Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Starfield Lacks Depth, Says Former Bethesda Designer

10/22/2025

33 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Bruce Nesmith, a former Bethesda designer who contributed Starfield's astronomical data, says Starfield is good but not on par with Fallout or The Elder Scrolls.
He attributes shortcomings to procedural generation, making planets feel repetitive.
Nesmith says space is inherently boring, contributing to the mixed reception.
The game has maintained a player base, and Bethesda plans to enhance gameplay.

History

Historical Context

The release of Starfield in 2023 marks Bethesda's first new intellectual property in 25 years, following the mixed reception of No Man's Sky in 2016. Starfield, described as "Skyrim in space," features over 1,000 procedurally generated planets. Despite its initial success, with over 6 million players by September 2023, it faced criticism for bugs and gameplay issues, reflecting ongoing challenges in game development.

1 of 2

Story summary

Bruce Nesmith, a former Bethesda designer who contributed Starfield's astronomical data, says Starfield is good but not on par with Fallout or The Elder Scrolls.
He attributes shortcomings to procedural generation, making planets feel repetitive.
Nesmith says space is inherently boring, contributing to the mixed reception.
The game has maintained a player base, and Bethesda plans to enhance gameplay.

1 / 2