06 October 2023 , 04:00
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There aren’t too many details regarding Starfield’s first DLC expansion floating around the internet, but its already been confirmed by Bethesda to be in development.
After what felt like years of hype and speculation, Starfield is finally out there in the wild much to the enjoyment of Xbox Series X|S owners everywhere. It’s easily one of the most ambitious Bethesda RPGs in years, building upon principles first set down in Fallout and The Elder Scrolls by letting players journey amongst the stars in a near infinite galaxy as a member of space exploration outfit Constellation.
You’d think a space opera of this scale would be enough to satisfy even the most meticulous of players for at least a few months. However, despite one of the most original endgame experiences that ensures no adventure is the same, Bethesda has already made clear that Starfield DLC is in development. We know it’s called Shattered Space and is being actively worked on. Here’s everything else we know so far…
Starfield Shattered Space DLC: release date
The Starfield Shattered Space DLC release date hasn't been officially confirmed just yet. However, we can take a good guess based on how Bethesda has handled debut DLC expansions for its previous games. Take the Automatron add-on for Fallout 4, for example, which arrived roughly five months after the base game released.
Based on previous expansion release patterns, we predict that the Starfield Shattered Space DLC release date will likely fall sometime in March 2024.
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Starfield Starfield Shattered Space DLC: story and gameplay
Of course, the one big question with the very first piece of Starfield DLC is: what’s actually in it? Unfortunately, the exact content of Shattered Space remains a mystery, purely because Bethesda is understandably remaining tight-lipped while players continue to enjoy the main game.
Thanks to the breakdown for the different Starfield editions, we know to expect something relatively meaty to sink our teeth into, as the Shattered Space is explicitly described as a “story expansion”. That means narrative is likely to play a significant role, but who knows if it’ll see you step back into the boots of your own player-created character or perhaps a new person created by Bethesda itself.
If you've rolled credits and got to the Starfield New Game Plus you'll know that the Shattered Space title may tie in with the endgame events. Not to go too heavy on the spoilers here, but the new game plus option sees you thrown into an infinite loop essentially, in which you can experience different versions of the original playthrough. The name of the DLC suggests a break; whether that's in space, time, or both, we don't know.
Whatever Shattered Space’s focus ends up being, we should expect more of the universe to explore with plenty of new stories to uncover.
Starfield Shattered Space DLC: price
The Starfield Shattered Space DLC price may be the most pricey Bethesda expansion yet based on the discrepancy between the standard and premium editions of the game. That said, players on Xbox who forked out for either the Starfield Premium Edition or Starfield Constellation Edition can rest easy knowing that they include access to the Shattered Space DLC. However, those of you who jumped into Bethesda’s sprawling universe through your Xbox Game Pass subscription don’t gain automatic access.
It is possible for Xbox Game Pass players to upgrade to the premium edition for £34.99 / $34.99 / AU$59.95 as a standalone purchase. And that'll get you access to the Starfield Shattered Space DLC when it releases. This purchasable upgrade will work for both physical and digital purchases of the base game.
The upgrade price might indicate the cost of the expansion, but bear in mind it also covered other perks included in the premium edition like early access, the Constellation Skin Pack, and Starfield Digital Artbook and Original Soundtrack. Fallout 4: Far Harbour came in at £19.99 / $24.99 / AU29.95 and included a significant amount of content.
Bear in mind this was the third expansion and was a hefty one, I can't imagine that Bethesda's first DLC for Starfield will come close in terms of size so the Shattered Space DLC price will likely be a little lower that Far Harbour. Or it had better be at least! If you don't care for the skins and artbooks, it might be worth waiting and getting the Shattered Space DLC as a standalone to save yourself some cash.