Bethesda's first new IP in decades, Starfield, launches in September, but unreleased gameplay footage is already making the rounds. However, after sharing almost an hour of Starfield's opening scenes weeks before launch, it seems the source was arrested.

The debacle began at the start of the week when said leaker posted low-quality videos of himself playing Starfield. Most of the original uploads are no longer available. YouTube's takedowns cite copyright claims by ZeniMax Media, Bethesda's parent company, and removed within hours of going live early on August 22.

However, this didn't seem to dissuade the original uploader. Additional videos later followed featuring himself with several copies of Starfield for sale ahead of the official release date. The original uploads are gone, but other users reposted some of the videos. One line in particular, "Todd, no offense man, that's a good game," seems to have endeared itself already as new internet lingo.

https://twitter.com/Mr_Rebs_/status/1694124414416060459

Naturally, Starfield leaks drew quite a few critical looks. Many of them grew suspicious as the leaker listed copies of Starfield, along with several other items, on the online store Mercari (where his profile seems to have since been deleted). In a bid to prove authenticity, he posted additional videos of himself sending sealed copies of the game to buyers via FedEx.

Not long after, a record of what appears to be the leaker's arrest emerged via Recently Booked and the Shelby County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Office site, as reported by Kotaku. Booked as 29-year-old Darin Harris, his charges include two theft of property counts - one felony and a misdemeanor. At the moment, there's no official word linking the leaks and charges. However, the person behind them did not seem to conceal their identity.

If they are related, it wouldn't be the first time crimes involving big publishers landed someone in legal trouble. In 2022, a 17-year-old was arrested in the UK for a hacking spree and GTA 6 leaks. HoYoVerse has also pursued individuals over Genshin Impact leaks, seeking information to obtain identifying information through Discord subpoenas.

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Among all this Starfield talk, it's easy to forget that The Elder Scrolls 6 is even a thing (maybe). It's been five years since we were treated to a brief tease of the next installment in Bethesda's flagship series, and the face of the studio seems to regret being too hasty with things.

In a recent interview with GQ, Mr. Skyrim himself, Todd Howard, says he me have been a bit too quick to announce TES6, adding, "I probably would've announced it more casually."

https://youtu.be/OkFdqqyI8y4

Of course, the interviewer asks whether Howard can divulge any further details about The Elder Scrolls 6. Naturally, the director isn't saying anything, though he does say that the upcoming RPG does have a codename. He also says that he and the team want the next TES game to "fill that role of the ultimate fantasy-world simulator."

So when is it co-

When's it coming out, I hear you ask? Again, nobody can really say. As a sidenote, Howard does make a comment about how he wants to keep making games, with no plans to retire any time soon. He even likens his career path to Nintendo's own Shigeru Miyamoto, who's now in his early 70s.

It's at this point that the GQ interviewer offers their own speculation, saying that The Elder Scrolls 6 may not be out until Todd Howard reaches 60. Given that his Wikipedia page has him down as being either 52 or 53, this means TES6 might still be a good seven or eight years off.

Obviously, that's just speculation. Although recent rumors suggest the long-awaited follow-up to Skyrim might be at least five years away. In any case, Bethesda definitely seemed to have done itself a disservice by announcing it so soon.

The post Todd Howard wishes he’d announced Elder Scrolls 6 ‘more casually’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Forget Starfield. Let's play something more old school instead. How about The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind? That's a classic Bethesda title, and it's still having mods made for it. But if you want a mix of the two, then we've got you covered on that front.

Before you take to the skies in Starfield, feel free to check out AnyOldName3's contribution to the current trend. Over on Nexus Mods, you'll find a small download for Morrowind that implements the contentious Starfield main menu screen.

[caption id="attachment_398649" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Image via AnyOldName3/Nexus Mods.[/caption]

That's right, the Starfield menu that has caused an uproar can be a part of one of the best role-playing games of a bygone era. And all before Bethesda's new sci-fi game even hits the shelves.

Shitpost modding is still modding

AnyOldName3's mod is a simple affair, replacing Morrowind's menu screen with Starfield's. If you do want to download it (just for shits and giggles, I guess), you will need OpenMW, as it only works though that.

That's basically all this mod does. As far as we can tell, it's still the same old Elder Scrolls 3. If you want to fundamentally improve or alter Morrowind in any way that's gameplay worthy, there are mods galore for that sort of thing.

As for Starfield, we are inching ever closer to its release date. By now, you've probably heard just about everything there is to know about Bethesda's brand-new IP. But in case you've forgotten, the game will be releasing on September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X|S.

The post Starfield’s contentious main menu screen comes to Morrowind appeared first on Destructoid.

As of writing, Starfield is just two weeks away from release. Will the long wait finally pay off? We don't know, but until we get our collective hands on it, you can scope out this new live action trailer for Bethesda's upcoming sci-fi RPG.

Accompanied by a more "floaty" and orchestral version of Elton John's "Rocket Man" (because of course), the footage shows a heroic-looking astronaut who gifts a young girl a badge bearing the Starfield logo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek3I6_9c58E

He then jettisons off into space, flying among the cosmos, hope and awe in his eyes. Then some brief pew-pew-pew-ing before he finds himself touching grass (or...dust, in this case) on a new planet.

I would have chosen Babylon Zoo's "Spaceman," personally

As if Starfield needed any more hype. This is Bethesda's newest IP in 25 years, and it's easily one of the most anticipated video games of this generation. While there's already been some criticism towards the game's main menu, many are excited about Starfield.

Still, this live action trailer does have a certain "epic" quality about it, if you'll pardon the cliché. If nothing else, it gives Microsoft a chance to flex its Big Budget muscles.

If, for some reason, you haven't committed the date to memory, Starfield will be launching on September 6 for Xbox Series X|S exclusive and PC.

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Fallout 76 is gearing up for Season 14, and every time that number gets bigger I just can't believe it. It feels like just yesterday that the disastrous launch took the world by storm, followed by subsequent promises of NPCs and an even bigger focus on microtransactions. But all of that is in the rearview (well, except the microtransactions!), and we're so far removed from that launch mess that it's not even funny. Here's a quick look at what's coming to Season 14.

Here's the full rundown from Bethesda on what to expect for Season 14

The team will continue to drop updates throughout the season, but the big focus right now is on the "Fight for Freedom" season pass track, as well as some upcoming quality-of-life enhancements that will be ready out of the gate.

"Season 14 features a variety of quality-of-life improvements, including lowered Perk Card requirements, streamlined Workbench changes along with a new free cam feature in Photo Mode. Active Fallout 1st subscribers will also receive bonus rewards as they level up."

It sounds small, but someone out there is likely freaking out (in a good way!) about just one of these enhancements.

Here are the main features for Season 14:

• New Ally: Grandma Junko is on a mission to find her grandchildren... she thinks. While her memory isn't what it used to be, she can still cook up a good old-fashioned home-cooked meal for you.
• Presidential Power Armor Skins: Who needs Secret Service when you have Power Armor?
• Oval Office: Create your own base of operations with the Oval Office Rug and Wallpaper.
• Autominer Collectron: This new Collectron does all the mining for you, hunting for Ore!

