Starfield's biggest update so far focuses on bug fixes, launches in beta next week

Also "numerous graphic improvements"

Bethesda has already laid out their update schedule for Starfield in 2024, which includes updates every six weeks beginning in February. There's an update coming before that, however, and arriving on the Steam beta branch next week. It won't add major new features but includes "over 100 fixes and improvements".

"Next week, on January 17, we’ll be putting our biggest @StarfieldGame update yet into Steam Beta with over 100 fixes and improvements, with a planned release date for all players two weeks later," wrote Bethesda on the inner walls of Elon Musk's soul cavity (formerly Twitter).

"This update contains a multitude of fixes to Quests. Eye of the Storm issues such as being unable to dock with the Legacy or data transfer not starting, and Temples not showing up in Into the Unknown, will no longer prevent Constellation from exploring the cosmos.

"Additionally, this update brings stability improvements and numerous graphic improvements ranging from additional widescreen support to improved textures, lighting, and shadows.

"Other fixes and improvements include sun disk geometry, planet ring shadows, bulldozed objects reappearing when returning to an Outpost, ship hatches marked inaccessible, and another fix for asteroids following ships."

A full set of patch notes will be posted when the update releases on January 17th, they say.

Bug fixes are well and good, but the updates to come later this year sound a lot more transformative and thus more exciting. Bethesda have teased city maps, long-confirmed mod support, "new methods of travel", as well as expanded features like greater ship customisation and more granular difficulty settings. I've kept Starfield installed out of hope for a reason to persevere.