No Matter What, Starfield: Shattered Space May Determine…

Summary

The Shattered Space DLC for Starfield may change the IP's future, with potential for more hand-crafted content in future DLC and a potential sequel if it's well-received.
Player feedback about Shattered Space could determine Starfield's fate, as the franchise looks to expand with more DLC.
If Shattered Space flops, Starfield may continue to embrace on procedural generation, highlighting the importance of the upcoming DLC.

Last year's introduction of Starfield was a complicated launch. On the one hand, there were many players who loved the game and reveled in its space exploration and ship customization. However, there were also many left feeling disappointed, with much of the criticism being aimed at the game's lack of unique content due to the use of procedural generation. Although Starfield may have not been the game some were expecting from the start, the upcoming release of its first DLC, Shattered Space, could change the future of the IP.

Since the game's launch, Starfield has continued to receive occasional updates that have helped make the game feel more alive, but Shattered Space is likely going to be a turning point for the game's longevity. Despite the rocky start, the anticipation for Shattered Space is high, as it takes an intriguing turn to cosmic horror with the long-awaited introduction of House Va'ruun. Although the DLC looks compelling, player feedback and the success of the expansion will ultimately decide the fate of Starfield.

Starfield's Franchise Potential Can Only Go Up from Here

Starfield may have been divisive at launch, but the franchise only has room to grow from here on out thanks to its expansions and DLC.

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By Smangaliso Simelane

Shattered Space Presents Starfield With Two Outcomes

Shattered Space Could Inspire More Hand-Crafted Content

One of the biggest criticisms of Starfield is the game's lack of interesting locations. When it was revealed by Bethesda that Starfield would showcase over 1,000 planets to explore, many were excited about taking in-game space exploration to the next level. However, some found the procedural generation of these planets lackluster, boring some Starfield players. Many called for more hand-crafted locations, and Shattered Space will thankfully provide that.

Shattered Space will finally reveal the mysterious House Va'ruun and the cult's home planet of Va'ruun'kai. If Shattered Space turns out to be a hit, this could warrant more hand-crafted content apart from the DLC. Handmade areas in games feel more alive because human thought and heart went into crafting these locations, and that can be felt, especially when looking at Starfield's planets. It's impressive that Bethesda was able to procedurally generate over 1,000 different planets, but a lot of them unfortunately feel barren and lacking character.

Va'ruun'kai has a lot of potential to be a fascinating planet for House Va'ruun to call home, and if the majority of players love it, it will hopefully inspire more hand-crafted locations. It has already been confirmed that Starfield will get more DLCs in the future, which would require handmade settings, but adding more content to the game that foregoes procedural generation in general would be ideal.

Although the release date for Shattered Space is currently unknown, it is slated for Fall 2024.

If Shattered Space Flops, Embracing Procedural Generation is More Likely

The unexpected horror tone of Shattered Space is an exciting change of pace that holds a lot of promise. If Bethesda is able to stick the landing with this horror-tinged look into House Va'ruun, it will be a high point for Starfield since launch. However, there is also the possibility of the DLC flopping. If this is the case, then it's likely that Starfield' s developers will continue to embrace procedural generation. If most players don't connect with the DLC's story or its environment, there won't be any real reason to try and make more hand-crafted content that isn't connected to an expansion.

As the mystery of Shattered Space's release date still looms overhead, Starfield is arriving at a crossroads. Bethesda's ambitious space adventure is set to have its first anniversary in September, but since the DLC is more horror-themed than the base game, it could be aiming for an October launch. Only time will tell how this first DLC will affect the future of Starfield. Hopefully, Shattered Space will be the breath of fresh air to give Starfield some rewarding post-launch redemption.

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