With Starfield looming on the horizon, it’s finally time to let the excitement flow through your veins like this Monster Energy drink is corcing through mine.
But to ensure you’re ready for takeoff when the game releases, there are some things you need to be aware of – like pre-loading, that will ensure you are prepared for launch as soon as the game goes public.
While Starfield is undoubtedly the most significant game release of 2023, it’s also a large game, and not just in terms of content. The game is expected to be over 125 GB, which excludes the day one patch that is sure to arrive.
So pre-loading is a must – and here is everything we know:
For Xbox users, across both console and PC via Xbox Game Pass, the pre-load went live on the 17th of August. However, those planning on playing on Steam must wait for the 30th of August.
Anyone who pre-ordered the game or is subscribed to Xbox Game Pass can use this pre-load.
Prepare for launch.#Starfield has gone gold! Preloads begin tomorrow for @Xbox X|S and Windows PC and August 30 for Steam. pic.twitter.com/LC8xJnI8WN
— Bethesda Game Studios (@BethesdaStudios) August 16, 2023
However, those who ordered a physical copy of the game are out of luck. Currently, there is no way to verify your physical copy before it arrives.
However, those who ordered the Starfield Premium Upgrade and the Starfield Constellation Editions will be able to start playing five days before launch, so hopefully, the physical copies will be ready by then, allowing players to install and download the game before its actual release.
The Starfield developers also released a handy image detailing the Global Release Times for the game so players can prepare for exactly when they can get access:
Players who purchased either the premium edition, premium edition upgrade, or the Constellation Edition can play the game from the 1st of September already, with everyone else waiting until the 6th.
To narrow that window down even further, those in Eastern and Pacific time zones will be able to play Starfield right at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET on the 31st of August – which means that at 2 am on the 1st of September, South Africans will be able to take to the skies.
As for the specs needed to run the game at its best, the minimum and recommended options require an SSD and at least 125 GB of free space. The rest of the specs are as follows:
Minimum:
- OS: Windows 10 version 21H1 (10.0.19043)
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, Intel Core i7-6800K
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 5700, NVIDIA GeForce 1070 Ti
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 125 GB available space
- Additional Notes: SSD Required
Recommended:
- OS: Windows 10/11 with updates
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, Intel i5-10600K
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080
- DirectX: Version 12
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 125 GB available space
- Additional Notes: SSD Required
While it’s too early to make solid claims about how the game will run when it releases, Bethesda’s Todd Howard previously confirmed that Starfield will run at 4K and 30 FPS on Xbox Series X and 1440p and 30 FPS on Xbox Series S.
Will you be joining us playing Starfield on launch? Let us know in the comments.