After years of being locked to Xbox and PC, Starfield is officially making the jump to PlayStation 5, with Bethesda confirming a release date of April 7.

For PlayStation players who have been waiting this one out, this isn’t just a simple port. The PS5 version arrives alongside the biggest update the game has seen since launch, plus a brand-new story expansion, making this effectively the most complete version of Starfield so far.

Starfield Finally Lands On PlayStation 5

Bethesda confirmed that Starfield will launch on PS5 on April 7, opening up the Settled Systems to a completely new audience after more than two years of Xbox console exclusivity.

The move is notable given Bethesda’s position under Xbox ownership, especially after earlier comments from Xbox boss Phil Spencer suggested titles like The Elder Scrolls VI wouldn’t need PlayStation releases to succeed. That stance has clearly shifted over time, with Starfield now joining other formerly exclusive titles making their way to Sony’s platform.

For new players, this version includes every major update released since the game’s original 2023 launch, meaning you’re jumping into a far more refined experience than day one players had.

PS5 Features And Performance Enhancements

The PlayStation 5 version isn’t just a straight port either. Bethesda has added platform-specific features that lean into Sony’s hardware.

DualSense support is a big part of that. Adaptive triggers will change depending on your weapon or even your ship loadout, while the controller’s light bar reflects your health and ship condition in real time. The touchpad is also used for quick actions like switching perspectives or opening the map and scanner.

Audio immersion has been pushed further too, with certain in-game communications playing directly through the controller speaker.

On the visual side, players on PlayStation 5 Pro will get two modes to choose from. A Visual mode targets 4K at 30 frames per second, while a Performance mode pushes toward smoother 60fps gameplay with enhanced visuals.

Free Lanes Update Overhauls Core Systems

Launching alongside the PS5 version is the “Free Lanes” update, which Bethesda describes as the biggest free update the game has received so far.

This update reworks several of Starfield’s core systems, with a strong focus on exploration and player freedom. One of the headline changes is expanded space travel, allowing players to freely fly between planets within a star system instead of relying as heavily on fast travel.

New random encounters have also been added, and they now appear more frequently, making space feel more active. On top of that, there are new resources that deepen ship and gear customisation, along with additional ways to upgrade Starborn abilities and carry equipment into New Game Plus.

For returning players, this is easily the most significant gameplay refresh since launch.

Terran Armada DLC Adds A New Story Campaign

Alongside the free update, Bethesda is also releasing a new paid story expansion called Terran Armada.

This DLC introduces a new threat across the Settled Systems, centred on a powerful robotic army attempting to enforce its version of “unity” across the galaxy. Players will fight through a new region called the Incursion system, unlocking new technology, meeting a new companion, and earning fresh rewards tied to the storyline.

The expansion is available separately or bundled as part of the Premium Edition, which also includes the previously announced Shattered Space DLC and additional bonuses like Creation Credits and cosmetic packs.

Pricing And Editions On PlayStation 5

Bethesda has also confirmed pricing for the PS5 release, and it’s actually lower than many expected for a relatively recent AAA title.

The Standard Edition will be available for $49.99, matching the updated pricing across Xbox Series X and PC. Meanwhile, the Premium Edition is priced at $69.99 and includes both major DLC expansions, bonus content, and digital extras like an artbook and soundtrack.

There’s also a Premium Edition Upgrade option for existing players, priced at $24.99, which grants access to the additional content without needing to repurchase the base game.

A Different Starfield Than Launch Day

It’s worth remembering that Starfield launched back in September 2023 to generally positive reviews, sitting at around an 85 critic average. Still, reception wasn’t without criticism, with some players and reviewers pointing to pacing issues and a sense of repetition across its massive universe.

Since then, Bethesda has steadily improved the experience with updates, quality-of-life improvements like better surface maps, and additions such as the REV-8 land vehicle to make planetary exploration smoother.

By the time it arrives on PS5, Starfield will be a much more evolved version of itself, shaped by both developer updates and community feedback.

