Fans are divided over the recent news that Starfield, Bethesda’s upcoming Xbox-exclusive space RPG will be locked to 30fps on Xbox Series X|S. Todd Howard confirmed in a recent interview with IGN that the game will run in 4K on the Series X and 1440p on the Series S while being locked to 30fps on both consoles. He goes on to say that the framerate will not be locked on PC and that it often runs “way above that” and that “sometimes it’s 60[fps].” However, he says the framerate will remain locked on consoles “…because [Bethesda prefers] consistency…” in how the game performs.
Fan responses have been a bit divided in response to this news. Some fans have expressed disappointment in this decision, especially noting that they believe a console as powerful as the Xbox Series X should be able to run the game at 60fps, given that the Series X has been pushed as the most powerful console on the market.
Starfield confirmed to be 30fps on the World’s Most Powerful Console! #Starfield pic.twitter.com/230E8TONyd
— Jaydub (@JayDubcity16) June 11, 2023
Also read: “That may be the last one I do.” – Will The Elder Scrolls 6 Be Todd Howard’s Last Game?
Excitement for Starfield Remains High
For the most part, however, fans seem to be relatively indifferent to this news, with many noting that it is entirely understandable given the size and scope of the game. Dannie Carlone, Senior Staff Environment Artist for Santa Monica Studio, who worked on the critically acclaimed God of War: Ragnarök also defended the decision, saying that “60fps on this scale would be a large hit to the visual fidelity” for the game, meaning that locking it at 30fps should allow the game to maintain a steady and consistently beautiful look.
Game dev here, big fan btw. Wanted to clarify It’s not a sign of an unfinished game. It’s a choice. 60fps on this scale would be a large hit to the visual fidelity. My guess is they want to go for a seamless look and less ” pop in”. And of course your right to dislike the choice
— Dannie Carlone (@Corgiboltz) June 12, 2023
Many fans have drawn a comparison to the recently released Tears of the Kingdom as well, which similarly runs at 30FPS on the Nintendo Switch. While some fans note that Tears of the Kingdom runs on much weaker hardware, most still say that it does not detract from the overall experience of the game due to its impressive world and mechanics.
I can’t wait to play #Starfield, even if it’s only locked at 30fps. Thankfully, framerate doesn’t determine the game’s quality! Otherwise, Zelda TotK would be a very bad game in this sense. And so far, Zelda is my GOTY so you know what I’m thinking about all that garbage.
— Dylan | Clive Rosfield (@NoctaliD) June 13, 2023
It is understandable that this news may strike some gamers as a worrying sign. Redfall recently launched as an Xbox exclusive as well and was similarly announced to be locked to 30fps long before launch, and upon release was met with a bevy of negative responses from fans and critics. Many were disappointed with the game for its wide array of bugs and glitches, but many also felt that it was simply a boring game even when it did work. As a result, some fans are skeptical about Starfield as a fellow Xbox exclusive title being locked to a similar framerate.
Related: Redfall Review – A Toothless Nail In The Coffin (PC)
Overall, however, most fans do not appear to be overly perturbed by Bethesda’s decision to lock Starfield to 30fps on consoles, largely thanks to the other impressive offerings the game has. In a recently released forty-minute deep dive, Bethesda highlighted the many options available to the player for roleplaying as they please in the beautifully rendered galaxy, which features a thousand worlds to explore, some randomly generated and some crafted by hand by the folks at Bethesda. Most fans seem to agree that despite the 30fps cap, the game seems impressive and fun enough to render that a nonissue.
Starfield is set to release for Xbox Series X|S on September 6, 2023. However, buyers of the Premium Edition will receive up to five days early access.
Are you excited for Starfield? Does the locked framerate on consoles bother you, or are you unbothered by the decision? Let us know in the comments and on our social media feeds!
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