Xbox's next Starfield DLC was shown off behind closed doors recently — detailing big upgrades to space travel, a PS5 version, and more

Starfield was one of the most hyped-up games of its time, but for many, didn't live up to expectations.

Starfield was the first new IP from the legendary team behind Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 3 and 4. Led by Bethesda's Todd Howard, Starfield promised to bring the company's signature sandbox RPG gameplay to the vastness of the entire galaxy. It was also the first core Bethesda game published by Xbox since Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax.

Bethesda games have been notorious for their breadth, but for many, Starfield might've bitten off a little more than it could chew. The game's engine didn't really gel well with the space travel systems Bethesda envisioned for the game. The abundance of loading screens between planetary hops marred the experience. Many felt that the vastness of the play space made finding high-quality hand-crafted content a little sparse to find.

The game's first DLC, Shattered Space, also didn't live up to expectations for many either, who were hoping for an overhaul of some of the game's key systems and features to coincide with extra story content. As such, Bethesda fans have been waiting with baited breath to hear from Bethesda on what the future might hold for Starfield.

Last March, Bethesda began teasing the future of Starfield, before essentially going radio silent. The team behind Starfield did ship some updates to the game throughout the year, but it was hardly inline with the previous teases on X. Last September, Tim Lamb of Bethesda continued the Starfield teases saying "I can't go into all the details just yet, but I will say, part of the team has been focused on space gameplay to make the travels there more rewarding. We're also adding some new game systems and a few other smaller delights."

It seems we shouldn't have to wait much longer to find out more. I saw a post from @LukeStephens on X that crystalized rumors I'd been hearing that Bethesda recently held an event behind closed doors to showcase some of its plans for Starfield. I've spoken to a few people with first and second hand knowledge to try and catch a glimpse at what we can expect.

As rumored, it seems that Starfield will break free of its loading-screen heavy space flight systems. Space flight will now feel more free-form and continuous if the rumors are accurate, and various other systems pertaining to space travel and exploration will be improved as well. Creation Engine has reportedly undergone some large technical improvements to facilitate some of these types of systems, that will also carry forward to future games.

For those wondering if Bethesda was going to join Oblivion Remake and make the switch to Unreal Engine, it seems that Creation Engine upgrades will remain the focus, at least for Starfield.

Also, Starfield will not only be getting its PlayStation 5 version in 2026, but also a Nintendo Switch 2 version on top. The game has already undergone some optimizations for "low power" devices like handhelds, so hopefully it'll be a good experience on the Nintendo Switch 2 as well.

Some of my sources have suggested that the expansion for Starfield was previously planned for 2025, but Microsoft's busy holiday period coupled with the delay of Grand Theft Auto 6 made them feel more comfortable to drop it in the first half of 2026 instead. Although, others such as @DetectiveSeeds on X have reported that the updates will come later in 2026.

Indeed, I've heard some conflicting opinions on some of these Starfield rumors, so it's worth taking them with a pinch of salt. One conflict pertains to the scale of the upgrade, too. Some of my sources have sought to downplay how much of an overhaul it could be, shying away from claims that it will be a "Cyberpunk 2.0 moment" for the game. Others who attended the event, reportedly led by Todd Howard himself, were far more upbeat about the content being offered.

It seems that the Starfield expansion, possibly teased as "Terran Armada," might continue to divide opinions.

Starfield doesn't really need a "Cyberpunk 2.0" moment

I really enjoyed Starfield, and while it didn't have the staying power of Skyrim or Fallout 3 or 4 for me, it was a more than capable sandbox RPG that had plenty of grand moments to discover among its vast stars. It never needed a "Cyberpunk 2.0 moment," but there are a lot of things that could elevate Starfield with more time and investment.

In a lot of ways, Starfield feels like it has vast amounts of untapped potential. Its lore and world building has solid foundations, and the scale of the game's ambition is undeniable — on a scale more typical of MMORPGs or multiplayer games. I think the lack of density is what primarily hurt the game, and the sense that its points of interest (POIs) were too few in number and variation.

Fighting through large mercenary camps only to find nothing useful gets tiring after a while. I can appreciate human facilities being pre-fabricated 3D-printing sci-fi style, but it's a little jarring when entire natural cave systems feel identical despite being at opposite ends of the galaxy.

I'm still investigating the finer details of what the future holds for Starfield, and will be sure to share once I find out more. Tim Lamb teased a variety of new "gameplay systems and smaller delights" to go along with Starfield's next big update, which unfortunately missed its 2025 window. Hopefully that means improvements to the variety on offer in general exploration, and maybe enhancements to itemization and things like that. As soon as I learn more, I will let you know.

I'm told that Bethesda is quite stretched attempting to capitalize on the massive success of the Fallout TV show across multiple existing and future projects, while also building Elder Scrolls 6 — leaving less room for Starfield. If true, when DLC 2 emerges for Starfield, hopefully it'll be a good send off for what ended up being one of this generation's most polarizing games.

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