A Broader Shift In Xbox’s Strategy

Beyond the game itself, Starfield’s PS5 release says a lot about where Xbox is heading.

What was once positioned as a major exclusive has now become a multiplatform release, signalling a more flexible approach from Microsoft when it comes to publishing its biggest titles. With games like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle also making the jump, this could become more common moving forward.

For PlayStation players, though, the takeaway is simple. One of the biggest RPGs of the current generation is finally within reach, and it’s arriving in its most complete form yet.

The post Starfield PS5 Release Date Confirmed For April 7 With Major Update And DLC appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

After years of near silence, we finally have a concrete update on The Elder Scrolls 6, and it comes straight from Todd Howard himself. During a recent interview, Howard confirmed that Elder Scrolls 6 is being built on Creation Engine 3, the next evolution of Bethesda’s in-house tech.

For fans who have been wondering what’s happening behind the scenes, this is one of the clearest signals yet about where the long-awaited RPG is headed.

Creation Engine 3 Will Power Elder Scrolls 6

Howard explained that the team has a particular game style they “really, really like,” one that players expect from Bethesda Game Studios. At the same time, he emphasised that there is still plenty of room for innovation, especially when it comes to making players feel like they are stepping into a world for the first time.

He added that the studio is happy with where Elder Scrolls 6 is currently headed, although he stopped short of revealing deeper gameplay details or a release window.

For those keeping track, this effectively confirms that Bethesda is not abandoning its proprietary engine, but evolving it further instead of shifting to something like Unreal Engine 5.

Todd Howard On Announcing Games Too Early

The Elder Scrolls 6 was first revealed back in 2018 with a brief teaser trailer, and since then, updates have been sparse. Addressing the seven-year gap since that announcement, Howard admitted that, personally, he would prefer not to announce games so early at all.

In fact, he joked that in an ideal world, a game would simply appear one day without years of build-up. However, he reiterated that the team is satisfied with the project’s current state and suggested they are approaching a significant development milestone.

That comment alone signals that progress is tangible, even if Bethesda is still not ready to show extended gameplay or commit to a launch timeframe.

Early Creative Pitches And Unused Ideas

There has also been renewed discussion around early creative concepts for The Elder Scrolls 6. Kurt Kuhlmann, a former Bethesda employee, previously revealed that he once pitched incorporating elements inspired by Star Wars into the game’s lore.

Ultimately, Kuhlmann did not end up writing the script for Elder Scrolls 6, and those ideas did not shape the final direction of the project. Still, it offers an interesting glimpse into how experimental early brainstorming can be, even for a franchise as established as The Elder Scrolls.

Where This Leaves Elder Scrolls 6 Now

With Creation Engine 3 confirmed and a major development milestone reportedly on the horizon, Elder Scrolls 6 appears to be steadily progressing behind closed doors. Bethesda is clearly focused on refining its core RPG formula rather than reinventing it entirely, while still promising meaningful technical and experiential improvements.

For fans who have waited since Skyrim, this update does not bring a release date, but it does bring clarity. The technology foundation is set, development is advancing, and Bethesda seems confident in the direction of its next big fantasy epic.

As always, we will keep an eye out for the next official reveal, because whenever Bethesda decides it is time to show more, it is likely to be a major moment for RPG fans worldwide.

The post Elder Scrolls 6 Using Creation Engine 3, Todd Howard Confirms appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

After years of near silence, Bethesda has finally offered another glimpse into how The Elder Scrolls 6 is shaping up. While there’s still no release window in sight, senior figures at the studio say development is moving forward steadily, even if it’s taking longer than anyone would like.

A Long Road Since E3 2018

The Elder Scrolls 6 was first revealed back at E3 2018 with a short teaser trailer, confirming the project was in pre production at Bethesda Game Studios. Since then, fans have seen almost nothing of the game itself, fuelling years of speculation and impatience.

Now, as part of an upcoming Fallout retrospective, Bethesda director and executive producer Todd Howard has shared a rare update on where things stand.