The post Fallout 76’s Season 14 update will have more quality of life changes appeared first on Destructoid.

Bethesda's Starfield is one of the most hotly anticipated titles of 2023, which is a heck of an achievement for a year that's already played host to heavy hitters like Hogwarts Legacy, Resident Evil 4, and Diablo 4, to list a few. It's easy to see the appeal, too, as the game's been described as "Skyrim in space" by Todd Howard himself. It's a given, of course, that not everyone will find themselves enjoying what appears to be a classic Bethesda Game Studios RPG, but some may have taken their biases a tad too far.

In fact, some early critique coming from a particular game developer has drawn the ire of Bethesda Game Studios' own Head of Publishing, Pete Hines. Certainly, there's room for critique in every project - especially one as large and substantial as Starfield appears to be. Whether the critique that's now being directed at the game is valid or not, however, is a wholly different matter.

https://twitter.com/Grummz/status/1692944018051641516

Judging Starfield by its Main Menu

Mark Kern of Firefall infamy has taken to Twitter/X to argue about the "physiognomy" of Starfield's main menu screen, claiming that its simplicity betrays "hasty shipping deadlines." Rather pointedly, Kern feels that Starfield is a game that's been made by a "passionate team overworked, or a team that didn't care." Before making these claims, Kern said that a given game's start screen is, in fact, extremely telling of how much pride a dev team has taken in its work, and that it's something that's "often done at the very end of [a game's] development."

It is telling, perhaps, that Kern decided specifically to reference physiognomy when bringing his claims to light: a pseudo-scientific theory claiming that a person's character or personality could accurately be assessed from the appearance of their face.

Bethesda's Pete Hines did not mince any words.

https://twitter.com/DCDeacon/status/1693253453642928477

Basing critique on the aesthetics of a game's main menu is an interesting choice of argument, though, and it is certainly worth pointing out that Bethesda's behavior implies the opposite of what Kern is saying. Starfield is in select reviewers' hands as of just a couple of days ago, specifically, giving them weeks' worth of access.

The post Pre-release Starfield main menu critique goes beyond ridiculous appeared first on Destructoid.

Get ready for liftoff. Starfield preloads begin Thursday as the game has just gone gold (which means Bethesda's development of Starfield is effectively complete!). Now, players can download the game pre-release on its platforms, but it will be truly ready to play when September 6 (or September 1 for early access players) rolls around. Unfortunately, Steam users will have to wait longer for Starfield preloads to take effect.

Those who own an Xbox Series X|S or a PC with the Xbox app can preload Starfield on August 17. Players on Steam have to wait much longer as preloading on that platform occurs on August 30. If you've bought the Premium Edition or Constellation Edition physically or digitally, you'll be able to gain access to Starfield five days early on September 1. To make the wait even more arduous, the Xbox Twitter page says its hand is moving "closer to [the] giant LAUNCH button."

[caption id="attachment_397078" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Bethesda[/caption]

After delays, Starfield is actually ready

Starfield was originally going to be released on November 11, 2022, but it was pushed back almost an entire year. “We know you’ve waited a long time to play something new from us," said director Todd Howard after announcing the September 6 release date in a trailer. "Believe it or not, we’re kind of the same."

He later said, "We really just can't wait for you all to play it." Now we're nearing that time. Many games from Bethesda's past were criticized for awkward facial animation and bugs across the board, but this new game engine may take Bethesda to the next level. It could lead to impressive showings for upcoming games like The Elder Scrolls VI. As of last year, that fantasy RPG is currently in a design stage of development.

The post Starfield preloads start soon for Xbox and Windows, later for Steam appeared first on Destructoid.

Are we sick of hearing about Starfield yet? Unlikely, seeing as it's one of the most anticipated games of this year. And the community is already gearing up to unleash some of its own custom mods for the upcoming Bethesda title.

If you head over to Nexus Mods, you'll see that the site has now opened up its modding section for the game. Obviously, there's nothing there yet (save for some artwork), but it's pretty obvious, given the amount of Elder Scrolls and Fallout mods that are forever coming out, that a lot of people are going to be tweaking Starfield the picosecond it comes out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMOPoAq5vIA&t=658s&pp=ygUQc3RhcmZpZWxkIGRpcmVjdA%3D%3D

Just imagine the possibilities. There's no end to the potential when it comes to modifying AAA games, and Nexus is one of the most popular places to showcase such projects.

And the winner is...

On top of that, the modding website is also hosting a competition, with a chance to win a copy of Starfield and some other goodies. For example, they're giving away a TUF Radeon RX 7900 XT graphics card, a B650-Plus motherboard, some peripherals, and some merchandise.

If you want in on this, you just have to head to the competition page and follow the instructions. The event goes on until August 29, and winners will be selected at random and contacted by Nexus Mods.

It's difficult to unbridled the sheer hype for Starfield. Given that it's Bethesda's first new IP in 25 years, a lot of people are going to be curious about what Todd Howard and his team have been working on. Will it pay off? Only time will tell.

The post Nexus Mods launches Starfield hub, plus a chance to win some goodies appeared first on Destructoid.

We all remember the Adoring Fan from The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. He was – let's not mince words here – a monstrously irritating NPC, and now someone taken that monstrosity and actualized it in physical form.

Over on Nexus Mods, user theocddragon simply asks "good heavens what have I done" with a modification for Oblivion that turns everyone's favorite Wood Elf to hate into an unholy sight. Seriously, it's like if the Adoring Fan was rejected from Tim Burton's Beetlejuice for being too odd.

[caption id="attachment_396762" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Image via theocddragon/Nexus Mods.[/caption]

Editing the character model, the modder has reconstructing the NPC's face using a dragging tool that has resulted in the severely morphed image of this once annoying–though wholly innocent–citizen of Cyrodiil.

Kill it with three fires

Describing it as an "eldritch abomination with one singular eye," theocddragon has unleashed a nightmare unto the Oblivion community and those who witness it. They even question why someone would be able to wield such power in editing software.

It kind of reminds me of the pre-menu screen in Super Mario 64, in which – perhaps in a bid to show the power of the N64 console – you could stretch and morph Mario's face. It, too, produced some horrifying images that are not of this world.

That aside, it does show just how beloved Oblivion in the community, even after 17 years. The Bethesda RPG has definitely aged as time has gone by, but that's where Skyblivion comes into the picture.

This is a fan-made project that will be a complete remake of TES4 done in Skyrim's engine. As such, we'll get a much prettier (though perhaps not visually up-to-date) version of Oblivion. Let's just hope the Adoring Fan will not be the facial atrocity he is in theocddrago's mod.

The post This Oblivion mod turns the Adoring Fan into an unholy monstrosity appeared first on Destructoid.

With just a few weeks left, everyone and their dog is talking about Starfield (if "woof" is canine-speak for "I'm really looking forward to Starfield"). Before then, we're still being drip-fed bite-sized bits of information, including the story prior to the game itself.

Over on the developer's website, you can scroll down to a timeline of the major political events that take place before we join things. It begins in the year 2050, when humans take their first steps on Mars.

