Starfield, the upcoming space-based action role-playing game from Bethesda Game Studios, recently debuted a brief trailer and the game’s new start screen. The lack of minimalism on the start screen was met with plenty of criticism among fans, who assumed that Bethesda’s game development team had not put in enough effort. However, Bethesda insists that the apparent “clutter” of the Starfield start screen was a conscious design decision that was made to ensure the highest consumer satisfaction.
The trailer and accompanying start screen of Starfield prominently feature a variety of icons and text boxes. This offer plenty of options and information for players to explore and digest. Rather than representing a lack of care from Bethesda, the staff argue that the start screen’s design is symbolic of their commitment to the player experience.
Game director Todd Howard recently explained that the Bethesda team was attempting to effectively communicate the many unique features of Starfield’s upcoming update. He argued that the team wanted to make sure that players were up-to-date with all the ways that Starfield can be played from the moment they boot up the game. The extra control options and narrative content that are communicated through the start screen serve to provide new players with a comprehensive understanding of the universe in which they will be exploring.
In order to ensure that its product is intelligible to customers, Bethesda has sought to keep both existing and new players abreast of the many features that await them in the game’s second installment. This has resulted in a relatively “cluttered” start screen, which Howard and his team believe will enhance the overall user experience of Starfield, rather than detract from it.
Ultimately, Bethesda’s insistence that the Starfield start screen has been designed with care and attention, in order to communicate the game’s myriad content-rich features to players, is an indication of the studio’s dedication to quality. Their commitment to the player experience has certainly been noticed, and can only stand to benefit those thrilled to explore the game when it launches later this year.