Todd Howard: “We Want to Get It Right”

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Game Informer, Howard admitted that the wait has been difficult for both fans and developers, but stressed that the studio is focused on quality over speed.

“It’s progressing really well,” Howard said. “The majority of the studio’s on VI, but I’ll say this, we always overlap. So, we’re very used to overlapping development. And we have long pre productions on things so that we feel good about them. And it’s a process. We all wish it went a little bit faster, or a lot faster, but it’s a process that we want to get right.”

Howard also confirmed that Bethesda is juggling multiple projects at once, noting in a separate interview that hundreds of developers are currently working on Fallout related content alongside The Elder Scrolls 6.

Technology Is Driving Big Ambitions

Studio director Angela Browder also weighed in during the same Game Informer feature, joking that, “as the internet likes to tell us, it’s been a while.”

Browder said the leap in technology since Skyrim has opened up exciting new possibilities for the team.

“The industry and the hardware and all of this have made such huge leaps and bounds since the last time we made one of these,” she explained. “The possibilities are crazy.”

She added that comparing the original Oblivion with its modern remaster shows just how far the series, and the industry, has come. For Browder, The Elder Scrolls 6 represents an “endless set of possibilities” that she believes will be clear to long time fans once they finally get their hands on it.

“It’s gonna be dope. It’s dope,” she said, laughing.

“We’re Going to Take Our Time”

Studio design director Emil Pagliarulo echoed those sentiments, pointing to recent high profile delays like GTA 6 as examples of studios making the right call.

“What do fans really want?” Pagliarulo asked. “Do they want a game that comes out before it should and doesn’t meet their expectations? Or do they want the turkey that’s in the oven for long enough to be delicious when it finally comes out?”

According to Pagliarulo, Bethesda is prepared to take as long as needed to make sure The Elder Scrolls 6 lives up to expectations.

Still No Release Date, But Progress Is Real

Bethesda has previously confirmed that The Elder Scrolls 6 entered early development in 2023, with early builds reportedly in place by March 2024. Despite this, Howard has been clear that the game is still “a long way off” and has urged fans not to feel anxious about the wait.

In another recent exclusive, Howard revealed that Bethesda is now playtesting the game and even floated the idea of a surprise release one day, similar to the Oblivion Remastered style shadowdrop, though he stopped well short of confirming any plans.

For now, patience remains the order of the day. It has been more than seven years since The Elder Scrolls 6 was announced, but if Bethesda’s leadership is to be believed, the long development cycle is all part of ensuring the next chapter in the legendary RPG series is worth the wait.

The post Todd Howard Says The Elder Scrolls 6 Is Progressing Well, But Fans Will Need Patience appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

A Legendary Return to the Mojave

Fifteen years after its release, Fallout: New Vegas is heading back to the spotlight with a brand-new 15th Anniversary Bundle, set to launch for PC in June 2026. Pre-orders are now live through the Bethesda Gear Store, giving longtime fans and new Couriers alike the chance to relive one of the most iconic post-apocalyptic adventures ever made.

Welcome back to New Vegas and enjoy your stay with this 15th Anniversary Collector Bundle. A must-have for every Courier! @Fallout https://t.co/ozmnOnrwkJ pic.twitter.com/RHsdpLkhbS

— Official Bethesda Gear (@BethesdaGear) October 23, 2025

Described by Bethesda as “a celebration of every Courier who’s ever braved the desert,” the special collector’s edition brings the Mojave Wasteland right into your home with a mix of nostalgia, craftsmanship, and memorabilia pulled straight from the game’s most memorable moments.

