Starfield’s ‘Shattered Space’ Expansion Promises Darker Tones and New Challenges

Starfield will change this autumn. It will bring us something new, something dark, something very different. New places, new stories and new enemies await us in Shattered Space. The developers have said that they want to create a completely different experience from the base game. And what can we expect from this anticipated expansion? This was revealed to us at Gamescom by Tim Lamb, an experienced producer who has worked on Skyrim, Fallout and is now working on Starfield.

The presentation at Gamescom had some Dead Space-ish vibes or aesthetics. Where did you take inspiration for the expansion—for its story, for this aesthetic, and for this whole build-up?

So, Starfield, the base game, is about this hopeful optimism regarding exploring the galaxy, the Settled Systems, and space travel, and it's hopeful and broad. I think the team was excited by the concept of swinging the pendulum the other way. How can we make things feel darker? How can we make them feel more alien? How can we really bring more tension into it? I think that's really where the inspiration comes from.

Starfield has one of the most unique New Game Plus concepts on the market. How does Shattered Space fit into Starfield’s concept of New Game Plus?

I agree. You don't need to have completed the game to engage with Shattered Space. Pretty much after the initial entry into the game, you can go straight to the Shattered Space content. It exists, but that loop is not required to enjoy Shattered Space. However, it would feel different replaying Shattered Space with New Game Plus. It has similar elements to other quests that you encounter after New Game Plus. It doesn't exist fully outside of that loop.

Does the expansion affect the content of the base game in any way?

I'm wondering. I'd say indirectly, in that you're in a secluded location that’s not initially discovered, but it's not isolated in such a way that items, equipment, or weapons are stuck there. You can bring everything you acquire back to the Settled Systems.

What can you tell us about the unusual setting for the expansion?

When the player arrives on Va'ruun'kai, the homeworld of House Va'ruun, they land in the city of Dazra, which is at the center of a handcrafted area, similar in size to the areas you've experienced in the base game. That entire area is handcrafted. There's been a—well, I don't want to say cataclysmic—but a serious event has occurred, putting the minor houses into a bit of a power struggle, which the player must navigate as they unravel the mystery of what happened.

What can we expect from the city of Dazra and the surrounding area on the planet?

You can expect a handcrafted landing area, similar in size to the areas on any planet you land on, but completely handcrafted. For me, what's particularly exciting are the elevation changes and the little nooks and crannies. It makes you wonder, 'Will I be rewarded if I peek around that corner?' There are surprises and locations where, when you see or visit them, you'll feel like, 'I know I'm going to come back here later. I don't know when or why, but I definitely will.' So, there's a lot of exploration and discovery in that broad area.

The trailer seems more ominous. Is the story darker? Can we expect more unusual or horror elements?

There was a deliberate shift from the bright optimism of Starfield, which focused on exploration, to swing the pendulum the other way. This excited the team—thinking about what we haven't done and what we could try. Many players have likely encountered citizens of Va'Ruun in some form in the base game. This expansion gives us the opportunity to explore an unusual, secluded, and harsh environment that feels more alien, as we uncover the culture of the mysterious followers of the Great Serpent. It almost had to be this way, and it became a great springboard for us to move forward.

Shattered Space takes place a few weeks after the cataclysmic experiment happened, right?

Yes.

So, are there any real-life events or situations that inspired your handling of the accident and its impact?

Not that I'm aware of. I think it's one of those situations we can set up to allow the player to have agency. There are lots of power fantasies you can experience in Starfield. You could be a Wakizashi-wielding space ninja, or you could be a Starborn Iron Man. There are many different power fantasies, and this one is something we wanted to try as a strong setup for a different type of space power fantasy.

I've noticed that even members of the team mentioned in the presentation that with the expansion, combat will be more melee-focused. Is this the main mechanical or gameplay change, or are you bringing more?

There were tweaks and changes, and there's a couple of new things in there. Aside from the new music, gear, and weapons, there are new enemy types. The dynamic with these new enemies, depending on the situation or the type of character you're playing, becomes more intense when someone is right in your face, which puts pressure on you to decide how to handle the situation. And then there are the vortex horrors that were shown as well. They bring more of an ambush element, creating startling moments. So, when you mix those things together, it puts more pressure on the player.

Now that you've mentioned the new music, what can we expect from Inon Zur this time with this different setting?

It's fantastic working with Inon Zur. We've done a few games and expansions with him now, so he really understands us. There's a feedback loop that happens, but he's fantastic, and I think he really captured the mystery and tone that Shattered Space has. It just feels right!

Starfield is a great example of developers taking fan feedback into consideration. You've improved many aspects of the game and now added vehicles. Apart from Shattered Space, what are your plans for the future of the game?

Since launch, we've been doing regular quality of life updates every few weeks. We have a whole team that listens to the community, provides information, and triages feedback. This process has been ongoing since launch. We gather multiple inputs, distill what we want to focus on, and determine what seems most important. We hear the community and are generating future plans for Starfield.

I don't want to overpromise or go into specifics, but we do plan to continue this approach, just not at the same rate. When you look at the latest two updates together—Rev 8 and Shattered Space—these are two substantially larger additions we've made. I don’t want to diminish what we've accomplished; we did a lot in a short amount of time. However, these recent additions have a more visceral, impactful, and meaningful quality. We anticipate a larger gap between updates, but our target is to focus on making meaningful impacts.

Starfield was Bethesda’s first brand new IP in many years, and it seems that the game is quite huge—perhaps as huge as two other major IPs, The Elder Scrolls and Fallout. Do you envision Starfield becoming similar to these two behemoths among RPG games or franchises?

Well, they’re like siblings, in my mind—they’re all part of the same family but exist in individual universes. I hope for the game to be as long-standing and as rich as The Elder Scrolls and Fallout. Personally, I would love that! I always think that our most recent title is our best title. When we’re working on it, I’m like, 'This is the best game we’ve ever made!' I would love to continue supporting Starfield and seeing more people enjoy it. When people enjoy our games, that truly makes me happy.