Starfield is Now Available in Early Access on Xbox Series X|S and PC

Starfield, one of the most-anticipated games of the year is now available in early access on Xbox Series X|S consoles and PC. You can play the space-themed RPG today if you purchase the $99.99 Starfield Premium Edition on the Microsoft Store or Steam, but Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass members can also purchase the $34.99 Digital Premium Edition upgrade to start playing today ahead of the game’s September 6 launch.

Starfield is a pretty special release for Microsoft as it’s the first new IP from Bethesda Game Studios (Skyrim, Fallout 4) in over 25 years. And as we recently learned during the Microsoft v. FTC trial in the US, one of the reasons Microsoft acquired Bethesda for $7.5 billion was because the company was afraid that Sony could strike a deal with the Starfield developer to make it a PlayStation exclusive.

Anyway, Starfield is really the first big Xbox exclusive game since the launch of Halo Infinite two years ago, and the Xbox and Bethesda marketing machines are already firing on all cylinders. Microsoft already released limited edition Starfield Xbox Wireless controllers and headsets, and Starfield-themed Xbox Series X console wraps is coming in October. Yesterday, the pop rock band Imagine Dragons also released a Starfield-themed song titled “Children of the Sky”.

The first reviews for Starfield have been published yesterday and the general sentiment towards the game is very positive, with a 87 score on Metacritic (88 for the PC version). Most critics praised the massive amount of content and excellent writing, as well as a level of polish that’s rarely seen at launch for a Bethesda game. As it turns out, delaying the game for a year really paid off.

Last but not least, even though Starfield is restricted to 30 FPS on Xbox Series X|S consoles, the game is said to run very well on both consoles and I can’t wait to check it out for myself later today. It remains to be seen if Starfield can become an Xbox system-seller, but if you’re a fan of Bethesda games, Starfield should offer a lot of replayability. And if you look at the amount of people who still play the cult-classic Skyrim today, there’s no doubt that gamers will still talk about Starfield in five or ten years. A first Starfield expansion is actually already in development and it’s included in the Premium edition of the game.