What’s Inside the Anniversary Bundle

This isn’t just a game re-release, it’s a full-blown tribute to Fallout: New Vegas and its enduring fanbase. Here’s what comes inside the 15th Anniversary Bundle:

• Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition (PC Digital Code): Includes the base game plus all six DLCs — Dead Money, Honest Hearts, Old World Blues, Lonesome Road, Courier’s Stash, and Gun Runner’s Arsenal.
• Victor Statue (8” PVC): The friendly Securitron from Goodsprings stands tall and ready to roll.
• Doc Mitchell’s Evaluation Cards: A 7×7 cardstock set inspired by your very first steps in the Mojave.
• Vault Boy Enamel Pin: Poker chips in hand and that classic grin — Vault Boy’s betting big on your luck.
• Mojave Express Patch: A woven, iron-on patch representing the Courier’s iconic delivery service.
• NCR Recon Patch: Show your allegiance to the New California Republic’s finest.
• Collector’s Big Box: A retro-style display box made exclusively for this anniversary release.

Image Credit: Bethesda Studio

This limited collector’s set is priced at $154.99 USD, with pre-orders available globally on the Bethesda Gear Store. It’s expected to ship in June 2026, with digital codes distributed at the same time.

A Celebration of Choice and Consequence

Fallout: New Vegas has long been praised as one of the greatest role-playing experiences ever crafted. Its story of survival, freedom, and political intrigue across the Mojave still resonates today. Whether you sided with the NCR, Caesar’s Legion, or carved your own path as an independent Courier, every choice mattered, and that legacy continues to inspire RPGs more than a decade later.

Bethesda says the bundle serves as both a thank-you to fans and a reminder of what made New Vegas so special: a world shaped entirely by the player. From the Strip’s flashing lights to the desolate outskirts of Goodsprings, the anniversary edition captures that spirit in physical form.

Fallout’s Future Looks Bright

The timing couldn’t be better. The Fallout universe is thriving, with Fallout 4 also celebrating its anniversary, Fallout 76 preparing its Burning Springs expansion featuring Walton Goggins as The Ghoul, and the second season of Amazon Prime’s Fallout TV series on the way.

This collector’s set gives fans yet another reason to revisit the wasteland that started it all. Whether you’re reliving the journey or experiencing it for the first time, the 15th Anniversary Bundle ensures your next trip to New Vegas feels every bit as thrilling as it did back in 2010.

Pre-Order Details

Pre-orders for the Fallout: New Vegas 15th Anniversary Bundle opened on October 23, 2025, exclusively on the Bethesda Gear Store. Due to logistics, only the bundle can be purchased per order, and all shipments will be fulfilled once the item becomes available in June 2026.

If you’re based outside the U.S., the bundle will also be available through the Bethesda International Gear Store.

So, Courier, are you ready to take one last trip through the Mojave?

The post Fallout: New Vegas 15th Anniversary Bundle Celebrates 15 Years of the Mojave Wasteland appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Ten Years in the Wasteland

It’s been a full decade since players first stepped out of Vault 111 and into the irradiated ruins of Boston. To celebrate this milestone, Bethesda Game Studios has officially announced Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition, the ultimate version of its beloved open-world RPG.

Get ready to switch things up with the Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition, headed your way!https://t.co/U30fhmxIQq pic.twitter.com/tazkAC2wT9

— Bethesda (@bethesda) October 23, 2025

Launching digitally on November 10, 2025, exactly ten years after the game’s original release, the Anniversary Edition will be available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC, with a Nintendo Switch 2 version planned for 2026, marking the first time the game will ever appear on a Nintendo platform.

What’s Inside the Anniversary Edition

This new edition bundles the base game, all six official expansions, and over 150 pieces of Creation Club content into one massive package. Fans can expect to find the story-driven add-ons Far Harbor, Nuka-World, and Automatron, along with the creative Contraptions Workshop, Vault-Tec Workshop, and Wasteland Workshop expansions.

Image Credit: Bethesda Studio

Whether you’re building sprawling settlements, crafting deadly contraptions, or hunting down rogue robots, every piece of official Fallout 4 content will be right at your fingertips.

But that’s not all. Bethesda is also including a huge collection of fan-favourite Creations, featuring everything from new weapons and power armour paint jobs to alternate Dogmeat breeds, yes, you can finally have a husky or Dalmatian companion.

