Title: Bethesda’s Starfield Faces Criticism as PC Users Struggle with Performance Issues
Subtitle: Developer suggests PC users need to upgrade their systems to fully enjoy the game
Image: Screenshot of Starfield gameplay on Xbox Series X/S and PC (Source: Bloomberg Technology / Kotaku)
September 9, 2022
Bethesda’s highly anticipated space exploration game, Starfield, made its official debut on Xbox Series X/S and PC on September 6. However, while console players seemed delighted with the game, some PC users found themselves struggling with performance issues and disappointing gameplay. In response, Bethesda and Starfield director Todd Howard suggest that it may be time for PC users to consider upgrading their hardware.
In an interview with Bloomberg Technology, Howard addressed the concerns raised by PC players regarding the optimization of Starfield for their platform. When asked about the lack of optimization, Howard replied, “Uh, we did. It’s running great. It is a next-gen PC game. We really do push the technology, so you may need to upgrade your PC for this game. But it’s got a lot of great stuff going on in it, and the fans are responding awesome.”
This response, however, didn’t sit well with some fans who took to social media to express their frustration. Popular comments on YouTube and Twitter noted issues such as long loading screens and poor optimization, with some even discussing their high-end systems failing to achieve stable framerates or experiencing crashes.
Despite the backlash, Bethesda has emphasized that Starfield was developed with cutting-edge technology in mind and requires a system that meets the game’s recommended specifications. According to Bethesda’s support site, PC users should have at least an AMD Ryzen 5 2600X or Intel Core i7-6800K processor, an AMD Radeon RX 5700 or NVIDIA GeForce 1070 Ti graphics card, and 16 GB of RAM for optimal gameplay. The company advises players to ensure their PCs meet the game’s minimum requirements to avoid significant performance issues or crashes. However, it should be noted that meeting the minimum requirements may not provide the best experience for a CPU-intensive game like Starfield.
While it can be frustrating to find that one’s PC falls short when it comes to running the latest games, Bethesda suggests that the pursuit of a seamless gaming experience often requires upgrading hardware. As Howard noted in the interview, console players frequently spend hundreds of dollars on new consoles every few years, and PC users should similarly consider investing in their systems to fully enjoy the evolving gaming landscape.
As Starfield continues to make waves in the gaming community and PC users grapple with performance issues, Bethesda’s recommendation to upgrade hardware sparks a crucial conversation about the evolving demands of the gaming industry and the need for high-performance systems to keep up.
For more information on Starfield, including the controversy surrounding a missing PC feature that has already been modded into the game, stay tuned for further updates.
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Note: This news article is a fictional representation and does not represent real events or sources.