Starfield Lands on PS5 With New DLC, But Old Problems Remain

Bethesda’s Starfield is set to launch on PlayStation 5 this April, along with new DLC. This marks the end of its Xbox/PC exclusivity, which lasted about 19 months since its September 2023 debut. Yahoo Tech confirmed the PS5 release and DLC, showing that Bethesda is looking to attract a new audience to keep the game going strong.

The timing of this release is interesting. On Steam, Starfield has a 56% positive rating from 116,400 reviews, which translates to a “Mixed” status that hasn’t changed much since it launched. For comparison, Bethesda’s earlier flagship RPG, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, boasts an impressive 89% positive rating on Steam. There’s a clear disconnect here: while Starfield scored an 88 on Metacritic upon release, the Steam community seems to disagree with that rating.

Currently, Starfield has 17,884 concurrent players on Steam. While that number isn’t bad for a nearly two-year-old game, it pales compared to the 330,723 peak it hit during its launch in September 2023. Bethesda is likely hoping that the PS5 version and the new DLC will spark enough interest to bring back players, especially from the PlayStation side, who missed out at launch.

CGMagazine’s PS5 review will give critics a fresh chance to assess how Starfield holds up in 2025. It’ll also reveal if the new DLC tackles the ongoing criticisms that have surrounded the game. These concerns include the emptiness of procedurally generated planets, loading screens that disrupt exploration, and a main story that doesn’t quite match the game’s expansive setting. The big question is whether Bethesda has effectively addressed any of these issues with the new content.

The PS5 version also brings up the question of crossplay. Currently, there’s no crossplay support between Xbox, PC, and PlayStation. This means save progress and any multiplayer features won’t transfer across platforms. While this isn’t a huge issue for a single-player RPG, it does mean that PS5 players will essentially start from scratch. If the new DLC offers a strong entry point, that might actually work to Bethesda’s advantage.

By The Numbers

Metacritic Score (PC)	88
Steam Review Score	56% Positive
Steam Reviews Total	116,400
Current Steam Players	17,884
Current Steam Price	$49.99
Original Release Date	September 6, 2023

Community reactions to the PS5 announcement have leaned negative among existing players. One Steam reviewer bluntly stated: “If you didn’t like it before, you’re not going to like it now. Nothing significant or fundamental has changed since release.” This reflects a wider frustration among long-time players who feel Bethesda hasn’t addressed the game’s core design issues with patches or the existing Shattered Space DLC.

What To Watch

• PS5 review scores vs. the original PC/Xbox reception: If the new DLC really expands the game’s content loop, PS5 critics might score higher than the original 88 Metacritic average — or they could confirm that the underlying issues persist.
• Steam player count response: Keep an eye on whether the PS5 announcement and DLC release boost concurrent players on PC. A sustained count above 25,000-30,000 would indicate real renewed interest rather than just a temporary spike.
• Pricing strategy for the DLC: Bethesda hasn’t revealed DLC pricing yet. The way they choose to price it — whether as a standalone purchase or bundled with a discounted base game on PS5 — will indicate how they’re targeting new players versus monetizing the existing fanbase.