Creations Arrive in Fallout 4

For the first time ever, Fallout 4 will feature a fully integrated Creations menu, allowing players to browse, download, and manage user-generated and developer-made content directly in-game.

This streamlined system brings even more customisation and creativity to the Commonwealth, giving fans the tools to completely reshape their post-apocalyptic experience. Bethesda teased several standout Creations currently in development, including:

• A “slice of the Mojave Desert” inspired by Fallout: New Vegas
• A unique escape room challenge
• And an interactive story featuring a “mind’s eye” version of your spouse, voiced by the original actors

Upgrade Options and Platform Details

Existing players on Game Pass and PlayStation Plus will also get access to the new content through two Anniversary Upgrade options. Bethesda confirmed that both the Anniversary Edition and the Upgrade will be available across all major platforms simultaneously.

This release follows last year’s next-gen update, which revitalised Fallout 4 with visual and performance improvements amid renewed fan interest driven by the hit Fallout TV series.

A Vault Worth Returning To

With a decade’s worth of content, fan-made creations, and cross-platform support, Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition is shaping up to be the most complete and customisable version yet.

Whether you’re a veteran wanderer revisiting the Commonwealth or a newcomer ready to step into your first suit of Power Armour, this release promises the definitive Fallout 4 experience, just in time for its 10th anniversary celebration.

The post Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition Brings Creations, All DLCs, and a Nintendo Switch 2 Release Next Year appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

What we’ve come to expect from an RPG, and the RPG gameplay sphere itself has evolved epically in the past twenty years, since Bethesda’s pioneering Oblivion.

Originally released in 2006 after Morrowind, an inpiration to any RPG video game that was to come after and now remastered, the adventure awaits once again in a richly detailed current gen remaster on Xbox and PC.

Playable in either first or third person, the story starts as Emperor Uriel Septim (voiced by Patrick Stewart) is killed by assassins, along with all his known heirs. Your goal is to find and protect his son, who has been brought up in secret and knows nothing of his heritage. The story will take you all around the game’s world, a province of Tamriel called Cyrodiil, through to Oblivion. 

The pace of play does an excelled job of guiding you from one point to another, with fast travel. You’ll come to rely on this often, if you didn’t play Oblivion back in the Xbox 360 days, the world is too large to go on foot if you need to revisit an area.

Absolutely nothing stops you, once the tutorial sequence is over, you can explore this vast world and take up the plot intermittently as you wish. 

Want to climb the ranks of the Fighters Guild or the Dark Brotherhood of Assassins? Go for it, Oblivion is your game. 

A huge amount of detail and time has gone into side-quests that most players may not even find nor finish. Wandering around a populated area is likely to turn up something to do at any given moment. Homes to rip off, people to annoy and job offers. Sniffing these out is all part of play. You can absolutely spend hundreds of hours just exploring and completing side quests, almost forgetting your main mission.

The combat system relies more on reactions and timing. Your stats affect your combat performance and you can assign spells or weapons to hot-keys so you do not have to pull up your menus constantly.

Stealth and archery are viable character choices just as much as the more traditional mage or warrior standbys and you can blend these aspects to suit yourself. Even the lock picking mini-game is still among the best of I’ve experienced.

Probably the most impressive part of this title is that ‘real world’ feel. Enter a bar in the evening, and you’ll be greeted by the hustle and bustle of the townsfolk relaxing. Oblivion’s towns are alive with genuine and individualistic activity. Sure we RPG players mostly expect this in any given game of this genre, but you have to realise that this game, although remastered, is two decades old.

Every location, no matter how irrelevant or mundane has books to read, chests to open, or loot to steal. Every little detail in the game feels hand-made. 

Visually we are greeted with a 4K masterpiece. A few months back I actually revisited the orginal Oblivion. It had aged, sure, graphically, but gameplay wise it still had the goods. The remastered version is a lot smoother and fluid, no jaggedness or in-game lag here and your distant horizons do not suddenly pop into view.

