Starfield fans who plan on playing the highly anticipated game on consoles received disappointing news during not-E3 2023. Game director Todd Howard confirmed that there will be no performance mode available, meaning that the game will be locked to 30 frames per second (fps) on Xbox Series X|S.
In an interview with IGN, Howard explained that the decision to lock the game at 30fps was made to ensure consistency in performance. While the game will run at 4K resolution on Xbox Series X and 1440p on Xbox Series S, Howard emphasized the team’s desire to maintain fidelity and visual quality without sacrificing any aspects of the game.
Although a 30fps lock may be an acceptable compromise for many players who appreciate Starfield’s stunning visuals, it is likely to disappoint console gamers who were hoping for a smoother option at the expense of some visual fidelity. This mirrors the situation with Redfall, which also lacks a performance mode.
Furthermore, Howard’s statement that Starfield runs at 60fps “sometimes” raises concerns about the game’s performance on PC as well. This suggests that performance could be inconsistent across platforms, at least initially. This has been a common experience for longtime Bethesda Game Studios fans who have encountered similar issues with previous titles like Skyrim and Fallout 4.
While Redfall has been confirmed to receive a performance mode update in the future, there is no indication that Starfield will have the same luxury. Fans hope that Bethesda can optimize the game effectively, given its ambitious spacefaring scope.
As the launch of Starfield approaches, players will closely monitor its in-game performance, just as they eagerly await the Constellation Edition of the game, which includes an official Starfield smartwatch to track their fitness.
