As Starfield‘s big Shattered Space expansion approaches, Bethesda head Todd Howard has let slip the Starfield team is already at work planning for “Year Two.”
Howard opened up about Bethesda’s plans for Starfield beyond 2024 in an interview with content creator MrMattyPlays on June 16. Among other topics, like the next Fallout title and information about Elder Scrolls 6, Howard discussed how the team approached the reveal of this month’s content update at the Xbox Showcase, and that the team will likely be going silent for longer periods as post-Shattered Space content is developed. “There’ll probably be more of a gap after this—there’ll be some bigger gaps next year as we look at those big beats for kind of “Year Two” that we’re planning,” Howard said.
He added while he’d like the team to stick to the original six-week update cycle announced back in X, it’s unlikely to be feasible when larger DLC like Shattered Space is in development. “We’re planning for an expansion after [Shattered Space],” Howard said. “I don’t know if our goal is to answer every story question—we look at it and say ‘What do we want to add to the game as far as an experience or tone goes?'”
There wasn’t anything content-specific Howard was ready to share, but it’s an exciting notion knowing Bethesda, despite its many other franchise plans, is planning on further expansion to the Starfield universe for years. We’re yet to even see Shattered Space (its exact release date is still up in the air, but it’s still on track for fall 2024). But if other large-scale Starfield DLC releases are coming, it’s clear Bethesda is in it for the long haul.
Howard also reiterated the team’s comfort around the development of Shattered Space, particularly highlighting how central the location of most of the DLC will be once it kicks off. “One of the things we liked about it from the get-go is that once you get to the city and planet, you’re there,” Howard said. “It allows us to build a landscape like we traditionally do.”
While not everyone was pleased with a few creative decisions made for this month’s content update, players have flocked back to the Starfield universe and are preparing for Shattered Space‘s arrival in the fall—assuming no more delays.
After that, it’ll be a long waiting game, but it definitely seems like there will be so much more to explore and discover in Starfield in 2025.