This is Oblivion how it was originally imagined. Now reimagined, remastered for those of us that loved the original, or for a new generation of Elder Scroll fans.

The post The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered (Xbox Series X|S) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The Elder Scrolls Online’s 2024 journey has begun with the launch of the Scions of Ithelia dungeon DLC game pack and free base game Update 41 on PC/Mac.

Players can now venture into two new dungeons and prepare for the adventures to come in the upcoming Gold Road Chapter.

Scions of Ithelia DLC features two all-new PvE dungeons, Oathsworn Pit and Bedlam Veil. Players will earn unique rewards that include new collectibles, Achievements, and item sets, as they battle their way through these two perilous adventures and uncover the evil forces at work in the upcoming Gold Road Chapter coming June 3 2024 on PC / Mac and June 18 2024 for consoles.

This launch also includes the Update 41 base-game patch, providing all ESO players with a series of free fixes, additions, and improvements to the game’s core experience. As part of this patch, players can use the new stackable siege weaponry to lighten their inventory and stack up to 20 similar siege weapons. Update 41 also brings changes to the game’s min spec for PC and Mac, ensuring a continued level of performance for older systems that can be maintained in newer content as well.

Players can access the Scions of Ithelia DLC via ESO Plus membership or by purchasing it from the Crown Store for 1,500 crowns (listed under DLC). Additionally, the Scions of Ithelia Collector’s Bundle is available for 4,000 crowns and includes access to the DLC game pack, Ashbone Sabre Cat mount, Ashbone Echalette pet, and five Crown Experience Scrolls.

Note that all ESO Plus members can claim the Scions of Ithelia Collector’s Bundle for free during a two-week window starting on each specific platform’s launch (March 11 2024 for PC / Mac and March 26 2024 for Xbox and PlayStation consoles).

The Scions of Ithelia dungeon DLC pack and Update 41 is now live on PC / Mac, and it arrives March 26 2024 for Xbox and PlayStation consoles.

The post The Elder Scrolls Online: Scions of Ithelia DLC is Now appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Announced during the ESO 2024 Global Reveal, ZeniMax Online Studios revealed this year’s Chapter, The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road.

This upcoming Chapter marks the next major installment in this iconic Elder Scrolls saga, introducing 30 hours of new main quest content featuring a storyline with never-before-seen characters and new, but familiar zones for players to explore.

Coming this June, The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road, brings players 30 hours of new main quest content that takes them back to locations last seen in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and continues last year’s storyline that began in the Necrom Chapter. In Gold Road players must investigate Ithelia, a Daedric Prince never seen before in the Elder Scrolls series and it’s up to players to uncover the schemes of her most devoted followers. Adventurers will encounter opportunistic Wood Elves, and protect the people of West Weald from the chaos of the Forgotten Prince’s return.

As part of Gold Road, players will explore two new zones, battle new enemies, and pick up a new system – Scribing that adds even more customization to the player’s experience. With Scribing, players can collect and customize unique skills, letting players tailor their character’s playstyle by editing their primary, secondary, and tertiary effect – something players have never been able to do before in ESO, allowing them to truly play their way.

Starting off this year’s new content roadmap is ESO’s next dungeon DLC, Scions of Ithelia. This new PvE DLC introduces two and four-player dungeons to Tamriel, Oathsword Pit and Bedlam Veil. The events of these two storylines all lead towards the upcoming Gold Road Chapter and task players and their allies to enact revenge on behalf of the God of Curses and defend the mysterious hold of the Demiprince of Maelstrom.

The Scions of Ithelia dungeon DLC is arriving March 11th 2024 for PC/Mac and March 26th 2024 for Xbox and PlayStation consoles. The Elder Scrolls Online: Scions of Ithelia DLC game pack will be available via ESO Plus membership or for purchase from the in-game store.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road arrives on June 3rd 2024 for PC/Mac and June 18th 2024 on Xbox and PlayStation consoles.

