Summary
True to its core as a Bethesda sandbox title,Starfieldwill allow modders to fundamentally expand on the base game by even allowing them to add new planets to its numerous star systems.Starfieldruns on Creation Engine 2, the spiritual successor to the engine that powersSkyrim’s unprecedented modding scene, and though it will no doubt have its share of quirks, theStarfieldDirect deep dive presentation showed an impressive graphical and technical leap compared to Creation Engine titles such asFallout 4.
The baseline experience forStarfieldwill feature over thousands of planets, albeit only 10% of them will be habitable. Though it will have hundreds of hours of handcrafted content,Starfieldis set to utilize procedural generation on a more ambitious scale when compared to previous Bethesda titles. These planets with procedurally generated zones will no doubt offer some variety to players at launch, but one might argue that they’d also be ripe for the modding scene (or official DLC) to transform them into something special.
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In a recent Gamescom interview shared on Twitter by Darrius Fears, Pete Hines confirmed that modders will not only have access to tools to make new quests and stories, but also new planets altogether. The ability to create new planets from scratch, either by utilizingStarfield’s procedural generation tools or by doing things the old-fashioned way, opens up some incredible possibilities for total conversion mods. There’s little doubt thatMass Effectfans will want to recreate some of the franchise’s most iconic locations withinStarfield, and the powerful features coming with Creation Engine 2 could make that ambitious undertaking possible.
Given the sheer amount of content coming at launch, includingStarfield’s Shattered Space DLC, the game’s modding scene could end up supporting the game on an even bigger level thanSkyrim. For many modders, it’s a fresh start, and a blank canvas to fill on a completely new engine with a modern Creation Kit. Though it remains to be seen howStarfieldmods will work within its Creation Club, players will likely stick to Nexus Mods as the main provider of modded content.
WithThe Elder Scrolls 6also being built on the Creation Engine 2,Starfieldmodders will have a major headstart when the long-anticipated sequel toSkyrimcomes out. Todd Howard sharedhis ambition forThe Elder Scrolls 6as the ultimate fantasy simulator – a counterpart toStarfield’s own vision for sci-fi. Though it remains to be seen ifStarfieldwill meet its immense expectations, the early reactions have all been largely positive.
Starfieldwill be available for PC and Xbox Series X|S on July 01, 2025.
