Three reasons why the leaked Starfield release date could be true

20 February 2023 , 09:28

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Players can zip from planet to planet in an instant went Starfield releases (Image: Bethesda)

Bethesda’s upcoming Sci-Fi RPG is easily the biggest exclusive Xbox has this year, and a recent leak indicates that it won’t be long until players get to blast off.

After constant rumours and speculation that the Starfield release date could end up being as early as this summer, a listing on the GOG Galaxy storefront has stoked speculation further by briefly listing the game’s launch date as June 29, 2023. The detail was spotted earlier this month by eagle-eyed Twitter user Tyler McVicker, who posted the screenshot online before the date could be removed.

There are a few reasons why this latest Starfield release date leak is likely to be true. For one, the date itself seems too specific to be a placeholder. Then there’s the fact that this would see Starfield launch mere days after Xbox is done showcasing its lineup during this year’s E3 (if indeed it does show) which is scheduled to run between June 13 and June 16.

It makes sense that Xbox and Bethesda would give themselves a few weeks of breathing space to hype up its biggest 2023 release before making it available to players.

Finally, Redfall, another Bethesda game, was confirmed to release on May 2 during Xbox’s Developer Direct presentation just a few weeks ago. Starfield releasing on June 29 would therefore give that game enough time to shine on its own without being cannibalised. If true, this leaked date would see Xbox adhere to its commitment of launching Starfield within its “first half of 2023” release window. But only just.

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Wishing on a star

Bethesda nor Microsoft have yet to confirm an official Starfield release date despite this leak. For me, though, the GOG Galaxy listing carries enough weight to make me believe it’s true. A big summer AAA exclusive game is exactly what Xbox needs right now to energise its release calendar, after kicking the year off in style with the surprise launch of Hi-Fi Rush (another Bethesda joint).

Starfield has also been delayed enough times that if it slips from its planned 2023 release window again, I wouldn’t be shocked if those looking forward to playing it begin to lose faith. The game purportedly is so enormous that glitches and bugs a la Cyberpunk 2077 are almost expected by this point, so Bethesda may as well get it out of the door while excitement is still strong.

The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim launched as a buggy mess back in 2011 yet is now thought of as one of the best Fantasy RPGs ever. I’m confident that there’ll be a similar case with Starfield, but it’ll stand a much better chance if it meets its rumoured June 29 release date.

Aaron Potter