Starfield was marketed as Fallout in space, a dream that was sold to us but was arguably never really delivered. The dream drifted apart, but it was never the absolute car crash that Cyberpunk 2077 was at launch, it was more some weird, albeit expensive shrug. Starfield was technically fine for most people, but it was weighed down not by the infinity of the universe, but by the loading screens, meaningless exploration, and that weird MMO map with single-player content density feeling overall.
A few years after even the mid-at-best Starfield DLC Shattered Space, rumors surface that say Bethesda is cooking up a major Starfield 2.0 update, rivaling the Cyberpunk 2077 renaissance for 2026, bundled with a second expansion and a PS5 release. The comparisons were instant, and the internet did the internet thing yet again.
So let’s look at what’s actually being reported, what a turnaround like that could mean for Starfield’s (as of yet uncertain) future, and how realistic these expectations for a Starfield 2.0 miracle actually are.
What The Starfield 2.0 Rumors Actually Say
Many outlets have reported on this news, and the update has been called a 2.0 moment that will arrive sometime in 2026, involving patches for fewer loading screens and a bundle of new content for platforms Starfield was previously unavailable for – namely, the PS5.
Windows Central, for example, says that big improvements to space flight, some engine upgrades, and the second DLC were originally planned for the end of 2025, but were ultimately shifted to 2026 – good, we say. Let it cook a little.
The fun bit, however? As many sources as we found, as many different takes on the scale of the patch project we see. Some downplay the Cyberpunk comparison and call it more of a hefty upgrade, not a full rework, which sounds more grounded. Others who were allegedly in the room when this was discussed (we couldn’t confirm these sources ourselves, however) came across as a lot more excited.
What does that tell us? Well, even in leak-land, expectations for this new Starfield update are all over the place and should be taken with a grain of salt, unless Todd Howard says it. We can’t help it, even after years and years of disappointments, we can’t not believe him. That rogue.
The condensed version of all this is:
- Bethesda reportedly held a behind-closed-doors Starfield event for creators and press, showing off the game’s future.
- Multiple reports say a big update in 2026 will overhaul space travel – fewer loading screens, more seamless flight, and broader changes to exploration.
- Instead of moving to Unreal like the Oblivion remaster, Starfield will stick with a heavily updated Creation Engine, and those changes are meant to carry into future Bethesda games too.
- A PS5 port and a Switch 2 version are both heavily rumored for 2026, with optimisations for “low power” / handheld hardware already underway.
- A second major expansion – widely nicknamed or teased as “Terran Armada” – is expected to land around the same time as this Starfield 2.0-style patch, following Shattered Space’s mixed reception.
Why Does Everyone Keep Saying Starfield 2.0?
The reason for this question even coming up might be simpler than we thought: Cyberpunk 2077’s redemption arc has basically become synonymous with redemption arcs in video games altogether, considering what a 180 this game pulled on us. Arguably, No Man’s Sky is in the same boat, but you get the thought behind it.
Cyberpunk launched in a rough (sometimes outright unplayable) state, but CD Projekt RED didn’t give up and basically patched the game within an inch of its life for years – and didn’t even stop there. They dropped a massive overhaul, including a huge expansion with Phantom Liberty, which rewired everything from the laughable police AI to the perk system and even crafting, leading to a fresh wave of “Cyberpunk is even better now” headlines. Sales spikes gave them right – and the game was basically reborn.
Having said all that, we’re not sure a 2.0 treatment is something Starfield needs – or Bethesda is even capable of. Let us explain. Starfield was never that kind of technical trainwreck, but the core systems – you know, the moment-to-moment gameplay, which was a result of some questionable design decisions – were the culprit, and we doubt Bethesda is able to turn that around in any amount of time.
Secondly, everyone kind of knew that Cyberpunk 2077 was something special, but came out undercooked – and the goodwill of The Witcher 3 gave CD Projekt RED some leeway in terms of fans coming back to the title. We’re not so sure Bethesda hasn’t burned that bridge entirely, what with their 16th re-release of Skyrim, or the recent debacle of the Skyrim/Fallout 4 anniversary editions, which came out in a disastrous state yet again.
The endless loading screens were an issue that can be addressed, sure, but that doesn’t alleviate the moments of absolutely meaningless boredom with all the procedural planets that just lack that typical Bethesda exploration hook. In order to pull a Starfield 2.0 on us, Bethesda would need to get rid of that procedural technology and give us a few handcrafted planets that feel lived in and tell their own story – and sorry to say, they’re just not going to do that, especially since most players have already moved on.
Even sympathetic write-ups have pointed out that the engine and overall structure never quite matched Bethesda’s ambitions, and that the lack of density kneecapped long-term engagement. So when people talk about a Starfield 2.0 moment, they’re not just looking for bug fixes; that’s just not something the game needs.
These gamers are quietly hoping for reworked exploration, better rewards for digging into side content, smoother travel that doesn’t feel like a string of fast-travel menus, and systems that make the Settled Systems feel like distinct places instead of the same outpost wearing different hats. This is a massive ask from a game that’s already been out, sold millions, and cycled through years of patches.
So, you want our opinion?
Starfield 2.0 Is A Soft Relaunch – Not A Miracle Patch, Sadly
As sobering as it might be for fans of Bethesda and even Starfield (and yes, these people do exist!), it’s most likely not going to be a Starfield 2.0 release, at least not in the way we wish it will be. Starfield’s problems were quieter and more structural, more focused on the game design itself, rather than a catastrophic and undercooked release.
It was arguably Bethesda’s least buggy release so far, which makes this sting even more. And sure, the modding community, such as the fantastic Star Wars Genesis modlist are still cooking up amazing stuff, but that doesn’t solve the issue the game has in itself. Poor exploration, shallow RPG mechanics, and a rather generic story that yet again fails to keep us hooked, and still – we love Starfield, we have sunk hundreds of hours building our ships, doing side quests, and wishing it would be so, so much better.
If you’ve always felt like there was a good game hiding behind those loading screens and empty caves, 2026 might yet be the year we find out whether Bethesda is indeed willing – and able – to turn this crashed ship around. We surely hope so, but we’re definitely not going to hold our breath for a true Starfield 2.0. Sorry Todd.
