Bethesda debuts three Starfield animated shorts exploring the Settled Systems

Starfield animated short spaceship
(Image credit: Bethesda Softworks)

What you need to know

  • Bethesda Softworks shared a trio of animated shorts set to promote Starfield, the upcoming role-playing game from Bethesda Game Studios. 
  • These three animated shorts tell three stories set across the Settled Systems of Akila City, Neon, and New Atlantis.
  • Starfield is scheduled to launch on Sep. 6, 2023 exclusively on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC, 
  • Anyone that buys the Premium Edition or plays through Xbox Game Pass with the Premium Upgrade can play starting on Sep. 1, 2023. 

The next big game from Bethesda Game Studios isn't here just yet, but there's more to learn about the worlds you'll be exploring. 

Bethesda Softworks shared a trio of animated short videos for Starfield on Tuesday, telling new stories in the game's setting of the Settled Systems. The three shorts are only a couple of minutes long each, but tell quick stories about the kinds of people that inhabit this world of the far future. You can check out all three videos below:

Supra Et Ultra follows the story of a pilot named Kent who hopes to leave the capital of New Atlantis and pursue dreams elsewhere in the stars.

Where Hope is Built is all about Vanna, an orphan on Akila working to repair a broken spaceship.

The Hand that Feeds follows Ada and Harper on the streets of Neon, a pleasure world. 

Starfield is slated to launch on Sep. 6, 2023, exclusively on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC. Like all Xbox first-party games, it'll be available day one on Xbox Game Pass.

Windows Central's take

I always love this kind of supplementary stuff around a game's launch. None of these videos are long, but getting these animated glimpses at other stories in this world is exciting, and it makes me curious just what I'll find when I start playing. 

This makes me wonder if we could get an official Starfield anime sometime after the game launches, similar to how Cyberpunk 2077 was followed by the acclaimed Edgerunners series on Netflix.

Starfield Premium Edition

Starfield Premium Edition

The Premium Edition of Starfield includes bonuses alongside the main game, and you're guaranteed access to the first story expansion when it arrives. If that's not enough, you can also start playing five days early.

Buy at: Xbox | Steam (GMG)

Samuel Tolbert
Freelance Writer

Samuel Tolbert is a freelance writer covering gaming news, previews, reviews, interviews and different aspects of the gaming industry, specifically focusing on Xbox and PC gaming on Windows Central. You can find him on Twitter @SamuelTolbert.