Over a year after launch, Bethesda Game Studios’ Starfield received its first paid expansion in Shattered Space. However, it’s received some backlash following mixed reactions from critics (we gave it a 6 out of 10) and a “Mostly Negative” response from Steam players.
A recent interview by Bethesda design director Emil Pagliarulo also riled some people up when he called Starfield the team’s “best game” in many ways (the full context is worth reading here). He has since responded on Twitter to a fan regarding the same.
“As the design director, sometimes I’m asked or instructed to do interviews. I was happy to do that, to represent the designers and the studio. Seeing how hard and passionately they worked on Shattered Space, they deserved nothing less.”
And while “optimism and excitement are pretty standard for interviews,” Pagliarulo said this isn’t any way “meant to be mud in the eye of any dissatisfied fan. That’s not how it works.” Regarding criticism for the expansion, he said, “If folks have played Shattered Space and still don’t like it, that makes me sad, honestly. Just know that we’ve also been hearing from plenty of people who love it.
“Maybe, it’s a game of expectations. Fans want a lot, and we do all we can to accommodate them. Here’s what I can tell you – nobody, and I mean nobody, at Bethesda is patting themselves on the back while ignoring our players.” As for the near future, the developer will continue to release fixes and address concerns while “listening to our fans every step of the way. We make these games for all of you.”
Of course, Pagliarulo notes that some fixes can take time due to the game’s size, where “every fix could potentially break something else.” “To close, let me just say… I love games. I love Bethesda’s games. I’ve been playing them since the Terminator days. All I or anyone here wants to do is make those games…and then make them better. No ego. No arrogance. Just a lot of hard work and appreciation of our fans.”
Starfield: Shattered Space is available for PC and Xbox Series X/S. Bethesda’s Todd Howard has confirmed second expansion is in the works, rumored to be called “Starborn“ and launching in 2025.
The development team is targeting yearly expansions, though a roadmap for post-Shattered Space improvements and content has yet to be revealed. Stay tuned for updates in the meantime.