Starfield Is Already Getting Spoiled
"Starfield" is finally just around the corner, its September 6 release date marking the end of several years of development by Bethesda Softworks. The massive spacebound RPG has remained largely shrouded in secrecy since its initial announcement, and despite a number of gameplay previews from Bethesda, there's still a lot that fans don't know about it. If you're one of those fans, and if you'd like to be able to go into the game with fresh eyes in two weeks, then you may want to avoid social media until then. "Starfield" is already getting spoiled — a lot.
Over the last few days, roughly 40 minutes of footage from the early part of the game has been making its way onto the internet, seemingly recorded by someone who received an early copy of the collectors' edition of the game. We won't be linking to it here (because it's illegal and because it keeps getting yanked down by Bethesda's lawyers), but it's pretty easy to find at this point. Re-posts of the footage keep popping up on YouTube, Reddit, and Twitter, with clips covering the game's opening missions and cutscenes, as well as its in-depth character creation options.
Fans who don't care about early game spoilers are having a field day poring over the footage, but this is a bummer for folks who are trying to avoid such material. Needless to say, Bethesda isn't too thrilled about the leak, either.
How long will you have to dodge Starfield leaks?
In order to give reviewers time to properly delve into the massive game, Bethesda sent out review copies of the game two weeks in advance. It would seem that some of the people who have received these early copies have been less than responsible with them, resulting in footage and screenshot leaks. Matt Frary, Bethesda's Senior Director of PR, expressed his frustration with these leaks on Twitter, but did not name any names:
Everyone knows I dont like leaks. Media covering someone's leak I like even less. When the big outlets do it to get around embargoes they have on their own code? Oh, I really don't like that. 👎
— Matt Frary 🇺🇦 (@PR_Flak) August 19, 2023
Frary isn't alone in his distaste for the leaks. Over the last couple of days, Twitter has been buzzing with fans urging their fellow gamers to refrain from sharing the leaked footage or discussing any spoilers prior to the game's release. If you're waiting for more spoiler-free appraisals of the game, you thankfully won't have to wait long. The review embargo for "Starfield" lifts on August 31, at which point critics will be able to give us a fuller picture of the universe Bethesda has created.