Starfield debuted in September 2023 with an 88 on Metacritic and shattered Xbox Game Pass records. Yet, as of now, it has just 55% positive reviews from 115,859 Steam ratings and fewer than 7,300 concurrent players. This sharp decline has many in the industry questioning whether Bethesda can pull off a recovery similar to what CD Projekt Red did with Cyberpunk 2077.
While comparing it to Cyberpunk 2077 offers some insights, it’s not a perfect match. CD Projekt Red’s 2020 release launched in a very broken state, leading to refunds and its removal from the PlayStation Store. However, its compelling story and world design drew players back after patches and the Phantom Liberty expansion. In Starfield’s case, the issues run deeper. Critics and players aren’t just complaining about bugs or performance; they’re voicing concerns about core design choices, like the procedurally generated planets, which many describe as lacking substance.
IGN’s feature on the matter raises a tough question that Bethesda has been hesitant to address: can a game bounce back when the backlash focuses on its design rather than its launch stability? A similar situation unfolded with No Man’s Sky, where Hello Games rebuilt trust through years of free updates that transformed the experience. But let’s remember, Hello Games was a small indie studio with no other projects in the works. Bethesda, on the other hand, is already feeling the heat to deliver The Elder Scrolls VI.
Bethesda did release the Shattered Space expansion in late 2024, promoting it as a vital content update. However, reviews were mixed, and player data suggests it didn’t lead to a lasting increase in player numbers — currently at 7,282 for a $49.99 game with a major expansion. For comparison, Cyberpunk 2077 still sees 20,000–30,000 concurrent players on Steam over four years after its rocky launch.
Community sentiment in 2025 hasn’t improved significantly. Steam reviewers still mention structural boredom rather than technical glitches. One reviewer bluntly stated: “game is genuinely just not fun” — a sentiment echoed in recent negative feedback, pointing to a perception issue that a simple patch cycle can’t fix. The modding community remains active, but without major changes from developers in exploration systems or quest density, mods are only addressing the symptoms, not the underlying issues.
| Metacritic Score (launch) | 88 |
| Steam Review Score | 55% positive |
| Total Steam Reviews | 115,859 |
| Current Steam Players | 7,282 |
| Current Steam Price | $49.99 |
The 55% positive rating on Steam reveals a significant gap from the critical consensus at launch. Such a wide disparity between press scores and player sentiment often indicates that reviewers assessed the game quickly, before the repetitive nature of its systems became clear. This is a recurring issue for Bethesda’s open-world design, but never to this extent.
What To Watch
- Bethesda’s update strategy: The studio’s commitment to systemic changes — like an overhaul of planet generation and revamped exploration incentives — or their focus on Elder Scrolls VI will shape Starfield’s future. A significant update announcement in 2025 would send a strong message.
- Steam sale performance: Keep an eye on how player numbers respond during the next major Steam sale. A price drop to $19.99 or less could bring in a new audience willing to give the game another shot, similar to how No Man’s Sky rebuilt its player base.
- Mod ecosystem development: The full release of the Creation Kit has opened up Starfield to large-scale mods. If a community-built overhaul mod gains traction — like Enderal did for Skyrim — it could reignite interest in the game without Bethesda needing to intervene.