Just 50 years later, we begin living in space. Then, after just a few more years, we reach Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to Earth (about 4.3 light years away from us).

https://twitter.com/StarfieldGame/status/1691105607712202752

After that, the timeline gives a brief rundown of the main events that occur before Starfield kicks off. For example, there's a little bit of information about the United Colonies, the settling of some of the major cities, some wars. All that good stuff.

We've truly left Earth behind

The timeline ends when Starfield begins. At this point, we can't really say what will happen in the story. All we can safely say is that we'll likely be playing a big part in it. It's also quite optimistic of Bethesda to say that humanity will be able to step on our nearest planet in less than 30 years. I mean, it is possible, but who knows what the future of real-life space travel will be?

That's why we have science fiction. At least this way we can jump into the moon boots of those who will be exploring faraway galaxies while, back here on Earth, many of us are still wondering what the hell Threads even is.

Starfield launches on September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X|S. It'll also be available on Game Pass from day one.

The post Starfield’s timeline shows what happens prior to the game’s story appeared first on Destructoid.

I’ve never really gotten elbow-deep into the Quake series. Before the 2021 Quake remaster by Nightdive Studios, I was actually most familiar with Quake 4, and I really don’t remember that much about it. In 1996, I was into Duke Nukem 3D. And then after that, it was Goldeneye 007. I at least played Quake 2… The N64 version.

But after the first Quake was remastered and introduced me to the series, I held off on any more series exploration, anticipating the second one would eventually get the same treatment. My patience paid off, and the Quake II remaster has arrived. Once again, it’s a terrific introduction.

[caption id="attachment_396573" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Quake 2 (PC [Reviewed], PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch)
Developer: id Software, NightDive Studios, MachineGames
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Released: August 10, 2023
MSRP: $9.99

After the development of the first game in the Quake series was beset by creative differences, many members of id Software departed, including Sandy Peterson and John Romero. This is considered by many to be the end of classic id Software, as it seemed like the heart had left the brain with an empty bed.

You can sort of feel that in Quake II. There was something of an anarchic directionlessness in Quake that is replaced with something a lot more cohesive. Quake still felt like a first-generation shooter like Doom. Quake 2 is a lot closer to Half-Life.

You can see this clearly in the narrative. Earth has been under attack by the Strogg and hasn’t been faring well. So, the meaty humans launch a counter-attack, taking the fight to the meat substitute Strogg’s homeworld of Stroggos. Quake II and all the expansions are set around this counter-attack as you take control of different space marines attempting to hinder the enemy’s ability to wage war on humanity.

The first Quake really didn’t have much of a narrative, and this is definitely not a continuation. This comes with its pros and cons. The biggest positive is that a more defined narrative gives you purpose that helps drive you through the game. The downside is that the Strogg don’t care much for interior design, and there’s little visual diversity throughout the campaigns.

https://youtu.be/cyxBE163n20

Out of item

Nightdive’s remaster is similar to their approaches to the original Quake and the recent Rise of the Triad: Ludicrous Edition. They have gathered all the expansions into one package, added a newly created campaign, and transported everything to their more modern KEX Engine, bringing with it a number of extra visual and gameplay options. And then, after already doing more than most would expect, they continue on to polish up the graphics and gameplay without tampering with the overall feeling and aesthetic of the title.

It’s extensive. They even upscaled the cinematics. Then, somehow, they ported all of the N64 version of Quake II’s levels. For whatever reason, when Raster Productions handled the N64 port, they wound up remaking almost all of the levels. It’s just as much its own campaign as the other expansions. It seems like it would be quite an effort to re-port the N64 version back to PC, but it was very worth it. It contains visual flourishes that make it, at the very least, aesthetically worth exploring.

The two expansions by Xatrix Entertainment and Rogue Entertainment are necessary inclusions, even if they mostly just feel like added content. Which, to be fair, is essentially what they were when they first released.

Meanwhile, the new campaign, Call of the Machine, by MachineGames is a great way of showing off the many successes of Quake 2 while minimizing its deficiencies. Visual variety is a lot better here, depicting a lot of different and interesting locales based on the Strogg War story but in places not shown in the games. It’s an effective way to demonstrate the outstanding gunplay, fast action, and interesting enemies without eliminating the unique flavor of the base game.

[caption id="attachment_396572" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Someone hang a poster

Which to be fair, as much as I hassle Quake 2 for its repetitive brown corridors, I do enjoy it. The main campaign is maybe a 6-8 hour romp. It kept my attention through to the end, even when similar games with shinier corridors failed to. Games like Dusk have demonstrated the lasting appeal of the clunkier and more straightforward games of yesteryear, and Quake 2 is an essential example of that.

But beyond that, Nightdive's remaster makes things a little more pleasant. One great feature is the compass, which draws a path to your next objective. It’s not that Quake 2 was obtuse beyond reason. Each of the “units” of the game is composed of a handful of small levels, so you’re destined to trip over what you’re looking for. It’s just a matter of how much backtracking you’ll have to endure.

For example, you might finish a secondary objective and see the message “turbine disabled.” Perhaps you won’t realize it’s talking about the fan that you just passed and can now bypass. So, you continue on your merry way, and then when you finally circle back, you say, “Ooooh. It was talking about this turbine.”

So, I mostly used the compass whenever I came back to a familiar-looking room and wanted to make sure I wasn’t just going in circles.

[caption id="attachment_396574" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

That's a lot of screens

As usual for Nightdive remasters, their all-encompassing approach to Quake II makes it the definitive way to play the game. Beyond just compiling all the expansions, certain features, such as AI, were buffed up, and cut content was restored. And then there’s also the multiplayer, which in some versions supports 8-player split-screen local. Or you can play online, if you don’t like sharing your screen.

But if, for whatever reason, none of that sounds good to you, the original versions are still available.

For me, it was a great introduction to Quake II. The PC version, I mean. It’s an oppressively brown shooter, but it still carries the speedy, lightweight combat that makes older FPS games still pop today. The changes that Nightdive brought in for the remaster make it even more enjoyable and accessible. It may not have the same experimental charm as Rise of the Triad: Ludicrous Edition, but it more than makes up for it with its tight and gory gunfights.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game purchased by the reviewer.]}

The post Review: Quake II (2023 Remaster) appeared first on Destructoid.

At this year's QuakeCon, AMD announced a special treat for Starfield fans. If you like PC hardware that's themed after Bethesda games, are you in for a treat. That's if you're lucky enough to be able to get any of it, of course.

A recent video on the AMD YouTbe channel introduces a limited edition graphics card and processor themed after the upcoming space-faring RPG. More specifically, it's the Radeon 7900 XTX GPU and the Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU that have been given the special Starfield makeover.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1KjsqaWIU4

However, there are only 500 of these being made available. You can check out a few more details on AMD's website. To make things even trickier, it appears as though only those who were in attendance at QuakeCon 2023 will be in with a chance of getting hold of the hardware. It doesn't look like they'll be going on sale.

So what's the point?

This seems like one more way that AMD and Bethesda are cozying up together. A few weeks back, the tech giant announced that it would be giving away a free copy of Starfield with purchases of select graphics cards or CPUs.

The game is also being optimized for Team Red's products, due to a partnership between Bethesda and AMD. As such, some Nvidia or Intel users might be feeling a little bit left out.

