Summary
Unlike some of Bethesda Game Studios' previous titles,Starfielddidn’t exactly receive universal acclaim when it was released. Though the ambitious space RPG did debut with a mighty 85 rating on OpenCritic, feedback for the game was decidedly more mixed on sites like Steam. There was plenty to like aboutStarfield, from its interesting setting and ship customization mechanics to its solid combat and intriguing faction questlines, but many argued that several design decisions dragged the game down. Some gamers criticized the largely empty, procedurally-generated planets inStarfield, while others lambasted the excessive loading screens and overall presentation. Ultimately, Bethesda’s first major new IP in over 25 years created a fair amount of controversy.
In spite of its contentious nature,Starfieldstill managed to find an audience in the end. As the months went by following its release, the reception towards theXbox exclusive RPGgradually became more positive, thanks to free content updates and improved modding support. Now that the future is finally looking bright for the title, Bethesda shouldn’t just limit its plans for theStarfieldIP to DLCs and free updates for the base game, however. Instead, it should also explore ways to expand the game’s universe with spin-off titles, potentially in the vein ofFallout ShelterorThe Elder Scrolls Castles.
Bethesda Should Expand the Starfield IP With a Fallout Shelter-Style Mobile Game
Fallout Shelter Was One of the First Spin-Off Games Bethesda Ever Made
Prior to the mid-2010s, Bethesda Game Studios didn’t really have an extensive track record when it came to making spin-offs in the IPs it owns. While the company did license outtheFalloutandElder Scrollsfranchisesto other developers on certain occasions, like Obsidian, Zenimax Online, and Vir2L Studios, BGS itself rarely worked on non-mainline entries in its two flagship video game series. Some of the few spin-off titles Bethesda ever developed during the 90s and 2000s were 1996’sAn Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespireand 1998’sThe Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard, both of which were commercial failures.
Things took a sudden turn forBethesda, however, when the company revealed in 2015 that it was creating aFalloutspin-off game for mobile phones calledFallout Shelter. Unlike the modern mainline entries in the series, this title wasn’t an open-world action game, nor was it an RPG. Instead,Fallout Shelterwas afree-to-play 2D simulation gamewhere players could build and manage their very own Vault-Tec vaults. Because of how far it strayed from the traditionalFalloutformula, this spin-off was met with great skepticism upon its initial unveiling. However, when gamers got their hands onFallout Shelterafter it was unexpectedly shadowdropped during E3 2015, the title garnered mostly positive reviews from critics and fans alike.
Fallout Shelterwas such a success, both critically and commercially, that it inspired Bethesda to develop a similarspin-off for theElder Scrollsfranchise calledThe Elder Scrolls: Castles. This title, which is set to launch internationally on May 11, 2025, is a free-to-play mobile game that tasks players with managing an entire castle and ruling a kingdom over the course of several generations.
A Starfield Mobile Simulation Game Similar to Fallout Shelter, TES: Castles Has a Lot of Potential
Given how well Bethesda has already adapted theFalloutandElder Scrollsfranchises to the simulation game genre, it seems fitting for the company to do something similar withStarfield, as well. After all, the blueprint for a mobile game spin-off is already present in BGS’s space RPG. Bethesda could, for example, make aStarfield Coloniesgame and have players run their own space colonies. They could alsodevelop aStarfield Outpoststitle and let gamers build their own baseson the go. AStarfieldspin-off game for mobile phones would have great potential either way, and would be the perfect way to fill in the gap until the release of a potential sequel, assuming it ever happens.
Starfield
WHERE TO PLAY
Starfield is the first new universe in 25 years from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. In this next generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery.The year is 2330. Humanity has ventured beyond our solar system, settling new planets, and living as a spacefaring people. From humble beginnings as a space miner, you will join Constellation – the last group of space explorers seeking rare artifacts throughout the galaxy – and navigate the vast expanse of the Settled Systems in Bethesda Game Studios’ biggest and most ambitious game.
