Starfield is the next RPG from Bethesda Game Studios, the team behind The Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchises. Both of those series have gained online components in recent times, leaving many wondering if Starfield multiplayer will follow suit. So, is there co-op and PvP support? Here’s the latest, straight from Bethesda’s Todd Howard.
Does Starfield have competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes?
Best known for singleplayer games like Skyrim and Fallout 4, more recently, Bethesda has dipped its toe into online multiplayer. The Elder Scrolls: Online and Fallout 76 might not be the most beloved entries in their respective series, but, as of right now, they’re the titles being actively supported. Could that signal a change in the studios’ approach? Is Starfield an online multiplayer game or a singleplayer title, like the Bethesda Game Studios classics?
Starfield does not feature any form of multiplayer; the game has no PvP or co-op support. Bethesda’s Todd Howard confirmed that Starfield is an entirely singleplayer game during a recent interview.
Howard appeared in a Develop: Brighton Digital 2020 interview, confirming that Starfield is a completely solo experience. Fans have been welcoming of the news so far, likely due to the lackluster launch state of Fallout 76. Although the online Fallout game has largely managed to right the ship with post-launch support, pockets of the community are still left with a sour taste in their mouths.
While the sci-fi RPG will debut as a singleplayer title, it’s possible that Bethesda will expand the Starfield series into multiplayer territory moving forward. That’s a pattern seen with both The Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchises in the past, though, of course, it’s only possible to speculate for now. With Microsoft now helming Bethesda, however, it’s hard to guess what direction any future projects might take.
Microsoft’s Bethesda acquisition cost more than Disney paid for Star Wars and Marvel. Hopefully, the lack of Starfield PvP and co-op multiplayer won’t have a negative impact on the game and, by extension, that pricey buyout.
With Starfield hitting next-gen platforms, get an early look at the PS5 and Xbox Series X hardware ahead of their launches later this month.
