Starfield has finally gone gold, and preloads start tomorrow on Xbox

Bethesda has announced that Starfield has gone gold ahead of its release next month.

This indicates that the main development of the game has been completed, and that it’s ready to move to the manufacturing stage.

Bethesda has also confirmed that players will be able to preload the game on Xbox Series X/S starting on August 17, and on Steam on August 30.

Starfield Guides:

Starfield New Game Plus | Starfield Contraband | Crimson Fleet quests | Ryujin Industries quests | Freestar Collective quests | Starfield fast XP gain | Starfield boost pack | Starfield console commands

Starfield was originally scheduled to be released last November, but in May of 2022 the game was delayed to the first half of 2023.

Bethesda announced a further delay this March, with Starfield now set for release on September 6, 2023.

Several editions of Starfield are available to pre-order. The $70 standard version, which includes the base game, will also be available via Xbox Game Pass for console and PC.

The Digital Premium Edition and the $300 Constellation Edition will come with the game’s first story expansion, Shattered Space, plus up to five days of early access beginning on September 1.

Had plans for a PS5 version of Starfield not been dropped after Microsoft acquired Bethesda in 2021, the game would be releasing later than currently planned, its publisher claimed recently.

Further reading

Starfield Direct shows off almost an hour of Starfield gameplay

The game will feature "over 1000 planets" according to Bethesda

“Focusing on fewer platforms has been a big benefit to that team,” Bethesda publishing boss Pete Hines said in July. Being on more platforms would mean “it’s going to take longer, it’s going to cost more. It’s just a far greater risk in my mind.”

Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty claimed in June that if Starfield were released then, it “would already have the fewest bugs of any Bethesda game ever shipped”.