Veteran Bethesda designer Bruce Nesmith has high hopes for the potential Starfield sequel, believing it will address the shortcomings of the first entry and deliver an exceptional gaming experience. Drawing parallels to the trajectory of other acclaimed franchises, Nesmith suggests that Starfield's second installment will build upon the foundation laid by the initial release, leveraging the developer's wealth of experience to create a truly remarkable title.

Elevating the Starfield Experience

Lessons Learned from the First Starfield

Nesmith, who left Bethesda in 2021 after contributing to many of the studio's biggest series, including serving as the lead designer for Skyrim, believes that the Starfield sequel will benefit from the lessons learned during the development of the first game. Much like how the Assassin's Creed and Mass Effect franchises saw significant improvements in their follow-up entries, Nesmith anticipates that Starfield's second installment will address the areas where the initial release fell short."I'm looking forward to Starfield 2," Nesmith stated. "I think it's going to be one hell of a game because it will address many of the things people are saying, 'We're quite there. We're missing a little bit.' It will be able to take what's in there right now and put in a lot of new stuff and fix a lot of those problems."

Building on a Solid Foundation

Nesmith draws a parallel between the development of Starfield and the Bethesda's previous acclaimed franchises, such as The Elder Scrolls. He notes that the studio's experience with Oblivion and Morrowind provided a significant advantage when creating Skyrim, allowing the team to focus on refining and expanding the existing systems rather than starting from scratch."When we built Skyrim, we had the tremendous advantage of Oblivion, which had the tremendous advantage of Morrowind. All that stuff was there for us," Nesmith explained. "All we had to do was continue to improve and add new stuff in. We didn't have to start from the ground up. If we'd had to start from the ground up, that would have been another two or three years of development time."Similarly, Nesmith believes that the Starfield sequel will benefit from the groundwork laid by the first game, enabling the developers to build upon the established foundations and introduce a wealth of new content and improvements.

Embracing the Ambitious Scope of Bethesda Games

Bethesda's games are renowned for their expansive and immersive worlds, a characteristic that has been both a blessing and a challenge for the studio. In a recent interview, Bethesda's game director, Todd Howard, acknowledged the "irresponsibly large" scope of their titles, attributing this to the team's reluctance to cut content."My job on the games often is to be the director, a little bit like a movie director," Howard explained, "where you're bringing all the parts together from the art, the cinematography, the technology that our engineers are building to bring these worlds to life. And obviously, [there's] all of the writing and the quest design and the level designer, and there's so many parts to our games that I'm in a really unique position to work with so many amazing people and bring all of that together."This commitment to delivering comprehensive and deeply engaging experiences is a hallmark of Bethesda's approach, and it is a trait that is likely to be reflected in the Starfield sequel as well. By leveraging the lessons learned from the first game and the studio's extensive experience, the team can harness this ambitious scope to create a truly remarkable and immersive space-faring adventure.

Anticipating the Starfield Sequel's Potential

With the foundation laid by the first Starfield game and Bethesda's proven track record of delivering expansive and captivating experiences, the anticipation for the sequel is palpable. Nesmith's optimistic assessment, coupled with the studio's commitment to ambitious game design, suggests that the Starfield sequel has the potential to be a groundbreaking achievement in the realm of science-fiction gaming.As Bethesda continues to refine and enhance the Starfield universe, players can look forward to a truly immersive and engaging experience that builds upon the strengths of the initial release while addressing its shortcomings. With the studio's wealth of experience and a clear vision for the franchise's future, the Starfield sequel promises to be a game that will captivate and delight players for years to come.