Bethesda is reportedly gearing up for the long-rumored PlayStation 5 version of Starfield, scheduled for a spring 2026 release alongside a new expansion.
Sources at MP1st indicate that the Starfield PS5 launch was delayed from 2025, partly due to disappointing sales of its first expansion, Shattered Space. Released in September 2024, Shattered Space received a 'mostly negative' user review rating on Steam and was intended to be followed by another expansion this year as part of an annual content plan.
IGN has reached out to Bethesda for a statement.
The PS5 release is expected to align with the launch of Starfield's second major expansion and various quality-of-life improvements. MP1st also noted that an announcement is unlikely at this month's gamescom, and a surprise release like the one for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is not anticipated.
Since its debut, speculation has persisted about whether Bethesda might scale back support for Starfield to concentrate on other franchises. In June 2024, Bethesda reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing Starfield development, confirming at least one additional story expansion after Shattered Space. During an interview with YouTube creator MrMattyPlays, Bethesda Game Studios' Todd Howard expressed the team's ambition to release annual story expansions for "hopefully a very long time."
However, updates have been scarce since then, frustrating Starfield players who feel communication about the game's future has been inadequate. Many considered its absence from June’s Xbox Games Showcase the final disappointment.
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Starfield launched in September 2023 as Bethesda's first new intellectual property in 25 years, eventually attracting 15 million players. However, it received a more mixed reception than the studio's earlier titles in the Fallout and The Elder Scrolls series, and the Shattered Space expansion did little to shift overall sentiment.
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer later disclosed a discussion with Bethesda’s Todd Howard regarding the pacing of Starfield updates. “Todd and I were talking about Shattered Space,” Spencer recalled. “I’ve spent many hours in Starfield and truly enjoy it, but the team has been adding features throughout the year before releasing the expansion. Some players felt the expansion should have included more significant updates, while Todd considered whether delaying features like the buggy would have been better.
"It’s a balancing act between ongoing development effort and the impact of a major expansion. Managing a live game month by month involves constant trade-offs—not every title will follow the expansion model.”
Criticism of Shattered Space, however, largely centered on its limited space-based content rather than ground features. As noted in IGN’s Starfield Shattered Space review: "There appears to be almost no new content for space enthusiasts, aside from a legitimate method to acquire Va’ruun ships instead of stealing them from hostile Zealots. While expansions don’t need to enhance every game system, it’s surprising that an expansion bearing 'space' in its name offered so little for pilots and explorers."
Last week, Bethesda finally broke its silence regarding Starfield’s roadmap, confirming that updates are still in progress and promising news on "exciting developments" in the coming months.
Bethesda was also impacted by Microsoft’s recent layoffs, which affected its London office and ZeniMax Online Studios. An unannounced MMORPG was canceled, and the veteran studio head departed.
