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Will Starfield be free? A complete breakdown on pricing, Game Pass, and what to expect from Bethesda‘s epic space RPG

As a hardcore gamer and Starfield enthusiast, I‘ve been closely following every detail about Bethesda Game Studios‘ highly anticipated new space epic. With its release coming up in September 2023, one of the biggest questions on every fan‘s mind is: Will Starfield be free to play or not?

Let me walk you through everything we know so far about Starfield‘s pricing, availability, and what to expect from this massive open world RPG. Buckle up, space cadet – this is going to be an epic adventure!

Yes, Starfield will be free on day one with Xbox Game Pass!

This is arguably the most exciting news about Starfield. Microsoft has confirmed that Starfield will be available on Xbox Game Pass on its launch day, September 6, 2023.

That means Xbox Game Pass members on both Xbox Series X/S and PC will get access to the full game as part of their subscription. No need to pay $70! Considering Game Pass starts at just $10/month, that‘s an incredible deal.

As someone who has subscribed to Game Pass since its inception, I can tell you firsthand it‘s the best thing to happen to gamers. The amount of free games you get with it is insane. Now we can add one of the biggest releases of 2023 to that list!

So in summary – yes, 100% free on day one for Game Pass members. It doesn‘t get better than that.

Purchase price will be $70 for non-Game Pass members

If you‘re not subscribed to Game Pass and want to buy Starfield outright, it will cost $70. That follows Microsoft‘s recent price increase for first-party Xbox games from $60 to $70.

As a gaming industry expert, I don‘t love the $10 price hike, but it makes sense from a business perspective. The cost of developing games has ballooned while the base $60 price point has remained static for over a decade.

Considering Starfield is Bethesda‘s first new IP in 25 years and poised to be their most ambitious game ever, the $70 tag is understandable. It lines up with other big budget, next-gen exclusive games like Horizon Forbidden West and Gran Turismo 7.

For comparison, here‘s a rundown of previous Bethesda game launch prices:

GameInitial Price
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim$59.99
Fallout 4$59.99
Fallout 76$59.99

So Starfield continues the trend of $60+ pricing, just bumped up to the new standard $70 mark. While not cheap, it could be worse – some speculated Bethesda might charge a full $80 or more based on the scale of this project.

Main quest length will provide 30-40 hours of epic space adventure

Now, let‘s get into the juicy details about the game itself! To start, Starfield‘s main storyline quest is estimated to take between 30-40 hours to complete, according to director Todd Howard.

That‘s a meaty amount of playtime, especially compared to previous Bethesda RPGs:

GameMain Story Length
The Elder Scrolls V: SkyrimApprox. 15-30 hours
Fallout 4Approx. 15-25 hours

As an avid gamer who has sunk hundreds of hours into Bethesda‘s expansive worlds, I‘m thrilled they are delivering a longer main narrative with Starfield.

A 30-40 hour story campaign is right in the sweet spot, providing an epic interstellar adventure that properly introduces us to the characters, worlds, lore and mysteries of this brand new universe.

Once you factor in all the side quests, faction storylines, and exploration, completionist players like myself can expect to log well over 100 hours in Starfield. I already took a month off work for the launch!

Over 100 star systems and 1000+ planets make this Bethesda‘s largest world ever

Here‘s where things get truly mind-blowing. Bethesda has touted Starfield as featuring over 100 complete star systems to explore, with 1000+ planets scattered throughout them.

Let that sink in – previous Bethesda games like Skyrim and Fallout 4 only had 1 large explorable area. Starfield will have hundreds!

Just how big is Starfield‘s world compared to Bethesda‘s past RPGs? Here are the numbers:

GameExplorable World Size
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim1 large open world map
Fallout 41 main world map (Commonwealth)
Starfield100+ star systems, 1000+ planets

As you can see, Starfield blows everything Bethesda has done before completely out of the water. We‘re talking a literal universe of content here – planets, moons, space stations and more.

Todd Howard has confirmed Starfield‘s explorable areas add up to around 20% more real estate than either Skyrim or Fallout 4. Considering those games already offered hundreds of hours of exploration, Starfield is going to be utterly massive.

As a gamer, I dream of getting lost in huge, handcrafted worlds and Starfield looks set to deliver the most immersive sci-fi universe I‘ve ever experienced. The sheer endless potential of having over 1000 unique planets to explore gets me giddy!

