When it comes to anything related to space in a video game, the conversation about atmospheric flight always tends to pop up somewhere. Why? The very concept of atmospheric flight is just awesome to think about and, for Starfield, that is no exception.
However, there won't be any sort of atmospheric flight in Starfield. As sad as that is to say, Bethesda has confirmed this. There could be all sorts of reasons for the omission of such a beloved feature, so allow me to name a few reasonable takes as to why this is the case.
Why is there no atmospheric flight in Starfield?
The omission of atmospheric flight from Starfield is likely due to the game's focus not being on the space sim genre. Starfield is, first and foremost, a Bethesda RPG. While you will be able to fly around in a ship and dogfight in one, the space sim portion is not the focus of the game. This is likely why Bethesda previously confirmed it would not be available.
Sure. This is disappointing, but if you think about everything that makes up a Bethesda RPG in the first place, this isn't shocking either.
Related: Everything we know about Starfield – Release date, gameplay, platforms, & more
Now for a bit of coping fuel to consume: when Bethesda confirmed the lack of atmospheric flight in Starfield, what they were talking about was a seamless transition from Space into the atmosphere of a planet. However, what has not been confirmed is whether or not you'll be able to fly your ship within the atmosphere of a planet. Can you fly from one point of interest to another, in-planet? Personally, while I would love this feature, I seriously doubt it will be in Starfield. My reasoning is if they are willing to omit space-to-planet flight, then in-planet flight is likely omitted as well.
Still, this has not been confirmed and likely won't be until the game launches in early September. One can hope, though!
For more information and news relating to everything Starfield, check out the fairly recent Starfield Direct Complete Breakdown right here on Pro Game Guides.
Published: Aug 5, 2023 05:17 am