1 of Starfield’s Most Poignant Early Quests was Inspired by Todd Howard’s Overly Generous Wife

The inspiration for one item in Starfield came from the generosity of director Todd Howard's wife.

todd howard, starfield
credit: wikimedia commns/Gstaff25

SUMMARY

  • Director Todd Howard revealed where the idea for the Constellation originally came from.
  • Howard left a piece of his life in the game for the players to see and take inspiration from it.
  • Starfield Shattered Space is expected to be released later this year.
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Todd Howard serves as the CEO of Bethesda Game Studios and directed a handful of video games from different franchises like Fallout, the Elder Scrolls, and his most recent project: Starfield. Most of his games are massive and players can scour the map for rare collectible items to find.

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The Moonwatch holds a special place in the heart of the director, especially after learning the origin behind it. It appears that love knows no bounds and his wife, Kim Howard, knew how to express her appreciation and gifted him a watch that means a lot to the director.

Todd Howard’s Generous Wife Impacted Starfield

Todd Howard integrated his personal experience into his dream project.
Todd Howard integrated his personal experience into his dream project.

The director had high hopes for the project and gave it his all. He is quite optimistic about the release of the upcoming Starfield Shattered Space expansion and even gave away the potential release window a few weeks ago. New information has surfaced and it involves a generous act of kindness and love from Howard’s wife that inspired one item in the game.

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The Moonwatch was famously known for being on the wrist of famous astronaut Neil Armstrong and Kim gifted one to the director who inspired the Constellation watch in the game. It is wholesome to see the director honor his wife through this method. This is a testament to how strong their relationship became throughout the years and how thoughtful she was in their early days.

It is rare to discover the origins or backstories of how certain items in the game came to be but this specific tidbit regarding the Constellation watch is one for the books. The director had a strong support system from his family and friends, which is essential for those working in the game industry and even impacted his passion project.

Starfield Is Much More Personal to Todd Howard Than Expected

Starfield is a dream come true for director Todd Howard.
Starfield is a dream come true for director Todd Howard.

Game development can be quite tricky and time-consuming but the developers still manage to find ways to honor their loved ones. Howard spent years getting this project up and running and left a piece of his heart with the players with the hopes that his wife’s gift would also serve them well as they embarked on a new journey.

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The game recently received a new update with significant improvements including a world map to make traversal and exploration much easier. Perhaps the developers will share more interesting and heartfelt stories about the game’s production as they scour every planet in the game and find more rare items.

Howard dreamt about this project years ago and to see it take flight with a piece of himself from his past will stay with him and his family forever. Most game developers wouldn’t bother to include references or easter eggs to other franchises but the director made sure to honor his wife’s generosity.

There is nothing a man can’t do if he is driven by passion and if he is passionately cared for by the people he loves. Todd Howard is a husband and a game developer that his wife fully supports and it is wholesome to see it manifest in Starfield. What are your thoughts about the Constellation watch? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Written by Rouvin Josef Quirimit

Articles Published: 632

Rouvin is deeply fascinated by pop culture media ranging from comics, movies, TV shows and especially video games with a rich narrative.