Media, has pretty much finished making the game.

"The game's basically finished. It's in, like, bug-squashing mode right now, QA stuff very much like Halo Infinite," said Rand al Thor 19, who speculated: "It would be a big boon for Game Pass and Xbox if they could both launch Halo and Starfield this fall." 

This isn't the first time we've heard that Starfield could launch in 2021. But if Rand al Thor 19's tip is accurate, then we have further credence that Starfield could arrive this year and be an Xbox or Xbox Game Pass exclusive.

Furthermore, Bethesda reportedly filed a new copyright reservation for Starfield, which appears to be dated for 2021. However, we can't celebrate until we hear an official confirmation from the studio itself.

Stellar Xbox Series X exclusive on the horizon

Since Microsoft acquired ZeniMax Media, there's been a lot of debating whether Bethesda's upcoming games will be Xbox/PC exclusives only. There's been no hard and fast confirmation that new Bethesda games will be Xbox and PC exclusives, but Xbox boss Phil Spencer has hinted heavily that some games will be kept for Xbox and Game Pass; not the best news for PS5 fans.  

Furthermore, Microsoft's VP Sarah Bond recently dropped a hint that Starfield will be a big exclusive for the Xbox ecosystem: "One of the things that has me most excited is seeing the roadmap with Bethesda’s future games coming to Xbox console and PC, including Starfield, the highly anticipated new space epic currently in development by Bethesda Game Studios."

Given the popularity of Bethesda games, having Starfield as an Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, as well as Windows 10 PC exclusive would give Microsoft a serious arrow in its gaming quiver.  

And Starfield could potentially be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to future Bethesda exclusives. There's a chance that The Elder Scrolls 6 could be an Xbox exclusive too, which would be one heck of a blow to the PS5 given the popularity of the Elder Scrolls games. 

However, time will tell on the exclusive game front, especially since Microsoft is keeping Deathloop, a game being developed by the Bethesda-owned Arkane Studios, as a timed PS5 exclusive. In short, 2021 could be an interesting year for the future landscape of games and platform exclusivity.  

Update: A new teaser trailer for Starfield suggest it'll be a cross of Skyrim meets The Expanse.

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In case you somehow missed it, Microsoft recently acquired Zenimax Media and the deal has sent out ripples in the gaming community. PS5 players are panicking over the news that future Bethesda titles will be Xbox Series X exclusives. But if we take a step back and look at the bigger picture, they're almost certainly getting worked up over nothing. 

Zenimax is the parent company of Bethesda, which is the studio that's home to hugely popular franchises like The Elder Scrolls and the Fallout series. Xbox boss Phil Spencer's statement in the wake of the deal plunged PS5 players into despair as he confirmed that news that yes, "some new titles in the future that will be exclusive to Xbox and PC players." 

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While this sounds like the death knell for the likes of Fallout, and The Elder Scrolls on Sony's consoles, it would make little sense in the context of Microsoft's ethos and strategy. Gamers who believe that they won't ever see their favorite games release outside of the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC are jumping the gun.  

Microsoft's Xbox masterplan

Ever since Phil Spencer took the helm at Xbox, Microsoft has managed to win over gamers. Spencer and his classic t-shirt and blazer combo has made us feel like we've got one of us in the boardroom, representing our interests in a sea of stuffy suits and corporate execs. 

His mantra is all about inclusivity. And before Fortnite forced Sony's hand on the topic of cross-platform play, he spoke candidly on Sony's stance at the time. "It doesn’t help the developer, and it doesn’t help the consumer, then it doesn’t feel like it helps grow gaming to me," he said.

Spencer has also been vocal on Sony's proclivity for exclusivity when it comes to PS5 games and what he thinks about nabbing exclusives for one particular platform. Back in 2017, he told GameSpot that he's staunchly against the idea. 

"People always knock me on this; I've been on record... I don't love the idea or practice of us paying so other platforms can't play or use a certain gun in a game or do a certain level." Spencer said. "I know I say that and, Xbox history — DLC exclusivity windows with Call of Duty — I understand the fingers are pointing right back to Xbox. I can only be who I am. It's not the best PR answer. But I don't like that."

Talking more specifically about console exclusives just before the Xbox Series X launched, Spencer told GamesIndustry.biz: "Our device is not the centre of our strategy, our game is not the centre of the strategy. We want to enable you to play the games you want to play, with the friends you want to play with, on any device. 

"On TV, the Xbox console is going to be the best way to play console games. Xbox Series X is the most powerful console out there and it will have absolutely the best versions of our console games. But that's not to exclude other people from being able to play." 

Spencer waxed lyrically explaining that gaming is about entertainment and community, and how exclusives are counter to what gaming is about. He also enthused that "gaming is bigger than any one device" and about the players and access to games. 

