Starfield's PS5 launch is accompanied by two new DLCs
Starfield's launch to the PS5 will be accompanied by one free update and one paid DLC
After the release of Starfield, and a less than thrilled reception, Bethesda quietly retreated to work on the game. The first expansion, "Shattered Space," was a narrative chapter focused on House Va’ruun. It rounded out one of the galaxy’s factions, but didn’t attempt to overhaul the game. Now, we know Bethesda will be releasing two updates on April 7.
The free update is called "Free Lanes," and it allows players to fly between planets within a system instead of fast-traveling through a menu. On cruise mode, the ship auto-pilots while you decorate your ship, chat with your space husband, or upgrade gear. These stretches of open space are filled with new encounters and anomalies to explore. There’s also a new resource called X-Tech which allows you to re-roll legendary weapon effects and add new four-star upgrades.
The free-update also has some quality of life improvements, like a little pre-fabricated shelter to drop on planets without needing to build a whole base, and the ability to carry your gear through a New Game+ loop.
The paid DLC, "Terran Armada," which is available in the Premium Edition or as a standalone for ten bucks, introduces a new faction called the Terran Armada. The DLC includes a new companion, clashes with the Armada and their robotic armies, and new Armada ships to acquire.
In the Starfield universe, Earth has been kaput since 2203, and humanity has been forced to spread across the stars. The Terran Armada claim that they’re the true descendants of Earth, and they seem pretty antagonistic. I, for one, refuse to trust a robot with red LEDs.
It’s an interesting direction for Starfield, which has a few strong qualities that struggle to shine under the game’s clunkier elements and wealth of content. The updates will go live alongside a PlayStation 5 launch, and Bethesda will continue to update Starfield in the future. This isn’t the start of a dramatic redemption arc or a Starfield 2.0, but I’m curious to see whether it sands down the rough bumps and leads to a smoother path through the space sandbox RPG.