Starfield will release for PlayStation 5 on April 7, Bethesda has announced. It’ll be out that day alongside the release of the “biggest update to the game since launch” for all platforms. None of this is surprising, as the release date and some early details have been leaking for a long time.
The Terran Armada and Free Lanes updates will make Starfield the “most complete version” of the game, Bethesda said.
The PS5 edition of Starfield “takes full advantage of” the PS5 hardware, Bethesda said. This includes support for the DualSense’s adaptive triggers, touchpad, and lightbar. On PS5 Pro, players will be able to choose from a Performance Mode to prioritize higher frame rates or Pro Visual Mode, which focuses on graphical quality.
Additionally, Bethesda is lowering the price of Starfield’s base edition to $40.
Upcoming DLC
The Terran Armada update adds a new questline featuring new characters, locations, enemies, quests, systems, and rewards. “Players get the chance to shape the future of humanity in space as they combat the incursions of the Terran Armada’s robotic forces in this brand-new story DLC,” reads a line from the paid DLC’s description. Terran Armada will cost $10, but Bethesda said people with the Premium Edition of the game for Steam and Xbox will get it at no extra cost. Starfield’s previous expansion, Shattered Space, was priced at $30 USD.
As for the Free Lanes update, this adds “significant new features and systems” that Bethesda says will “deepen the core Starfield experience” for new and veteran players.
“With this update, players can use cruise mode to travel from planet to planet within a star system, where they’ll experience frequent encounters and activities and spend some quality time on their ship with their crew,” Bethesda said.
Free Lanes will also add X-Tech, a new resource that players can use to upgrade their weapons and ship modules. Also coming to Starfield are new enemy modifiers like “extra shielding” and “more frequent attacks” to make enemy encounters more challenging.
The DLC also adds the “Moon Jumper,” which is a new land vehicle that players can use to get across the vast environments in the game. Starfield launched without ground vehicles, but an update in 2024 added Rev-8 Planet Rover, and now another vehicle is joining the stable.
Additionally, the new Starfield update introduces the Milliewhale pet for players’ outposts, along with new crew members in the form of Muria and mini-bot.
Trackers Alliance changes
Launched in 2024, the Trackers Alliance is a bounty-hunting faction in Starfield, and it’s being further expanded with the upcoming major update. Five new Tracker Alliance missions are coming to Starfield on April 7, and players will also get new rewards for completing them.
Another who previously bought the Trackers Alliance content will get the five new missions for free, while everyone else needs to pay 700 Creations Credits.
Another update could come
Starfield was originally released for Xbox and PC back in September 2023. The game didn’t score as highly as some of Bethesda’s other games, with many saying the game had shallow RPG systems and an overall experience that went big but lacked substance.
But Bethesda didn’t abandon the project and move on, as evidenced by the upcoming PS5 release–which opens the game up to a massive new audience–and all of the big new features coming. Additionally, Bethesda said in a call with media that “there’s places the team still wants to explore. There’s things and lore we’re excited about. So yeah, we have some plans, but nothing to announce today.”
Beyond the ongoing Starfield updates, Bethesda’s next big game is The Elder Scrolls 6, while the team is also working on Fallout 5, though no one should expect either game soon.
