Starfield's Immense Gameplay Takes Bethesda's Pete Hines by Surprise, Clocks Over 200 Hours

Upcoming space epic Starfield from Bethesda seems to be so extensive that it prompted Publisher Pete Hines to lose track of time. During the Bethesda MainStream event at Gamescom 2023, Hines mentioned that he felt the role-playing game "truly didn't click" until he spent 50 hours on the main quest. This was after he had already dedicated 80 hours to side quests.

"After 80 hours, I transitioned from one game to a completely different one, where I started focusing on the main quest," Hines reported. "And then I got so wrapped up in the main quest that I spent the next 50 hours just doing that. This game doesn't even really start until you finish the main quest. To say, 'Oh, I played Starfield for 40 hours' doesn't really say anything," he added.

In 2022, Starfield Director Todd Howard estimated that players would need around 30 to 40 hours to complete the main quest.

Hines asserts that Starfield will demand a significant portion of your time, around 150 to 160 hours. So, start clearing your schedule. Premium or Constellation Edition buyers will get to play Starfield in early access starting from September 1, while the official release for all interested players on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC is set for September 6.