Ex-Bethesda Designer: Starfield Needed Fewer, Better Planets

Nate Purkeypile, the level designer behind some of Fallout 4’s standout locations — Diamond City, Little Lamplight, and Starfield’s Neon district — believes Bethesda’s space RPG tried to do too much with too many worlds. In an interview with PC Gamer, Purkeypile mentioned he would have preferred a different approach: “I would have done a handful of planets with bespoke layouts.”

Purkeypile worked on Starfield for about a year before leaving Bethesda. He contributed to Neon, one of the game’s most praised hub cities. This makes his critique particularly relevant. He understands the potential of Bethesda’s handcrafted locations, and he clearly thinks that the decision to include over 1,000 procedurally generated planets weakened that potential.

The numbers support his viewpoint. Starfield launched in September 2023 with a Metacritic score of 88, but its Steam user score tells a different story: only 56% positive based on 118,412 reviews. This gap between critic reviews and player feedback is quite large. Additionally, the current player count on Steam is just 3,760, indicating that retaining players has been an ongoing issue more than 18 months after the game’s release.

Purkeypile’s comments reflect a common complaint from players: procedurally generated content, while impressive in scale, often lacks the depth and charm of handcrafted experiences. Bethesda built its reputation on creating worlds where exploration leads to meaningful discoveries. Think of the cramped tunnels of Vault 81 or the lively streets of Diamond City. Trying to replicate that essence across 1,000-plus barren planets was bound to be a tough challenge.

Bethesda hasn’t publicly responded to Purkeypile’s remarks. The studio has remained mostly quiet about the future of Starfield. Recent reports suggest that the game has been put on the back burner while Bethesda focuses on The Elder Scrolls 6 and other projects. The studio also chose not to switch to Unreal Engine 5 for Starfield to maintain mod support. This decision hints at a long-term content strategy that hasn’t fully unfolded yet.

By The Numbers

Metacritic Score	88
Steam User Score	56% positive
Steam Reviews	118,412
Current Steam Players	3,760
Current Price (Steam)	$39.99

Community frustration has been growing. One Steam reviewer summed up the sentiment in many negative reviews: “As much as I want to play Starfield, it just… doesn’t want to be played.” This line captures a disconnect between what players expected and what Bethesda delivered.

What To Watch

• Bethesda’s official response: Will the studio address Purkeypile’s design critique, or will they remain silent on Starfield’s future plans?
• Expansion and update activity: Starfield’s Shattered Space DLC launched in late 2024 with a more focused, handcrafted world. Watching if this approach changes player numbers and review scores will be important.
• Purkeypile’s next project: His independent work after Bethesda deserves attention. A designer like him, focusing on smaller, denser worlds, could provide a compelling counterpoint to Starfield’s scale-over-depth mindset.