In a scheduled Reddit AMA held to celebrate the launch of Skyrim Anniversary Edition, Todd Howard, Game Director and Executive Producer at Bethesda Game Studios, shared more about upcoming Bethesda games like Starfield and some fun behind-the-scenes facts.
Starfield is an upcoming RPG set to launch players into the far reaches of space, and it’s been teased out slowly over the last three years. While we haven’t heard much about the game yet, Howard confirmed some tidbits in his Reddit AMA.
First, he confirmed that players would be able to choose from she/her, he/him, and they/them pronouns in the game.
‘Really excited about what the team has done with character creation here. Including choosing background, skills, etc.,’ Howard said in response to a fan question about how much of a ‘hardcore RPG’ Starfield would be. ‘You also can pick your pronoun (he, she, they) and we’ve recorded all the relevant dialogue to support that choice.’
Read: The ‘gay button’ in gaming: why LGBTQ+ representation in videogames shouldn’t be hidden
Having a non-binary gender option in games is very rare, and it’s fantastic to see Bethesda is not only offering the option, but providing fully-voiced dialogue to support the choice. All players deserve the chance to see themselves represented in games, and this is a great step.
In addition to diving into character customisation, Howard also confirmed something many already assumed: that Starfield would have full mod support, as in previous games.
‘Our modding community has been with us for 20 years. We love what they do and hope to see more make a career out of it,’ he said.
In addition to answering further questions (such as whether Starfield would have robot companions — the answer is ‘yes, kind of’), Howard also revealed more intriguing facts about Bethesda’s other games.
When asked about a mystery underwater vault that was cut from Fallout 4, Howard revealed it would’ve had a giant, sentient octopus living inside it. He also revealed ladders were still the ‘arch-nemesis’ of Bethesda, which has become infamous for not including ladders in its games due to game engine complications.
As was expected, Reddit fans also asked about the highly-anticipated next chapter for Bethesda: Elder Scrolls 6.
While Todd acknowledged questions about when the game would actually release, he deflected them with a fun answer: ‘We know it’s a long wait, we’re with you. For Father’s Day this year my son gave me a card that said, “You’re an amazing Dad, but where’s TES6?”‘
At any rate, it appears fans will be waiting for a long while yet.