The post The Elder Scrolls Online Reveals 2024 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Bethesda is inviting the more-than-16 million Fallout 76 players to date to grab their party hats and mutated best buddies to celebrate the game’s 5th Anniversary.

For this auspicious occasion, Bethesda Game Studios is hosting a variety of themed in-game events, a Birthday Parade, and offering festive party favors for players.

Starting today and running until November 21, players can complete Daily and Weekly Challenges as part of the in-game Birthday Challenge Event and earn specially themed rewards like Party Hats, C.A.M.P. Décor, Cake and more.

To keep the festivities rolling, dwellers are invited to join the cross-platform Birthday Parade celebration, where the Fallout 76 community team will visit private worlds featuring larger-than-life parade floats created by members of the community. You can watch the VOD of the parade on Bethesda’s global Twitch channel.

Prime Gaming and Xbox Game Pass are also offering a birthday treat. Active Prime Gaming and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can pick up the Fallout 76 5th Birthday Bundle which includes exclusive C.A.M.P. items, a VTU Graduation Cap, and a celebratory Photomode frame as a free reward. This offer ends on January 17 for Prime Gaming and December 17 for Xbox Game Pass.

More details surrounding all of Fallout 76’s anniversary celebration can be found here:

The post Fallout 76 Celebrates Fifth Anniversary appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

As a lover of gaming tat, Bethesda Game Studios’ Starfield Constellation Edition is right up my alley. But, no stranger to ridiculously expensive and slightly iffy collector’s edition versions of its games, Bethesda may have really outdone themselves this time.

After years of reviewing games, I decided I’d pick a few this year to just play for fun rather than “work”. Apart from Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed collector’s editions, I usually miss out to scalpers and others who are a lot more attentive when it comes to hitting “buy now” for the more exclusive limited editions. This year, I thought, if I’m going to be buying a few games, I may as well go all out. And I’ve snapped up a few fancy pre-orders.

The Starfield Constellation Edition is the first out of the gate.

From the mind of Todd Howard and his team, the folks that most recently gave us Skyrim and Fallout 4 amongst others, Starfield is a space RPG with epic potential. And I really mean that.

Everyone jokes about Bethesda Game Studios not being able to release a game without it being full of bugs (which is a fair comment), but there’s no denying the staying power of the studio’s games. Take The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, for instance.

My wife still likes to remind me of how she struggled home from Wellington with my Skyrim Collectors Edition, heavily pregnant with our now twelve-year-old son (who has now played, and finished, the game). Over a decade later Skyrim is now available on just about every gaming platform, as well as in virtual reality, and even as a spoken adventure on Amazon Echo.

The last Skyrim re-release, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition, for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 was released in November 2021 to coincide with the game’s original launch date ten years prior. Skyrim may be showing its age, but it still plays amazingly well.

Todd Howard’s last game, 2015’s Fallout 4, is another game with extraordinarily long legs. It’s another game that can be played on almost any gaming system, and in VR (but not as yet on Switch or Echo). Like with Skyrim, subsequent updates expanded the game to an almost limitless amount of playability.

As I write this, I see some early reviews coming in via Millennial/Gen Z edge lords that were still pooping themselves or getting stoned when Skyrim came out. But, unless Todd Howard’s mid-life crisis is affecting his talent for producing games with decades of playability, Starfield’s success is all but certain.

I’m pretty confident that if CD Projekt RED can sort out Cyberpunk 2077, the little nits being picked presently by “game critics” will be ancient history when we are all playing the new remastered version of Starfield in our flying cars, sometime in the distant future.

But back to the Starfield Constellation Edition. You may note that, with the 300 or so words above, I have attempted to justify spending the somewhat ridiculous AUD$500 asking price.

At not that much bigger than the box the special edition Starfield Xbox controller came in (that I also bought myself), the Constellation Edition box doesn’t look like a five-hundred-dollar purchase. Pulling off the (tight-fitting) sleeve and opening the packaging reveals a blue Steelbook under which is the fancy replica Constellation case.

