It’s been a while since I updated the blog here. Life kind of took over and I was writing elsewhere. Still am, but this is my geek space, so of course I would come back to it.
I keep seeing all this hype for Bethesda’s new game, Starfield. From excitement as if it were the first ever game of its kind to claims that it’s going to be the biggest game ever. I can’t help but wonder: why is there so much hype for a game from a company that has had so many disappointing releases? Do we remember Fallout 76 and all the lies going into it? “Fourteen times the detail,” said Todd Howard…
Don’t get me wrong: if you are legit excited for Starfield, good for you. It’s always nice to have a new game to look forward to, creating excitement among work/life struggles. But is the game overhyped? I’ve seen it called “Space Skyrim” as if the game is going to play exactly like Skyrim and be exactly like Skyrim, just in space. We all know that isn’t the case—at least, I hope not, because a developer as big as Bethesda should have more creative talent than to just re-hash the same game over and over…right? I mean, they did re-release Skyrim like a thousand times over ten years, so surely they have managed to come up with something different by now.
Seriously though, the hype over Starfield has reached an annoying status now, and much of it is just speculation and the same images. I am always seeing articles on Facebook interspersed between posts from friends and family. Starfield this and Starfield that…it’s irritating. I roll my eyes and scroll past because I simply do not care. Even with all the hype the new Zelda game received, Starfield immediately took over again.
I’ve seen Xbox gamers claiming that PlayStation gamers are jealous because the game will be an Xbox exclusive. No, we are definitely not jealous. I switched to PlayStation after numerous questionable decisions from Microsoft, the company originally choosing to take a very unfriendly route with the Xbox One before changing their mind. Remember when Microsoft said the system would have to do daily "check-ins" to play any game and that we wouldn’t be able to play some used or borrowed games? Yeah, I remember that.
Then Sony’s E3 press conference that year emphasized that they were not Microsoft and, given that my online friends were already making the switch, I decided to get a PS4 instead of an Xbox One. Sony released the “Perfect Day” commercial that reminded us gaming is meant to be fun. Sony got it: it was about gaming, not becoming a home entertainment system. That commercial and, as a result, the Lou Reed song ”Perfect Day,” always bring a smile to my face.
Truthfully, I have a PC capable of playing most games, so if I wanted to play “space Skyrim,” I could, but I just do not care! The only space game I was ever excited about was No Man’s Sky, and, though it was a rocky launch, I have enjoyed the last few years with the game. I take breaks from it when something else catches my interest, and I absolutely hate that one of the more recent updates meant I had to basically start over with storage space in my ship. If I have the urge to fly through the universe, No Man’s Sky is my pick simply because of the freedom to explore, and now the ability to become a space pirate tormenting the Korvax. If I want more of an RPG, I head back to the days of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic on my Nintendo Switch.
So, Xbox gamers: yes, we get it. You will have a big game that PlayStation gamers do not, but why must you insist that we all even want that game? And why must people insist that disinterest in the game is just jealousy that it isn’t coming to PlayStation? It isn’t—many of us truly just do not care about Starfield. I’m sorry if that hurts you, but it’s the truth.
When the next Fable game comes out, and only if it looks good, then I will be hyped for a Microsoft game. Until then, I’m awaiting the release of Cities: Skylines II on PC.