Just a few months later, news of the Zenimax deal broke. In an interview with Gamereactor, Spencer stressed his belief that platform exclusives provide short-term value, but he thinks the jury's out on how beneficial it is outside of generating hype. 

"From an exclusivity standpoint, they are great marketing vehicles and they can lead to some great games. But if we take a higher-level view, is gaming better if more people get to play more of the great games in our ecosystem? I think that is true," Spencer said. "And that is why we ship our game on Xbox, we ship our game on PC, and if you have an Android phone you can play our games too."

The Minecraft model

Minecraft is a great example of this. After Microsoft bought Mojang, it was still possible to play the game on Nintendo Switch, and PS4. But you can sign in to your Microsoft account on both platforms for benefits like cross-play. Furthermore, you can tie your in-game purchases to your account, so they carry over if you switch to a different device or platform to play the game on. 

In this instance, the game was already available on the platforms, and while there was pushback from Sony, which cited player safety as a reason to oppose cross-play, the company eventually relented. Microsoft got its way: PS4 players were free to sign in to their Microsoft account and link it to their PSN account. 

Paired with its historical stance on exclusives, and willingness to echo the sentiment expressed by gamers on subjects like cross-play, suddenly pulling a 180-degree turn would be bad for business. 

Phil Spencer has presented the image of someone invested in gamers' interest above arbitrary business decisions that would see segments of the community excluded from playing great Xbox games.

A question of time

But of course, profitability is a factor that can't be ignored, especially after sinking  $7.5 billion into buying Zenimax Media. 

The best way for Xbox to come out on top of the acquisition is timed exclusives, especially with beloved franchises that have released across platforms in the past. It's a 'higher-level view' in-line with Spencer's personal beliefs on how gaming should work.  

Moreover, Xbox Game Pass has been dubbed 'Netflix for games.' And while distribution rights vary drastically between industries, it's common practice to see series and films migrate between streaming services, even for original content. 

Game Pass is certainly revolutionary in bringing this format to gaming — just look at how Game Pass now has access to EA Play — and the streaming service-like approach is undoubtedly the future. Keeping titles exclusive to one platform forever is decidedly not. 

If Phil Spencer and Microsoft are as forward-thinking as they've led us to believe, PS5 players won't have anything to worry about. 

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Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda is now complete, which means that gamers should expect closer-than-ever collaboration between the two companies. We're still not sure whether future Bethesda titles will be Xbox-exclusive, or whether Bethesda will make games based on Microsoft licenses. 

But we do know that starting tomorrow (March 12), Xbox Game Pass will gain 20 classic Bethesda titles, from the original Doom, to the cult favorite Fallout: New Vegas, to the inventive shooter Prey.

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Information comes from the Xbox Wire blog, following up on an announcement earlier this week, in which Microsoft stated that a slew of Bethesda games would soon hit Xbox Game Pass. The final list looks like a pretty eclectic mix of older and newer fare:

• Dishonored Definitive Edition
• Dishonored 2
• Doom (1993)
• Doom II
• Doom 3
• Doom 64
• Doom Eternal
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
• The Elder Scrolls Online
• The Evil Within
• Fallout 4
• Fallout 76
• Fallout: New Vegas
• Prey
• Rage 2
• Wolfenstein: The New Order
• Wolfenstein: The Old Blood
• Wolfenstein: Youngblood

That's pretty much all there is to it. Xbox Game Pass just got a huge infusion of Bethesda titles, and you can play them starting tomorrow. Xbox Game Pass subscriptions cost up to $15 per month, but you can often get them for as little as $1 per month, thanks to various promotions. There are hundreds of games available on a rotating basis, from first-party Microsoft fare like Halo and Gears of War, to beloved third-party hits like the Yakuza series.

There's one additional piece of good news, and one additional piece of bad news. Sixteen of the 20 games are available not just on Xbox consoles, but also on PC and Android. (Consult the Xbox blog for full platform availability; it gets a little in the weeds, depending on what you want to play.)

The bad news, however, is that not every single one of these titles is a brand-new Game Pass entry. Fans have been able to play some of these games for months, including Doom Eternal, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Wolfenstein: Youngblood. Still, there's no reason why Bethesda couldn't roll out additional titles in the coming months — and of the 20 games listed, there's almost certainly one that you haven't played before.

There's definitely still some room for additional titles, however. In terms of the series listed above, Fallout 3 would be welcome, as would the first Rage, the Doom reboot and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. But there's also no reason why Bethesda has to dump its entire catalogue at once. Now that Microsoft owns Bethesda, it's doubtful that either company will stop supporting Xbox Game Pass anytime soon.