The Steelbook could easily be dismissed as a bit dopey for a version of the game that doesn’t have any physical discs. I know that there are people who collect them, but I’m not one of them. As I opened the case, instead of my eyes rolling back into my head at the vacant disc holders, I was confronted with something rather cool and unexpected.

Packaged digital versions of games usually come with a piece of paper with a code that you type into your gaming platform of choice. This is not so with the Starfield Constellation Edition.

Instead, you get what seems to be a metal credit chip marked “Nonvolatile Graphide Currency G-Bitnotarized by Galbank” onto which the Steam code is etched. It’s a rather nice, authentic-looking piece.

The weighty green/gold piece looks very authentic, Galbank being a prominent organisation in the game. If you play the game, you will see in-game versions of these lying around, asking to be thieved.

Most of the box is filled with the Constellation Edition’s main event, a presentation case that states “Property of Constellation” and that it contains “Chronomark Lifepack Interlink LPV 6.0”.

The case is mainly of plastic construction with faux cloth straps, metal sides, and a metal rotating latch. It looks very cool and authentic, like something straight out of the game.

The case opens right up to reveal the Chronomark watch. This is a working Bluetooth replica of the watch that Constellation member Barrett gives the player character at the beginning of the game.

The Chronomark LPV 6.0 is a fully functional smartwatch. The watch construction is mainly plastic, which is a bit disappointing for such an expensive collector’s piece.

The corners of the watch are metal, but it doesn’t feel like a watch that’ll take much, if any, day-to-day punishment. It comes with a rubber strap attached, and a cloth “NASA” strap that can be swapped out. The LCD face is nice and big and can be set to display the Constellation logo in the middle exactly as in the game.

You can also view the moon’s phase, temperature, air pressure, and other telemetry data, as well as notifications, your steps, and the weather. The watch links with your phone via the Starfield app, free to download from your mobile device’s store.

After taking the watch out of the cushioned insert of the presentation case it was a bit of pain to get it back in. It’s a particular nuisance, as I feel that is likely where it is going to stay. I really can’t see myself wearing such a nice-looking, but pitifully fragile watch. It’s a piece that is best admired in a display as a prop replica than a wearable device.

Next to the watch in the Constellation presentation case, and below the aforementioned NASA watchstrap, is a Constellation patch. I can see cosplayers opting to sow this on their jackets (as well as wearing that fragile watch). Personally, I think that the patch deserves to be left in place to look cool in the presentation case. Hidden under the patch is a USB charger for the watch and a card with a QR code leading you to the Starfield app.

Early purchasers of the Starfield Constellation Edition also got access to the game almost a week before everyone else. There’s also some extra content (which is also included with the Premium Edition): a digital art book and the soundtrack, plus the game’s first DLC expansion, Shattered Space is included.

I have to say, all the contents of the Starfield Constellation Edition are impressive. But, somewhat like the Fallout 4 Collectors Edition’s Pipboy replica, it is only really impressive when viewed from an arm’s length. As soon as you see how cheaply made it all is, it somewhat loses its glamour. When I say cheaply-made I mean the materials used, not the quality of the designs or finished look. It’ll all look amazing in a display case, like an exquisite collection of props from the game, but just less so when handled.

Is it worth the money? That’s AUD$500. Absolutely not. Bethesda is having a laugh and taking the piss a bit with that price. The good news is that if you are a fan, it is worth having, and you may not have to pay that price tag. I expect the likes of EA Games to be flogging these off cheap during their all-to-frequent sales (and likely at PAX AUS). So, keep a look out as I think there will be some bargains out there soon.

But am I happy with it having forked out 500 bucks for the Starfield Constellation Edition? Yes, I am, but I buy games once in a blue moon, so I was happy to splash out in this instant. And it makes a great addition to my gaming merch collection. I wouldn’t be surprised, however, if there were a few other gamers out there with more than a little buyer’s remorse.

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