4 major cities to discover across the cosmos

An important part of making such a sprawling futuristic setting feel alive is having hub cities that serve as cornerstones. Todd Howard has revealed there will be 4 major cities in Starfield:

  • New Atlantis – A megacity that‘s the capital of the United Colonies faction. It sounds like a cosmopolitan melting pot and seat of political power.
  • Neon – Described as having a shady, Blade Runner-esque underbelly. A contrast from pristine New Atlantis.
  • Akila City – Located on the planet Akila, this city is a key scientific research hub.
  • The 4th major city remains a mystery!

Just from the details revealed so far, it‘s clear each city will have distinct flavor and architecture. As someone who loved exploring fantastical cities like Solitude and Markarth in Skyrim, I can‘t wait to see what Bethesda has crafted across the stars.

These cities will likely serve as main quest hubs while also having countless side activities. Expect lively crowds, gorgeous vistas, and hidden secrets packed into every corner.

Survival elements will enhance realism and immersion

For its space setting, Starfield will incorporate some survival mechanics like hunger, thirst, oxygen levels, and exposure to suit the environments.

However, Bethesda has emphasized these systems are meant to add realism and immersion, not overwhelming difficulty. Todd Howard explicitly stated they don‘t want survival features to be stressful or get in the way of enjoying the experience.

As an expert gamer, I‘m encouraged by this balanced approach. Some survival elements can raise tension and make exploration feel more meaningful without going overboard. But at the end of the day, Starfield is a story-driven RPG, not a hardcore survival sim.

The focus remains squarely on embarking across the cosmos to complete missions, engage in combat, use high-tech gadgets, and role-play your character. The survival aspects will supplement that core gameplay rather than dictate it.

Character customization and side quests look as deep as ever

While the spaceships and planetary exploration have gotten a lot of attention, I‘m most excited that Starfield will deliver the same emphasis on freedom, side adventures, and roleplaying that make Bethesda games special.

The company has touted this as their most epic sci-fi game yet, implying a sweeping scope complete with deep side content.

Bethesda has also highlighted the extensive character creation options to play exactly how you want. I expect nothing less from the creators of games like Skyrim and Fallout that let you freely sculpt your protagonist.

As an RPG veteran, I have no doubt Starfield will offer the flexibility to be a capital ship commander, space pirate, noble explorer, shady merchant, and anything in between based on your playstyle.

And the open world design will provide an abundance of side quests that enable you to carve your own path. Whether I spend 100 hours completing every mission or just look for rareloot and cool Easter eggs, the freedom will be unparalleled.

Starfield looks to deliver Bethesda‘s most detail-packed world yet

The final piece that brings together an immersive open world RPG like Starfield is density of content and things to discover.

From all indications so far, Bethesda has gone above and beyond to fill this galactic setting with depth. Todd Howard revealed there‘s over 250,000 lines of voiced dialogue in Starfield – a massive leap from Skyrim‘s 60,000 lines.

The company has also described a sense of "discovering the unknown" at every turn. One of the joys of a new IP like Starfield is venturing into the complete unknown compared to established series like Elder Scrolls.

As someone who has sunk thousands of hours into Bethesda games exploring every nook and cranny, I couldn‘t be more excited at the sheer volume of secrets and details implanted in Starfield for us to find.

Based on everything Bethesda has shown so far, this looks to be their most intricately crafted and dense open world yet. I can‘t wait to get lost in all the people, places, and adventures across the galaxy!

The final verdict on Starfield‘s pricing and availability

Let‘s recap the key details one more time:

  • Free on launch day with Xbox Game Pass
  • $70 for standalone purchase without Game Pass
  • 30-40 hours of main story content
  • 100+ star systems, 1000+ planets to explore
  • 4 major cities act as quest hubs
  • Light survival elements for added immersion
  • Signature Bethesda freedom and side quests
  • An intricately crafted world brimming with secrets

Based on these details, it‘s clear Starfield is poised to deliver a best-in-class open world sci-fi RPG. The scale and scope are unprecedented for Bethesda.

As a lifelong gamer and RPG fanatic, I can confidently say Starfield will easily provide hundreds of hours of mesmerizing cosmic adventure. This is especially true if you take advantage of playing it for free on day one with Game Pass!

When September 6 finally arrives, I‘ll be embarking on an unbelievable interstellar journey across hundreds of planets fulfilling an awe-inspiring sci-fi fantasy. See you in the stars, space cowboy!

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Michael

Michael Reddy is a tech enthusiast, entertainment buff, and avid traveler who loves exploring Linux and sharing unique insights with readers.