Traveling through the wide reaches of space is way more fun with friends, and the developers of Starfield agree.
In a Q&A on the Starfield Discord today, a couple of Bethesda developers fielded questions about the upcoming epic space RPG, and one of them had to do with the companions you can team up with in the game.
Related: New Starfield lore drop provides 280-year backstory of human space travel and main faction
Companions have been a part of Bethesda games in the past, such as the Fallout series, where NPCs can join you on your adventures, fight with you, and even hold your gear. But Starfield has more of them than Bethesda has ever added before.
“There are over 20 named characters who can join your crew,” said Will Shen, design director at Bethesda. “Four of them are from Constellation and have the most story and interaction with the player, but all of the named characters have their own backgrounds and can follow you around (and carry your stuff).”
Some Bethesda companions have become the stuff of legend, like Fawkes in Fallout 3, for example. It’s clear that the work that’s gone into Starfield’s NPC friends was an area of focus for the developer, evidenced by the sheer amount of them. As a comparison, Fallout 4 had 13 companions.
“When we first began Starfield pre-production, we looked back at our previous games, and realized how popular and effective the companions were,” said Emil Pagliarulo, design director. “So they were a big priority for us, and we really wanted to tie them directly to the main quest. There are some really big moments with them specifically. I should also mention that our companion voice cast is amazing. We haven’t released the list yet, but you can be sure there are a lot of talented actors bringing those characters to life.”
Companions are deeper than before, but Bethesda confirmed they can’t be leveled up like the player character. Instead, they have strengths and interests to keep in mind when selecting a companion to accompany you.
Related: Starfield community agree Bethesda is right for avoiding multiplayer trap others fall into
“They don’t level up, but they come at different ranks, depending on the companion,” Pagliarulo said. “Well, we call them Skills in Starfield. And they do stack with yours, when relevant. Some are there for flavor, to highlight the companions’ backgrounds and interests. But you’ll really feel the benefit of the ship- and combat-related ones. Getting a boost to your shields, or seeing your companion laying down fire with a weapon they’re proficient in, are pretty sweet moments.”
All of these new companions can be found when Starfield launches on Xbox Series X|S and PC on Sept. 6.
