By Sagar V. Mankar Bethesda Game Studios’ Starfield has reached an impressive milestone of 15 million players since its launch in September 2023. This achievement solidifies Starfield as one of Bethesda’s most successful releases, building on its initial record-breaking debut.
On launch day, Starfield garnered six million players, fueled in part by its inclusion in Xbox Game Pass, marking the biggest launch in the studio’s history and surpassing titles like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4.
By December 2023, this number had climbed to 13 million, and recent updates have drawn in an additional two million players.
Bethesda’s Highest-Selling Games:
- Fallout Shelter – 170 Million (2020)
- The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim – 60 Million (2016)
- Fallout 4 – 25 Million (2015)
- The Elder Scrolls Online – 18 Million (2021)
- Starfield – 15 Million (2023)
- Fallout 3 – 12.4 Million (2015)
- The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion – 9.5 Million (2015)
- The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind – 4 Million (2010)
- Fallout 76 – 1.4 Million (2018)
- The Elder Scrolls: Blades – 1 Million (2019)
- The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall – 120,000 (1996)
- The Elder Scrolls: Arena – 3,000 (1994)
In celebration of this milestone, Bethesda expressed gratitude to players. “We’re thrilled that so many of you have embarked on this journey with us, and we appreciate your feedback,” the studio said in a statement. “We are always looking for ways to improve your experience.”
To keep players engaged, Bethesda recently released the November update, version 1.14.74, which introduces performance improvements and new features.
A standout addition is the Deimog, the latest land vehicle designed for rugged exploration. Described as a gift for reaching the 15 million player milestone, the Deimog offers exceptional handling, speed, and endurance, coupled with a fully enclosed cabin for protection in harsh environments. Players can also utilize its powerful rocket launcher to fend off threats during their journeys.
Another highlight of the update is a new quest called “The Perfect Recipe,” released in the spirit of Thanksgiving. This engaging storyline introduces Harbhajan, a mechanic with unfulfilled culinary dreams. Players discover an old recipe book belonging to him, setting off on a quest to help reignite his passion for becoming a galaxy-renowned chef.
Beyond these content additions, Bethesda has focused on enhancing gameplay performance. The update includes general stability improvements, the return of the uncapped frame rate option for Xbox Series X users, and better integration of player-created content through the Verified Creators program. Importantly, creations now support achievements, although retroactive unlocking for prior saves is not possible.
While Starfield has faced criticism, particularly regarding its first expansion, Shattered Space, Bethesda’s lowest-rated DLC on Steam, the developer’s consistent updates and engaging content have kept the community invested.
For more information visit the official press release by Bethesda Game Studios, and subscribe to GAMING FOODLE for more news.