A year after Starfield's launch, Bethesda released the Shattered Space DLC, a new addition to the space exploration role-playing game.
Months before its release, Bethesda Game Studios released various quality-of-life improvements, including the Creations Kit to Starfield, and player expectations slowly improved. This was followed by an exciting release of the land vehicle REV-8, and players started to look forward to Shattered Space.
During Gamescom 2024, Bethesda showcased more of Shattered Space, even mentioning that this DLC would change players' perceptions. This happened, but not in the way Bethesda expected. DLC would change the way how players think of Starfield
Shattered Space was soulless, and the charm it tried to emulate through various trailers and snapshots couldn't make up for all of Va'ruun'kai's emptiness, even with the new gorgeous places of interest. Steam reviews for the game are now labeled as mixed, with many gamers saying that Shattered Space is "more Starfield" - big, wide, and empty.
Players initially thought their decisions during the DLC quests would impact Starfield's overall narrative. However, this story expansion is far from the amazing DLCs from the studio, such as Skyrim's Dawnguard and Oblivion's Shivering Isles.
While the underwhelming Shattered Space is the most recent project that Bethesda has released in recent years, it doesn't change that the studio has created some of the most legendary titles in gaming history.
The Elder Scrolls franchise is one of the most popular in gaming. Each installment challenges the limits of gaming technology and hardware. Skyrim, released in 2011, is still more popular than Starfield, a game developed using Bethesda's latest Creation Engine and released in 2023.
Skyrim: Special Edition on Steam still has almost double the number of active players compared to Starfield, according to Steam Charts. While Steam numbers are not the be-all and end-all metric in terms of a game's popularity across different platforms, the fact that Skyrim still has that amount of players states one thing: Bethesda peaked during Skyrim.
Skyrim Was Peak Bethesda
Skyrim could be considered the right game at the right time. 2010 saw a drought of fantastic RPGs, mainly due to the popularity of shooting games at the time. A year later, Skyrim revolutionized gamers' views of video game quality.
From combat mechanics to storytelling, and even bugs and annoying dialogues, many players felt that Skyrim was the epitome of how fantasy games should feel. Eventually, Skyrim won the most-coveted Game Of The Year award, cementing it as one of Bethesda's greatest titles.
Shattered Space, and Starfield in general, was far from what Skyrim was during its peak popularity. A few editions and a fishing mechanic later, Skyrim still topples Starfield in almost every aspect.
Traveling the region in Skyrim was an entire gaming experience, filled with dynamic life in almost every nook and cranny of the overworld.
Skyrim had the perfect Bethesda formula 13 years ago, which remains popular to this day. With all that's happening in Starfield and the long wait for The Elder Scrolls 6, having another take at Skyrim could be the next best thing for Bethesda.
Skyrim 2 Prequel and Sequel - Two Things That May Work
Yes, Elder Scrolls 6 may be around the corner, and it makes sense that Bethesda would pour all its resources into the upcoming title. However, looking back at what made Skyrim so entertaining and effective after so many years wouldn't hurt.
It may be true that Bethesda might've thought about this after all, and if a Skyrim prequel or sequel happens, there might be an influx of returning BGS fans.
The Elder Scrolls is an expansive franchise. From each region's culture to the history of Mundus and the overall lore, there is always a story waiting to be told in the Elder Scrolls. The Elder Scrolls Online perfectly created the feeling of being a citizen in Tamriel, and Skyrim is no different.
Its narrative, including the DLCs, is perfect for new stories and legends still within the canon of the Elder Scrolls franchise. It's just a matter of whether a new Skyrim story tells of what has happened before the game's events or if it will look towards the future after the events of the main campaign and DLCs.
Skyrim 2 as a Prequel - A Blast From The Past
A Skyrim Prequel may bring us before the events of Elder Scrolls V, but it is not necessarily similar to the previous titles. A storyline focused on an earlier version of the region of Skyrim or more lore about how the Blades came to be could be a good start. Either way, enriching more lore about the past of Skyrim is still a win for any Elder Scrolls fan.
Skyrim 2 as a Sequel - A New Era
Bethesda has been very quiet when it comes to the story of Elder Scroll VI. Rumors have it that it'll be set in the Valenwood or Elsweyr region, but should they need more time to develop the upcoming mainline title, a sequel for the beloved Elder Scroll title could also work.
A Skyrim sequel can explore the history of Dwemer more deeply and focus on these hidden dungeons scattered around the region. Or Bethesda can even expand on the Dragonborn lore about the current state of the Greybeards. Elder Scrolls V has so much potential to tell more stories about the history and artifacts in Skyrim.
While Elder Scrolls 6 may still be a long wait, and Skyrim 2 will remain a dream for many, it is still playable more than a decade later.
Starfield excelled in many areas and gave many Bethesda fans a unique gaming experience. However, nothing can top Skyrim. It is timeless and legendary and will be enjoyed for many more years to come.