Starfield’s Player Count Tells a Different Story Than Bethesda

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Approaching its second anniversary, it seems that Starfield continues to exist, much like an infrequent but well-meaning relative who drops by with a plate of cookies and a quick story. Initially hyped as having the staying power comparable to The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, it has fallen short of that expectation, despite significant updates and the introduction of the Shattered Space expansion. Despite sporadic reasons to revisit the game, Starfield lacks the qualities that made Skyrim a timeless classic, a truth that is most evident in its current player base.

As I type this, the number of players on Steam for Starfield is only a few thousand, which is significantly lower than its maximum player count of hundreds of thousands. This discrepancy becomes even more apparent when compared to Skyrim’s current player count of nearly 20,000, and that’s with a peak of almost 70,000. If the Steam numbers are any indicator of console players for Starfield (and they probably are), it seems doubtful that Bethesda’s future plans for the game will lead to a resurgence or even be realized at all. This is particularly striking in light of the developer’s recent statements about “exciting things” on the horizon for Starfield.

Starfield’s Declining Player Count May Undercut Bethesda’s Long-Term Plans

Starfield’s Player Count Shows Players Aren’t Sticking Around

As a gamer, I can say that while player counts may not be the only factor to gauge a game’s vitality, they do provide an insightful perspective on player sentiment towards the game. These numbers tend to fluctuate, noticeably during updates for long-term games or newly launched ones, only to settle back down to a loyal core group. However, considering the challenges Starfield has faced just to remain relevant, its current player count is quite indicative of where its initial fanbase stands now.

Although Starfield was advertised as a game that dedicated gamers would play continuously for years, its player count is surprisingly low, yet this isn’t the main problem. The problem lies in that, despite the efforts to rejuvenate interest in the game, these attempts haven’t been sufficient to retain players for extended periods – not like Skyrim has managed. It seems Bethesda may be content with players intermittently returning to Starfield, but this contradicts their original plans for the IP. However, it appears that either those plans have evolved or they are yet to materialize based on the developer’s current plans for the game’s future.

It’s Increasingly Hard to Believe ‘Exciting Things’ Will Actually Change Things

The planned surprises for Starfield by Bethesda could range from numerous possibilities or none at all, serving more as a gauge of fan anticipation rather than concrete plans. There are rumors that another DLC expansion for Starfield is underway, but after Shattered Space didn’t retain players permanently, the new expansion will need to go above and beyond to make a lasting impact.

Although efforts made by [Starfield] to rekindle player engagement have fallen short, they haven’t managed to maintain players over an extended period like how [Skyrim] has been able to do so.

To ensure that Starfield realizes its initial goal of being enjoyed for an extended period, it needs to engage players more deeply and build their commitment. Regrettably, it appears whatever new features or updates are planned may come too late, even if they had been released yesterday, the damage might already be done. With its player base at an all-time low, it’s questionable whether Starfield will manage to hit a home run that rekindles the interest of its former fans. However, uncertainty doesn’t equal certainty, so there’s still hope that it could regain popularity.

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2025-07-29 19:35