With just a few weeks to go now until release day, Starfield retains its first-class seat on the Hype Train. There's a lot riding on this new IP from the Skyrim and Fallout studio. We can't say for certain how successful the game will be when it comes out. Ah, who are we kidding? It's going to be massive!

The post AMD unveils (very) limited edition Starfield-themed hardware appeared first on Destructoid.

Let's face it: If it weren't for the modding community, games like Fallout 4 probably wouldn't still be a major part of the AAA gaming world. Despite the Bethesda RPG coming out in 2015, it's still getting plenty of love, as evidenced by this one modification that fixes load times.

Thanks to Nexus Mods user Antonix35, you can now enjoy speedier loading times with their Fallout 4 plugin. As well as making the game load faster in general, the mod also fixes "in-game vertical sync for high frame rate monitors," adds in the ability to "select loading screens," and more.

https://youtu.be/bfEcyRJ4Bo0

The modder says the whole thing works by "speeding up slow locations in game code that are slowing down other loading threads." Now, I don't know much about the inner workings of modding so that means nothing to me. However, some of you out there will have a better understanding of what Antonix35's Long Loading Times Fix does. I mean, it works!

The proof of the pudding is in the loading

Just to make sure that we get an idea of just how fast Fallout 4's load times are now, a video has been provided that shows the mod in action.

A timer in the corner displays how much quicker it is now to fast travel between locations and other loading zones. Some of the times are now just a couple of seconds. The quickest one seen in the clip is when the player enters an internal location at Diamon City, which clocks in at 0.64 seconds.

In fact, the longest time we get to see is when the game itself is loaded up at the start. It takes just over eight seconds to boot up the save file, which is still pretty impressive.

The post Fallout 4 loading times have never been better, thanks to this mod appeared first on Destructoid.

While Starfield is nearly here, you might not be partaking (for whatever reason!). From the thoroughly entertaining The Outer Worlds to the unrestricted freedom of No Man's Sky, let's look at the six best games thematically similar to Starfield that will satisfy your sci-fi-loving brain right now.

[caption id="attachment_367652" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Deep Silver[/caption]

Chorus

One of the most underrated games in 2021, Chorus should be on your list if you crave sci-fi action. While you can't get out of your spaceship and wander about, there is an open area to explore as you fly at high speed through asteroids and space gates. The combat impresses with its fast-paced action and powerful weapons. There's also an intriguing storyline to follow, complete with side quests to complement it.

[caption id="attachment_367674" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Frontier Developments[/caption]

Elite Dangerous

Want to explore the stars but you're stuck at home with a 9-5 job? Elite Dangerous might be able to transport you beyond the skies above. You'll be upgrading your ship as you fight enemy forces, explore the beautiful cosmos, and soar amongst the stars alongside your friends. There's also a major sense of scale as the developer claims on its Steam page that "the entirety of the Milky Way [is] re-created at its full galactic proportions". It has been free on the Epic Games Store in the past, so check your library if you haven't already.

[caption id="attachment_367676" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via EA[/caption]

Mass Effect Legendary Edition

One of Bethesda's greatest aspects is its storytelling. The majority of its games have immense lore and an intriguing storyline full of interesting characters. The Mass Effect series offers a similarly strong narrative that has you invested in its roster of heroes and villains. In addition, the worldbuilding is outstanding, as you get more intrigued by the factions and environments of this sci-fi universe the deeper you delve into it. Hopefully, Starfield will offer a story that has just as much drama as the legendary BioWare series.

[caption id="attachment_367643" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Hello Games[/caption]

No Man's Sky

With one of the rockiest launches in modern gaming history, No Man's Sky was a shell of the promises original made by the developer Hello Games. Fortunately, over the years, the game has received wide acclaim for its bevy of features, stunning landscapes, and introduction of co-op. The randomized nature of the game has given us strange new creatures and gorgeous scenery that fans often share their pictures of No Man's Sky. Starfield also features many, many worlds; No Man's Sky has likely inspired Bethesda with its daring concept, for better or for worse. Hopefully, the former.

[caption id="attachment_367661" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Annapurna Interactive[/caption]

Outer Wilds

If No Man's Sky doesn't tickle your fancy, Outer Wilds might instead. You're exploring a solar system that is trapped in a time loop, and it is up to you to solve the mystery behind it. The planets in this game each offer their own little secrets to discover as you find out details about the Dark Bramble and the alien ruins across the system. While there are no RPG mechanics to speak of, Outer Wilds will likely give you the same exploratory rush in Starfield. Nevertheless, Josh Talentino called the game "Superb" in his review for Destructoid.

[caption id="attachment_367670" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Private Division[/caption]

The Outer Worlds

The closest game you'll get to Starfield is probably The Outer Worlds. Not to be confused with the similarly titled last entry, this Obsidian FPS/RPG has an exciting and engaging campaign. You'll find well-written characters, an entertaining loot-and-shoot game loop, and a captivating story. The Outer Worlds does not feature interspace combat or a huge universe to explore. However, the densely populated environments have engrossing side missions and inspired art design. In fact, The Outer Worlds was Destructoid's 2019 Game of the Year.

[caption id="attachment_395803" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via 505 Games[/caption]

Death Stranding

While there aren't "traditional" RPG mechanics in Death Stranding, that sense of exploration from Starfield is present in the game. You’re delivering packages throughout the world and helping connect the once-separated areas of post-apocalyptic America back together. Directed by Metal Gear Solid veteran Hideo Kojima, its sci-fi concepts are thought-provoking and stunning to behold.

The interactability between players is also unique as you help each other form a better world. Death Stranding’s available on Xbox Game Pass for PC if you want to check it out.

[caption id="attachment_395804" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via KeokeN Interactive[/caption]

Deliver Us The Moon

If you want to explore a sci-fi world without chaotic shooting gameplay, Deliver Us The Moon might be your ticket. You’re exploring a space station that is unresponsive and within it, you’ll discover exactly what has happened. The story is told in a quiet, yet impactful way. The puzzles are also well-implemented.

The detailed environments also present the story well, hopefully like Starfield. It’s a sci-fi game that’s a breath of fresh air (well, at least as fresh as it can be in space).

[caption id="attachment_395805" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via EA[/caption]

Star Wars Squadrons

Lastly, there’s Star Wars Squadrons. The force is strong with this one! If you want to prepare yourself for ship battles in Starfield, you can control various Star Wars ships in Squadrons, and it's a rush to shoot an Imperial ship in an X-Wing in this game. The cockpit view is also one-to-one to what Rebels like Wedge and Luke saw back in the day with all the visual do-hickeys and buttons intact.

As our review notes: “It finds a great balance between making the player feel like a responsible pilot and a complete badass.”

The post The 9 best games similar to Starfield that you can play now (Updated) appeared first on Destructoid.

Xbox Game Pass is no doubt worth the monthly cost, especially since you can get a trial version of it for $1. However, said trial has now had its length slashed, and some may think it a strange coincidence this has happened just before Starfield gets released.

