When is the Starfield release time? After suffering some delays, it’s almost time to jump into Bethesda’s next epic RPG, which is its first new IP for over two decades. With all this buzz, here’s everything you need to know about the game ahead of the Starfield release date and time.
With some intriguing Starfield gameplay showcases and developer interviews over the last few months, our Starfield preview, and various marketing beats from Bethesda, we now know the true scale and scope of the game. Taking place in a vast galaxy, Starfield will take the Bethesda RPG formula and let it loose in outer space. That sounds like a great combination to us. Plenty of Starfield companions and Starfield characters will also be joining you on this journey, which promises countless hours of action and exploration. It’s got the potential to be one of the best RPGs of all time, but when will you be able to take off and let your adventure begin?
Starfield release date and time
The official Starfield release date and time will vary depending on your region and on whether you have Early Access.
Here’s the Starfield launch time in your time zone:
Time zone | Early Access launch time | Full launch time |
PDT | August 31, 5PM | September 5, 5PM |
EDT | August 31, 8PM | September 5, 8PM |
BST | September 1, 1AM | September 6, 1AM |
AEST | September 1, 10AM | September 6, 10AM |
While some publishers like to drop games at midnight in a given region (which often works out well for all you New Zealanders out there) Starfield’s release times for Early Access and the full launch will happen at the same moment for everyone. The graphic below from Bethesda also shows the release time for even more regions.
The wait for Starfield has been a lengthy one, and the game has already missed one release date, one release window, and has had numerous leaked and rumored launch dates – our not-so-brief history of the Starfield release date documents the entire five-year wait for the game.
However, we’re finally here, and there will be no further delays. Bethesda has taken the extra time to polish the game and ensure that this ambitious Xbox-exclusive RPG is as slick, visually-impressive, and bug-free as possible at launch.
Starfield preload is now also available, so if you do want to grab it and pre-install so that you’re not waiting around on launch day, you can get one of the editions below:
- Starfield Standard Edition Gamestop (US)
- Starfield Premium Edition Gamestop (US)
- Starfield Constellation Edition Gamestop (US)
- Starfield Premium Edition Xbox store (US)
- Starfield Standard Edition Xbox store (US)
- Starfield Standard Edition Xbox store (UK)
- Starfield Premium Edition Xbox store (UK)
Starfield gameplay
It feels like we waited a lifetime to see Starfield in action, but, thanks to Todd Howard, we got our first glimpse of Starfield gameplay in the Xbox and Bethesda Showcase 2022.
It kicks off with a space explorer getting off their ship with VASCO the robot on a moon called Kreet and follows them as they take their first steps onto this sulfurous planet. We see not only some thrilling combat, but we also get a brief look at how exploration and research works – it was here that comparisons to Hello Games’ No Man’s Sky were first drawn, and all the information we’ve got after this moment only backs up that comparison.
We also get a sneak peek at the zero gravity gameplay, which will give a unique feel to some of the planets you explore. We also see Fallout-esque mechanics like lockpicking and hacking.
Then, we’re transported to one of the biggest Starfield cities, New Atlantis, where we meet Constellation – a group of space explorers – for the first time. What follows is a sort of montage, with storylines of different factions, missions, and Starfield planets all coming into the fore.
The gameplay reveals also goes into detail about the Starfield character creator, which will allow you to change things like your biometric ID, your body, and your traits. Later down the line, a skill tree is revealed, along with an outpost creation system that’ll allow you to set up a “home away from home” run by NPCs you recruit along the way.
We also got our first look at the game’s ship editor, which will seemingly allow you to customize pretty much anything you like. These ships can be flown on your journeys to any of the “1,000 planets” in the game and used to battle enemies in Star Wars Squadrons-like dog fights.
You can also hire various NPCs to join your Starfield crew, each with its own set of perks that could balance with yours. You can also set them to work at your Starfield outposts, allowing them to keep guard or look after your outposts while you explore the universe.
Additionally, we have also got a ton of other gameplay information and story teasers. These include some anime Starfield trailers and a tease of the Starfield achievements. Fans have also delved into the trailers we have already seen and figured out what happened to Earth in Starfield, alongside stumbling upon a Starfield Skyrim easter egg.
Starfield story
Starfield starts in the year 2330, with you taking the role of a personalized character thanks to the Starfield character creation. Set in the Settled Systems, a human-colonized region of space that is far from the perfect unity we’d expect. Or, if you’ve seen any sci-fi film, it’s exactly like you’d expect.
The different Starfield factions vary in their goals and ambitions, with some like the United Colonies being a recognized and powerful government, whereas groups like Constellation are simply explorers of the stars. In Starfield, you join in with the former.
During the story, you’ll encounter Artifacts, fragments of an alien device that cause distortions and localized gravity anomalies, with the Spacefarer (you) finding one and taking it to Constellation in the opening hours of the game.
The Starfield timeline also establishes some of the pretext for the universe you’re about to explore, detailing two massive wars between the United Colonies and the Freestar Collective, as well as some past history on Constellation as an organisation and its founding members.
As well as documenting the galaxy and hunting down Artifacts, other mysteries include the fate of Earth, our lovely little home planet, and why we’ve taken to the stars instead of staying put. And considering the fact that Bethesda loves to have multiple endings and varying paths, we can likely side with differing ideological factions, such as helping Freestar Collective against the United Colonies, or vice versa.
Starfield trailers
Below you can find all of the main trailers, announcements, and showcases that Bethesda has created for Starfield, starting from the most recent at the top and moving down towards it’s original reveal trailer from all the way back in 2018.
Starfield Direct – Gameplay Deep Dive (June 2023)
Starfield Gameplay Trailer (June 2023)
Starfield new launch date trailer (March 2023)
Starfield Gameplay Reveal from Xbox and Bethesda Showcase (June 2022)
Starfield Teaser Trailer and original release date reveal (June 2021)
Starfield Official Announcement Teaser (June 2018)
These are the big talking points from all the latest Starfield reveals, but if we’re lucky we might hear more as we creep ever closer to the Starfield release date. If you’re too excited about going to space and need something to pass the time, you can always check out the best Xbox RPG games right now and the best games like Starfield. If you grab the game on Game Pass you can actually save money thanks to Starfield cross-progression with the game being a Play Anywhere title.
Looking for more info ahead of the launch? While a good Starfield wiki can be a handy source of information, our new Starfield Database goes further, offering you daily news, searchable databanks, and even interactive tools.