Starfield’s upcoming Shattered Space expansion is set to launch this fall. It aims to be another strong addition to 2024, joining Destiny 2’s The Final Shape and Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree. Even if it doesn’t reach those heights, I hope it matches or surpasses the quality of the current Starfield content.
Bethesda has hinted at more expansions for Starfield as part of their “long-term support” for the game. There are rumors of a second expansion possibly titled “Starborn,” which seems to have been leaked.
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Zenimax has recently filed a trademark for the name Starborn, which covers a wide range of uses, including computer software. While the trademark is also listed for items like wrapping paper, teddy bears, and fire-extinguishing equipment, this broad filing doesn’t necessarily mean a new expansion is imminent. Many trademarks are registered for various purposes, and not all of them lead to actual products.
The Starborn concept is part of Starfield’s endgame mechanics, where players can reset the game world while retaining their knowledge, though they lose their gear, ships, and bases. This feature, similar to a New Game Plus (NG+), is a twist on replayability. Personally, I find it somewhat frustrating because losing all acquired items seems contrary to the appeal of a game like Starfield.
Being Starborn does add minor story elements, such as new dialogue options based on your knowledge of events and characters. It also allows players to skip the main campaign. There are some humorous aspects, like finding Constellation replaced by children or discovering that a squadmate has turned evil. However, these scenarios either make the game unplayable or start off strange but eventually let you continue playing normally, sometimes with fewer companion options. Although it was intriguing initially, it turned out to be more of a gimmick than a groundbreaking feature.
If Bethesda decides to further explore the Starborn concept, I’d be interested. However, as of now, the trademark alone doesn’t provide enough evidence that it will be Starfield’s second expansion. We’ll need more information to confirm that.
Source: Forbes