Turns out, instead of a cheap introductory offer that provides access to the Xbox gaming service for one month, you now only get half the time. First spotted by Kotaku reporter Ethan Gach over on Twitter, the Game Pass trial now only lasts two weeks.

https://twitter.com/ethangach/status/1688888019141500929

Indeed, if you head over to the Xbox Game Pass page, you can see that 14 days is all you'll get now for that first dollar. After that, you'll be paying the full rate.

Is Starfield the reason?

We can't say for certain why the trial period has been halved, but with Starfield just around the corner, this could be one of the reasons.

Seeing as Bethesda's much-anticipated sci-fi RPG will be on Game Pass from day one, it's possible Microsoft doesn't want people playing it for just $1. The game launches on September 6, so the new trial of the Xbox service would end long before it launches.

This is just speculation, of course, but you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who didn't think Starfield had something to do with the reduced trial period. The fact that it's not been mentioned on the official Game Pass Twitter page makes it seem like this change was done on the quiet.

In any case, now you'll only get the first 14 days for the introductory $1 price tag. That includes the Ultimate and PC packages as well, according to the website.

The post Xbox halves Game Pass trial length right before Starfield’s release appeared first on Destructoid.

If you ever want an understanding of how Skyrim has managed to stay alive these past 12 years, just look to the modding community. There are tons of ways to tweak The Elder Scrolls 5, and a new one has recently come out that takes cues from one of Rockstar's most critically acclaimed releases.

Over on Nexus Mods, veteran modder JaySerpa has been at it once again. This time, they've brought the sport of hunting to the chilly world of Skyrim. Called "Simple Hunting Overhaul," it gives the Dragonborn the ability to take time out from all that hero questing and dragon slaying.

https://youtu.be/m1aK9Njuxbo

You can skin the corpses of animals that have been killed, which you can then sell to vendors in a nearby town or city. Typical with JaySerpa's projects, this mod also incorporates NPC reactions to your hunting, making for a more immersive experience.

The creator says this Skyrim hunting mod of theirs was inspired by Red Dead Redemption 2. No prizes for guessing which particular aspect of the game.

Who even plays vanilla Skyrim these days?

If you play the game on PC, you'll already be very familiar with the near-countless ways you can mess with Bethesda's epic 2011 RPG. Because, let's face it: after well over a decade, the cracks in Skyrim are more than showing.

The vanilla experience is still fun, but there's no sense in pretending that it's not aged quite significantly. This is where modding comes to the rescue, and people like JaySerpa are responsible for keeping TES5 very much in the limelight. That, and Bethesda wouldn't stop re-releasing the damn thing.

We can't say for certain whether The Elder Scrolls 6 will ever be able to live up to such a legacy. In fact, we can't even say for certain at what stage of development it's currently at. But Bethesda's next big RPG, Starfield, is due out in less than a month.

The post Skyrim hunting mod takes inspiration from Red Dead Redemption 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

It looks like Starfield will be taking advantage of the Xbox Play Anywhere feature. Through this, owners of Starfield will be able to swap between Xbox Series X|S and PC, without having to buy copies of the game for both systems.

That update was noticed by the Starfield Beyond Twitter account, a profile that (as the name heavily implies) chronicles all things related to Bethesda's upcoming space epic. The Starfield store page does currently have the tag.

https://twitter.com/starfieldbeyond/status/1686137526010908673?

To infinity, and – wait, wrong franchise

For those who don't know, Play Anywhere lets you own a game on Xbox and Windows-based PCs at no additional cost. This also means your saves will carry over between systems, so you could literally start playing on one and smoothly transition to the other without any fuss.

With Starfield offering the Xbox Play Anywhere feature, it pretty much means you can have two copies of the game with one purchase. Maybe not everyone will benefit from being able to switch playing "Skyrim in space" between console and PC, but it's a neat little bonus if you're into that sort of thing.

I think it's safe to say we're pretty much ready for Starfield now. We've had everything from the game's PC specs to a 1,000-page compendium outlining as much info as possible. Seems like all that's left is for the game to launch. And it's not far off either. Starfield will touch down on Xbox Series X|S and PC on September 6, 2023.

The post You’ll only need one copy of Starfield to play on either Xbox or PC appeared first on Destructoid.

If you thought the Skyrim community was done with modding, think again. There are countless ways to tinker with Bethesda's epic fantasy RPG, especially if you play the game on PC. Now, for those who want to see dinosaurs roaming this cold slice of Tamriel, there's a mod that could be right up your alley.

Over on Nexus Mods, user Birbwalker21 (who's done numerous dinosaur-themed mods in the past) brings us "Raptors" for the special edition of Skyrim. As the name implies, this particular download fills the world of Tamriel with a bunch of different raptors for that dose of prehistoric role-playing.

https://youtu.be/0gJxi5xWUK4

It's interesting to note that these particular dinosaurs have been given feathers, which research has shown is what the real beasts would have had, as opposed to the scaly creatures seen in popular culture.

Dr. Alan Grant, if he was a Dragonborn

It's not just one raptor, either. Birbwalker21 has added three different types of raptors to Skyrim. The first one (called the Forest Raptor) is based on the Velociraptor, which many of you will know from Jurassic Park. These can be identified by their black and orange feathers and are typically found in woodland areas.

Next is the Alpine Raptor, designed after the Deinonychus. This is a larger raptor you'll come across in the higher and more northerly areas of Tamriel. They sport blue feathers with white crests.

Then there's the Plains Raptor, which is based on the larger still Utahraptor. They're said to be the fiercest of the bunch when encountered in Skyrim. You can spot them through their brown feathers, but you may want to give them a wide berth, given their aggressive nature.

It's great to see new things still being added to this 11-year-old game. Who knows what the Dragonborn will encounter next? Dragons, perhaps? Or is that too farfetched?

The post Skyrim meets Jurassic Park in this raptor-themed mod appeared first on Destructoid.

We're edging ever closer to the release of Starfield. Bethesda's long-awaited sci-fi game has been a source of scrutiny and deep dives pretty much since day one. Using all the screenshots, teasers, and any other information that's out there, fans have managed to piece together a detailed map of this unreleased title, which includes a 1,000-page compendium.

Starfield fans are thorough, is the long and the short of it. But someone has recently discovered that the RPG may not be the perfect culmination of years of development after all, as it turns out there's a very small spelling error.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Starfield/comments/15aqomq/starfield_state_of_the_at/

In a post over on Reddit, user Ambitious_Back4748 has uploaded a screenshot from Starfield which shows a close-up of a pretty meaty gun. However, one particular aspect of this weapon has been circled. When the image is zoomed in, you can see the words "State of the at Weapon Frame." Presumably, this should read "State of the art."

Cancel your pre-orders, everyone!

It's a very tiny error, but it's just one more proof that dedicated gamers pay a lot of attention to marketing material. If you want to check out which bit this very specific screenshot is from, you can watch the Starfield Direct video, which went live a month ago.

You still need to be pretty quick on the pause button, though. The actual close-up of the gun happens for barely a second at around the 39:12 mark. Seriously, it's one that can be so easily missed, it's a wonder anyone spotted it at all.

