Exploring the Cosmos: Starfield’s Year-End Update and How You Can Test Updates Early

In a bid to salvage its reputation after a lukewarm reception, Bethesda Game Studios is gearing up to revamp Starfield, the much-anticipated open-universe RPG that marked the company’s first original franchise in 25 years. Despite initial criticism of long loading screens, empty worlds, and outdated animations, Starfield has emerged as the largest launch in Bethesda’s history, with over 13 million players exploring the cosmos since its September release.

The game’s developer recently shared a year-end update on its website, celebrating the success of Starfield and revealing plans for ongoing improvements in 2024. Bethesda Game Studios intends to release updates every six weeks, promising a mix of quality-of-life enhancements and substantial content and feature updates.

Among the upcoming improvements are new travel options, the ability to access city maps while exploring major cities, and an expanded ship customization system. Players can also expect new settings for carry capacity, cargo access distance, ship damage, and survival mechanics. Bethesda emphasizes the introduction of “official mod support” for Starfield with the launch of Creations, offering players the opportunity to customize their gaming experience.

How to Access Starfield Updates Early

For eager players who can’t wait until February, Bethesda is offering a unique opportunity for PC players on the Steam platform. By following a few simple steps, users can gain access to beta versions of updates before they are officially released:

1. Buy or own a copy of Starfield on Steam (currently on sale).
2. Locate Starfield in your Steam library and right-click on the game.
3. Click on “Properties” > “Betas” and select “beta – Beta” (subject to change) from the Beta Participation drop-down menu.

By completing these steps, players can receive beta versions of Starfield updates as soon as they become available. While these versions may be slightly buggier, participating in the beta provides a unique opportunity to test and experience new features before the wider player base.