In an episode of The Game Maker's Notebook podcast, Todd Howard of Bethesda spoke about the newly released game, Starfield. He revealed that the game has been designed to be engaging and playable for a lengthy period, learning from past games such as Skyrim and Fallout where players wanted to keep playing for a long period of time.

"How do we build a game that feels natural for prolonged play? Once players have finished the main storyline, they'll know the answer", Howard said in the podcast, referring to the New Game Plus option that Starfield offers.

Moreover, Howard believes all modern games can now be perceived as 'live games' due to the ability to continually update them, thereby setting players' expectations for continuous updates even long after the game's release.

Starfield was released on September 6 for Xbox Series, PC, and Game Pass. One reviewer, Lars Cornelis, gave the game a 9 out of 10 and said, "'Skyrim in space' denies Starfield justice, yet it's the perfect description of this complete package. Starfield is so large, diverse, and detailed that it's hard not to lose yourself in this world. Not everything is perfect, but the cons are completely overshadowed by the pros. Simply put, it's a typical Bethesda game...but in space."

Discussion threads have sprung up among players, discussing aspects of the game such as loading times which have caused some players annoyance. Regardless, most have expressed enjoyment of the vast world that Starfield offers, allowing room to explore different narratives without necessarily following the main storyline.