In the vast expanse of Starfield’s virtual universe, a growing sense of frustration is taking hold among players as they encounter persistent game-breaking bugs, even after the much-anticipated 1.8.88 update released on December 11. Hopes were high among the community that this update would bring substantial improvements, akin to the post-launch efforts of titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Baldur’s Gate 3. However, it appears that Bethesda’s focus on developing the Shattered Space DLC has taken precedence, leaving players grappling with lingering technical issues.
The December 11 update aimed to tackle two prominent issues that have plagued Starfield since its launch. One vexing problem involved objects, such as asteroids, inexplicably following players’ ships across the Settled Systems. While this bug did not directly hinder gameplay, it irked many players who found the persistent companionship of space debris to be an unwelcome distraction. The other critical issue addressed in the update was the occurrence of save game crashes during extended playthroughs, particularly evident in New Game Plus mode.
Despite Bethesda’s official patch notes proclaiming the resolution of these two issues, disgruntled Starfield fans took to social media to express their ongoing frustrations. Reports on platforms such as Reddit and video-sharing sites like YouTube indicated that both PC and Xbox users were still encountering these problems after the update. A discussion thread initiated by user Turbostrider27 on the Starfield subreddit became a hotspot for dissatisfied players, with comments from MacReadyToast, Any_Imagination9734, and sludge_comber2315 suggesting that long playthrough crashes persisted.
Adding to the evidence, J2MRaiden posted video footage on a separate thread, demonstrating that the objects previously dubbed as “pet rocks” were still following their ship. A subsequent flood of comments corroborated this observation, underscoring the persistence of the issue even after the purported fix. It’s worth noting that the update did not intend to address the peculiar bug causing the entire city of New Atlantis to attach itself to a ship, but players were disappointed to find that even the promised fixes were not entirely effective.
As the holiday season approaches, it seems that Bethesda is unlikely to release any major updates until after the turn of the year. The community’s mounting frustration, however, is hard to overlook. In a notable incident, the mod author of Starfield Together publicly announced their departure from the game on December 8, leaving behind the source code for others to continue their work. This departure echoes a similar backlash Bethesda faced with the troubled release of Fallout 76, sparking concerns among players about the future development of The Elder Scrolls 6.
The prevailing question now is how Bethesda will handle post-launch support for Starfield in 2024. The impending release of the Shattered Space DLC may serve as a pivotal moment, influencing the long-term success or failure of the game. Players eagerly await whether Bethesda can address the persisting issues and deliver a smoother gaming experience, or if the shadows of ongoing bugs will cast a pall over the much-anticipated space exploration adventure.
