After months of rumours, Bethesda has confirmed that Starfield is officially coming to PS5 on April 7. The open-world sci-fi RPG originally debuted on Xbox Series X/S and PC in September 2023.
The PS5 version will be priced at $66.99 and include all of the quality-of-life updates that have been added to the game since that initial launch, including improved surface maps, the REV-8 land vehicle for planetary exploration, Creations mods and more. The PlayStation port will also support unique DualSense controller features like the adaptive triggers, touch pad and light bar, as well as modes to enhance either visuals or frame rate on PS5 Pro. However, DLC like the Shattered Space expansion will have to be purchased separately, unless you pay extra for one of the premium editions.
Also dropping on April 7 is a major Free Lanes update coming to all versions of the game. Perhaps the biggest change is the new ability to freely fly between planets, which was one of the major criticisms of the game at launch. Various POIs will also pop up as you fly. Outside of the free flying, the update includes deeper customization options, new collectibles, new sidequests, the addition of fan-favourite NPC Muria Siarkiewicz as a Crew member and more.
All in all, it seems like a pretty extensive overhaul on top of all of the other updates that have come to the game, so it will be interesting to see what impact, if any, they have. When Starfield originally launched, it garnered generally positive reviews, although its narrative and segmented, loading screen-heavy exploration were also criticized. Ultimately, it didn’t seem to be the Skyrim- or Fallout-level hit that Bethesda would have hoped for its first new IP in decades.
But of course, it was also limited to Xbox consoles and PC, and so this new PS5 version will greatly expand the potential audience. It’s also just amusing to consider this game is coming to PS5 because Xbox actually acquired Bethesda after hearing that Starfield was once set to be a PlayStation exclusive. Now, it’s all come full circle.
Of course, this is just the latest in a growing line of Xbox games that have come to PS5, including Forza Horizon 5, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Sea of Thieves, Gears of War: Reloaded and, later this year, even Halo: Campaign Evolved.
Image credit: Bethesda