Whether Bethesda will rectify this spelling mistake or not remains to be seen. Still, it's not as if it's going to tarnish the already immense hype surrounding one of the biggest releases of this generation. Gamers aren't that finicky, right?

Starfield will be launching on September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X|S.

The post Starfield has a tiny spelling error, spotted by an eagle-eyed fan appeared first on Destructoid.

Starfield isn't that far off now, with a release date of September 6, 2023. But that's still a ways off, and at least one eager fan is spending the time by trying to sleuth out of all of the Starfield skill system.

In a post on the r/Starfield subreddit (as spotted by GamesRadar), user u/asd8dhd has posted their deductions from "around 200 hours" of reverse engineering. Alongside a 44-page Google Doc, they also shared a massive library of suspected skill images, collected from all the information and footage the public has seen so far.

It is, to put it frankly, exhaustive. Even though u/asd8dhd acknowledges there are some misses—and asks for readers to point out anything provably incorrect—it's an impressively in-depth investigation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMOPoAq5vIA

Given the amount of publicly available footage to trawl through and identify, it's commendable. And now I'm certainly invested in seeing whether u/asd8dhd's educated assessments pan out. They include not only skill names and descriptions, but a short explanation of how the actual leveling and skill system works.

The skills they surmise are in the game range all over the place, from boosts for yourself or companions to special skills, like instigating an NPC to attack their allies or slowing down time. It's largely theoretical, to be clear. Still, it's a lot of info to trawl through, and Starfield fans still have time between now and launch to do just that.

Skill check

It'll be a good few weeks before we know whether this Starfield sleuth hit it on the head or not. In the meantime, though, August looks to be starting off a stacked fall season with a bang.

In fact, Starfield seems to have led to a bit of a summer launch shuffle. Baldur's Gate 3 bumped up the launch date of its PC version, and role-playing musical Stray Gods was delayed a week later in additional response. Those two, plus Armored Core VI and several other intriguing games, could make for a stacked start to the second half of the year.

The post Starfield fan spends around 200 hours trying to piece together its skill system appeared first on Destructoid.

Why do people still do this??

It's unfortunate that the gaming industry is rife with abuse and harassment. Whether it's workplace discrimination or hate speech online, there's no shortage of stories when it comes to toxicity. Sadly, indie developers are not immune to this either, as the project lead for the upcoming fan project Skyblivion says they've recently been receiving death threats.

In a post on Twitter, @Rebelzize says that working on the unofficial Oblivion remake has meant "dealing with stalking, death threads [sic], harassment," as well as hacking. An additional tweet goes on to say that the team has "already sacrificed so much" and that the project lead is working a full-time job while having to deal with this. At the time of writing, it's unclear why they've been the target of online abuse.

https://twitter.com/Rebelzize/status/1680929214944378880

As well as harassment and stalking, some "bits and bobs" were lost when the developer's Discord server was hacked. Fortunately, the server and "all other accounts" are now back, and it seems as though the upcoming project is still on target for a 2025 release.

What is Skyblivion?

For those who don't know, Skyblivion is an unofficial remake of the fourth Elder Scrolls game that's being rebuilt in Skyrim's engine. It's been in the pipeline for several years now, but recent updates from the team show that progress is coming along nicely, and it's looking pretty fabulous so far. The remake is said to be free, but you'll need legitimate copies of Oblivion and Skyrim (duh), as well as the expansion packs.

It's frustrating to see that people are still being subjected to online abuse, whether it's the players themselves or studios. There's no clear reason why @Rebelzize would be receiving death threats, but there are plenty of others who are cheering the project on, with the "good [outweighing] the bad 1,000 to 1."

The post Elder Scrolls ‘Skyblivion’ fan project dev says they’ve received death threats appeared first on Destructoid.

Those pesky NDAs

Starfield is not exactly a complete mystery. Over the years, we've learned a lot about it. There's pretty much been enough information about Bethesda's anticipated sci-fi RPG to fill a 1,000-page compendium. However, it turns out that the majority of the people working on the game are not allowed to actually reveal a lot of detail about it.

That's according to a tweet from Emil Pagliarulo, the design director for Starfield. In a couple of recent posts, it's been noted that many fans have been wanting further information about the upcoming release. Unfortunately, Pagliarulo has said that only Todd Howard is "authorized to talk publicly about unreleased game info," adding that it does frustrate him that he's unable to answer a lot of people's questions.

https://twitter.com/Dezinuh/status/1679551395752558592

A third tweet says that, no matter how much he'd like to, Pagliarulo is unable to share anything about Starfield's performance, the content itself, or "well, most things," as per his NDA. There's no mention of whether anyone else at Bethesda has signed non-disclosure agreements, but it's more than likely they will have done in preparation for Starfield.

But it's still not coming to PlayStation

One thing that has been clear throughout the game's development is its exclusivity with Xbox. For those who don't have a powerful enough PC, and/or have a PS5, there's currently no chance in hell you'll get to experience Starfield, despite Microsoft saying it could easily shift millions of units on the rival console.

In any case, it hasn't stopped it from being the hype juggernaut that it currently is. No one can really blame Todd Howard for wanting the final say in what gets mentioned about Starfield, but it's also understandable why those directly working on the game would be frustrated they can't answer fan questions about it.

The post ‘Only Todd Howard himself’ can publicly talk about Starfield details, says design director appeared first on Destructoid.

Though Game Pass may pick up the slack

Both Starfield and MachineGames' Indiana Jones are going to be exclusives for the Xbox. As such, not only will a lot of PlayStation owners be pissed off they won't get to play either of these games, but some may question whether Microsoft has considered that this move will likely mean less sales.

However, the Xbox company has anticipated this, it seems. Screenshots from court documents used in the Microsoft vs. FTC case (as uploaded by games journalist Stephen Totilo) reveal that Tim Stuart, chief financial officer for the tech giant, believes exclusivity won't be a problem.

https://twitter.com/stephentotilo/status/1679307950706372611

In fact, Microsoft is confident both Starfield and Indiana Jones would sell "more than 10 million units" if they were going to be released on PlayStation. Testifying in court, Stuart said that the company had "evaluated exclusivity of ZeniMax [parent company of Bethesda] games in December 2020".

Ten million is a huge potential loss

Having said that, Microsoft is certain it can offset such a potential loss through Game Pass. By making Starfield and Indiana Jones available on the Xbox cloud service, the company hopes to make up for not selling 10 million units via its biggest competitor.

In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't seem like Stuart or Microsoft are concerned about not being able to shift millions more on the PlayStation. Given the immense hype surrounding Bethesda's upcoming sci-fi RPG, there's no question about it being able to make a significant profit.

Starfield is due for release on September 6 for Xbox Series X|S and PC. If you want something to do until then, may we suggest this 1,000-page compendium?

The post Starfield and Indiana Jones would shift 10 million copies on PlayStation, says Microsoft appeared first on Destructoid.

This might not be something you casually peruse while on the toilet

What are you going to do while you wait for Starfield to release? Play the laundry list of games you already have?! Pah! How about something else to keep you occupied for the next couple of months? If you're a stickler for a deep dive into upcoming games, one fan of the upcoming Bethesda RPG may have what you're looking for.

