Starfield has joined Bethesda's 'Big Three' alongside Fallout and Elder Scrolls - studio veteran

Bethesda Game Studios now has three main role-playing game franchises: Fallout, Elder Scrolls, and Starfield. This was revealed by company veteran Emil PagliaruloEmil Pagliarulo is a video game developer who works at Bethesda Game Studios. He was the lead designer for Fallout 3, Fallout 4, Skyrim, Fallout Shelter, and Starfield. Pagliarulo began his career in the gaming industry working on the Thief series and later joined Bethesda in 2003. He also contributed to the development of narratives and mechanics for major studio projects, including Fallout 76..

According to Pagliarulo, Starfield has carved out its own unique audience and stands alongside other iconic franchises from the studio. The design director emphasized that the new game possesses its own identity and offers a distinct experience on consoles.

“Starfield combines Bethesda's signature style: immersion, action, and RPG elements,” Pagliarulo explained in an interview with GamesRadar+.

The developer acknowledged that Starfield is different from the studio's previous RPGs. For instance, instead of exploring an open world like Skyrim, players navigate hundreds of procedurally generated planets. However, these differences have helped attract a new audience.

Pagliarulo emphasized that launching a new franchise for the first time in decades was a risky move, especially given fan expectations for The Elder Scrolls 6. Nonetheless, the risk paid off, and now the studio can rely on three stable franchises.

“Previously, Bethesda was associated only with Elder Scrolls. Then Fallout was added. Now we have the big three: Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Starfield,” the design director noted.

Earlier, studio head Todd Howard hinted at ambitious plans for the evolution of Starfield. The developers plan to release annual story expansions for a considerable period. Pagliarulo added that this is just the beginning for the new franchise.

Despite Starfield joining Bethesda's "big three," the game still faces challenges. The first story expansion, Shattered Space, released a year after the main game's launch, received mixed reactions from players. In Steam, only 41% of 929 reviews were positive.