Over on Reddit, user Gokamo has been busy putting a document together that contains as much information on Starfield as possible. Recently, they updated the compendium, which is now over 1,000 pages long. The 86,000-word analysis is a huge one-stop place for all the details about the game you could possibly want. You can check it out on Google Docs.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Starfield/comments/14vs3r2/added_over_600_new_pages_from_the_direct_leading/

Gokamo uploaded the first iteration of their "Complete Starfield Compendium" a year ago. At that point, it was a mere 120 pages. Evidently, they've been beavering away on the dossier ever since, and at 1,070 pages in total, it's a visual testament to their dedication.

What's in it?

It's a staggering amount of information to skim. In a nutshell, it's an attempt to detail as much about Starfield as we currently have knowledge on. This includes screenshots, an exploration into the game itself, a deep dive into the reveal footage, concept art, information on skills and character creation, and so much more!

Gokamo says they managed to increase the document by 600 pages in a month due to the recent stream. But even at this point, they seem quite sure that there's some stuff they forgot to include. As user IIIR1PPERIII notes, in a modern gaming era in which strategy guides are becoming a lost art form, this compendium is certainly something that will keep many of you busy up until (and possibly after) Starfield launches.

The post This 1,000-page Starfield compendium should keep you busy until September appeared first on Destructoid.

Hope you need some new hardware

Recently, we reported that Starfield was being optimized for AMD. Now, it looks as though Team Red is really digging its heels in by offering the game for free with select CPUs and GPUs. If you need some new gaming tech, hopefully you're an AMD fan.

In a new promotion, anyone who purchases an RX graphics card and/or Ryzen processor will recieve Starfield for free. The specifics are over on the AMD website, but it does provide plenty of options to choose from if you're interested. You can find a full list of participating retailers here.

As you may expect, the tech giant wants to specifically push its latest generation of products. You can get Starfield with a Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7, or one of the selected 6000 GPUs. However, if you want the premium edition of the upcoming Bethesda RPG, AMD wants you to consider an RDNA 3 card or Ryzen 9 CPU.

https://twitter.com/amdradeon/status/1678755039865716743

What to expect from Starfield's PC specs

AMD also makes recommendations for what your system needs to run Starfield on PC. It's a triple-A title, so it will test most mid-range rigs.

Running the game at 1080 should require no more than a Ryzen 5 7600 on a Radeon RX 7600 (with an AMD A620 as the recommended motherboard, no less). But if you want that sweet 4K experience, you'll need to part ways with a lot more cash. Fortunately, it doesn't look like you'll need a ninth generation Ryzen, but you'll need the RX 7900 XT, which is a good $900.

There's been no mention of what you'll need if you're using Nvidia or Intel hardware. That said, you may be able to extrapolate based on what Team Red is suggesting. It does seem like a lot of investment to get a free game, but deals like this are not uncommon. In fact, it wasn't that long ago that AMD was giving away Resident Evil 4 with RDNA 3 graphics cards.

Starfield will launch on PC and Xbox Series X|S on September 6.

The post Get Starfield for free on PC by cozying up to AMD appeared first on Destructoid.

I can see my feet!

Is anyone bored with Skyrim yet? Probably a few of you, but those who are familiar with the modding community have probably been making the most out of the nearly 12-year-old RPG with custom content a-plenty. It may have its problems, but TES5 fans know how to extend the life of Bethesda's epic 2011 release, which includes bumping up the immersion.

Skyrim mods come in all shapes and sizes, and this one by Nexus Mods user ArranzCNL (via PCGamesN) gives us yet another reason to jump back into the game. Essentially, what this custom download does is improve the camera, hence the name of the mod — "Improved Camera."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCZ9sjAwA6s

Using the SKSE plugin, it improves the first-person perspective of the game by allowing for "typically forced 3rd person animations...to be played in 1st person." This also comes with the added bonus of being able to see your own feet! There are a few videos showing it in action, in which the Dragonborn can even be seen crafting and riding a horse, all in first-person with these new viewpoints. It might sound like a simple addition, but it ticks all the right boxes if you want a more immersive Skyrim experience.

Yes, but what about TES6?

Look, we get it. Skyrim is pretty old by now and is definitely showing its age these days. But we don't appear to be getting any closer to the sixth installment in the Elder Scrolls series. It could be years away still, and we've waited several years already. The last thing we were treated to was a brief flyover of some unknown piece of Tamriel. That was back in 2018.

As of now, TES5 modders are just making the most of things. PC players typically get the better end of the deal, but even if you have the game on a console, you can still download a ton of mods to keep yourself entertained for a bit longer.

Failing that, there's always the upcoming fan-made project Skyblivion, a massive mod that is an unofficial remake of Oblivion in Skyrim's engine. It's not a new game, of course, but it is something extra in the pipeline. Or you can wait for Starfield, which is due out soon anyway. That's another option.

The post A new Skyrim mod ups the immersion in first-person appeared first on Destructoid.

Toe-tappin' challenges

If you haven't checked out one of 2023's best Xbox games, you're missing out. Hi-Fi Rush came out of nowhere and left a lot of people impressed by its slick, comic-style action, cartoony visuals, and rhythm mechanics. It represented something a little different, made even more special by the fact that it was developed by Evil Within and Ghostwire: Tokyo studio Tango Gameworks.

Now, the latest update has arrived, which brings two new game modes which can be accessed by an arcade cabinet in the Hideout. For starters, you can now take on a challenge that really tests your reflexes. Known as BPM Rush, this mode lets you take on endless enemies with things getting faster and faster until you eventually hit 200 BPM. That should sort the wheat from the chaff.

https://youtu.be/W1dU394xpvU

The second new mode in Hi-Fi Rush is called Power Up! Tower Up! It's another challenge in which Chai has been downgraded, but with each level that you advance, there are random rewards to help you level up, as well as random enemy sets that spawn. For example, you might have to fight off a round of "mega-tough new enemies" or call one of your buddies in to help out.

Plus some bug fixes

For the more admin side of things, you can head on over to the game's Steam page to check out the patch notes for Update 5. There are a bunch of bug fixes that have been implemented, with a few tweaks to some of the tracks.

The update also has some extra superficial content, if you're into that sort of thing. So you can get new looks for 808, additional accessories, filters, poses for photo mode, and more. It should also be said that the BPM Rush and Tower Up! Power Up! Challenges are only unlocked after you complete the main game.

There was a time when rhythm games were everywhere. The likes of Guitar Hero and Rock Band were huge money spinners back in the early 2000s, but it's a genre that seems to have died down. That's probably why Hi-Fi Rush was such a breath of fresh air, particularly as we're currently in the midst of a remake/remaster onslaught.

The post Hi-Fi Rush update challenges you to play at 200 BPM appeared first on Destructoid.

Now your Skyrim character can flex for the lens

Photo mode has pretty much become a standard feature in modern gaming. Everything from Disco Elysium to God of War: Ragnarok to Final Fantasy XVI have it available. In an era in which games are looking more and more beautiful, developers seem keen to give fans the option to drink in all those delicious surroundings that take a lifetime to render and design.

Now it's Skyrim's turn, thanks to modder powerofthree over on Nexus Mods (via PCGamesN). As the name suggests, this custom modification allows you to take snapshots of this icy slice of Tamriel. It also comes with a host of settings for the in-game camera, such as the ability to slow down time, adjust the FOV, and add a few filters.

[caption id="attachment_390021" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Image via powerofthree/Nexusmods[/caption]

Given how Bethesda loves to keep re-releasing Skyrim, it's quite surprising that the studio hasn't opted to include a photo mode at some point. You'd think that spanning three console generations and having multiple editions, Todd Howard and his team would think to add it in. However, as usual, the modding community has taken it upon itself to implement such a feature.

A game that knows no end

Over the years (well, more than a decade now), there have been a ton of mods released for Skyrim. Some of them just want to tweak the vanilla game for a better experience. Some fix bugs that Bethesda doesn't seem to have gotten around to. While there are some which turn TES5 into a different beast entirely. It honestly begs the question of whether Skyrim could boast such longevity if it weren't for modders.

But many feel it's time to move on, even if mods are great for expanding the epic RPG's shelf life. Given that The Elder Scrolls 6 could still be years away, though we still can't be certain about that, TES5 is still going to get a look in for some time. At least now you can download Skyrim's unofficial photo mode and - combined with some graphics mods - get a newfound respect for the game's visuals.

The post This Skyrim mod gives the game a much-needed photo mode appeared first on Destructoid.

Elder Scrolls 9 was the best one

In case you haven’t heard, there’s been a whole thing with Microsoft and the FTC going on. Something about companies buying other companies, I don’t know, sounds like another day of capitalism to me. The important thing for those of us whose legal knowledge begins and ends with watching 2001’s Legally Blonde has been the inadvertent game reveals that just can’t stop popping up. Yet despite all the juicy news, the most recent “leak” has fascinated me on a profound level, even though I’m certain it does not exist.

As transcribed by The Verge, a lawyer representing Microsoft wanted to correct the FTC on some potential misconceptions. The result is this utterly amazing quote.

Could I clarify one issue that counsel raised with you, when you were asking about Zenimax and asked him to find a game that was most similar to Xbox, he mentioned Elder Scrolls. That is incorrect. There are two Elder Scrolls games, one is online called Elder Scrolls Online — that is a multiplayer game, it is on PlayStation today. The game he’s talking about Elder Scrolls 16... the projected release is 2026 as a single-player game. It is not anywhere similar to Call of Duty, which as you know is multiplayer and multi-platform.

Look, I get this is a bit out of context, so I’ll give the lawyer some benefit of the doubt here. But if you think I’m not going to take this opportunity to joke about Elder Scrolls 16 with you then I won’t even finish-

[caption id="attachment_389919" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Moby Games[/caption]

Chapter 1: Morrowind

Firstly, nothing has ever made me contemplate my mortality more than the sheer thought of The Elder Scrolls 16 existing. My first memory of the series was with The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind on the original Xbox.

For those who never played this classic RPG, it tasks players with dicking around to increase their stats until they are strong enough to kill all the guards and become mayor of every town. At least, that was my takeaway when I was 13. The internet has since told me that there was apparently a storyline in that game. I’m going to need at least five sources on that before I believe it.

I got a bit off track there. The point is, that was so long ago that Morrowind is allowed to drink in the United States now. Yet we haven’t even seen footage of The Elder Scrolls 6, let alone 16. By my estimation, if Bethesda does nothing but work on Elder Scrolls games, we should realistically expect Elder Scrolls 16 roughly 12 minutes before the heat death of the universe.

[caption id="attachment_389924" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

I already ran out of chapter names

Let’s not get away from the other important reveal here: “it is not anywhere similar to Call of Duty.” Oh thank god. I’ve been worried about that one. Easily my biggest complaint about Skyrim was that it was way too similar to Call of Duty. They’re both in first-person, you can shoot things in both, I rest my case.

Personally, I hope Elder Scrolls 16 goes in a whole new direction. First, they gotta change that camera. Put it in a dedicated third-person view so the camera can really zoom out and show you battle arenas. Second, spice up that combat. Even if you have to scale down the RPG elements, making enemy encounters fast and frantic would really bring a lot of new fans to the series. Third, for the story, I think they should watch Game of Thrones and I just realized I’m describing Final Fantasy XVI.

I dunno, I still think it’s a good idea.

[caption id="attachment_389918" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Chapter 16: I’ll be serious now (maybe)

So obviously you can chalk much of this quote up to a mistake. By Elder Scrolls 16, obviously the lawyer meant The Elder Scrolls 6. That is a video game that we may, theoretically, see before we leave this mortal coil. One could treat this as a leak, and believe The Elder Scrolls 6 will launch in 2026.

Now… at this point, I could toss out quotes by Phil Spencer and the like that might conflict with this claim. But frankly, I don’t think I need to. In a world in which Starfield hasn’t even launched yet, I cannot close my eyes, really focus on the words, and say “The Elder Scrolls 6 is coming out in 2026” without cackling like I just saw Mega Man take a bullet for Abraham Lincoln. There is no way in all seven of the hells that The Elder Scrolls 6 will come out in 2026. I’d be pleasantly surprised if the thing even comes out within this decade.

In short, I’m left with the sinking suspicion that Microsoft did not hire this lawyer based on their Xbox GamerScore. And if you see anyone that takes any stock in their claims, kindly tell them that they are wrong. But what do I know, I just write about video games. The last good video game I played was Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster Busts Loose for the SNES, and honestly, Todd Howard better come prepared if he wants the next Elder Scrolls to clear that bar.

_{[Special thanks to our Freelancer Andrew Heaton for tipping us about this story.]}

The post Microsoft lawyer slips, discusses Elder Scrolls 16 appeared first on Destructoid.

No love for Nvidia, it seems

If you were hoping to get the most out of your Nvidia RTX 4000 graphics card when Starfield launches, you might be out of luck. It turns out developer Bethesda will optimize the anticipated sci-fi RPG for AMD's hardware instead.

This comes from a recent YouTube video from AMD itself, which says that the Starfield studio has partnered with the tech giant to make the game run better on systems that use its processors and graphics chips. This is great news for those of you who have a PC containing Team Red's products. Less so if you've been putting your stock into Nvidia's offerings.

https://youtu.be/9ABnU6Zo0uA

Todd Howard himself said that the team is excited to be partnering with AMD, getting the game to run as best as it can on that particular hardware. He adds that Starfield will use FSR 2.0 (AMD's upscaling technology that offers an alternative to Team Green's DLSS). Nvidia fans may feel they're being shafted a little on this front, especially for those who were hoping to get their money's worth from a 4000 series.

However, for console users, this may be beneficial. The Xbox Series X/S runs on AMD technology, both in terms of CPU and GPU. Given that Starfield is an Xbox exclusive, many of you will likely choose this system for the game anyway. For PC users with an Nvidia card, obviously you'll still be able to run the game (depending on your spec). But it does sound like Bethesda has already sided with Lisa Su and her team.

That said, FSR 2.0 is more open-source than DLSS. This means you can still make use of the image processing algorithm even if you have an Nvidia graphics card.

Starfield will launch on PC and Xbox Series X|S on September 6.

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