Starfield's Shattered Space Expansion: A Missed Opportunity or a Harbinger of Things to Come?Despite the highly anticipated launch of Starfield's Shattered Space expansion, the overall player data and critical reception suggest that this latest addition to the game may not be resonating with the audience as expected. With low critic and audience scores, the expansion's performance raises questions about the long-term viability of the Starfield franchise and the direction Bethesda may take in the future.

Shattered Space: A Lackluster Launch

The launch of Starfield's Shattered Space expansion has been met with a lukewarm response from both critics and players. The expansion's Metascore of 57 and an audience score of 5.6 indicate that it has failed to capture the imagination of the gaming community. This is a concerning development, as a successful expansion could have been a crucial factor in sustaining player interest and driving continued engagement with the Starfield franchise.

Waning Player Interest

One of the most telling indicators of the expansion's performance is the player data. Shattered Space peaked at just 21,792 players on Steam on its release day, a mere 6,000 or so above the high of its previous pre-launch weekend. This is a far cry from the game's launch peak of 330,723 players, suggesting that the expansion has not been able to reignite the same level of enthusiasm among the player base.Furthermore, Starfield's position on the Most Played Xbox Games list has not seen a significant departure from its usual ranking, remaining at #26. This lack of a noticeable spike in player activity suggests that the expansion has not been able to drive a substantial increase in player engagement.

Struggling to Maintain Relevance

The expansion's performance on Game Pass also raises concerns. Starfield is currently the 7th most played game on Console Game Pass and 5th on PC Game Pass, just behind the Microsoft Solitaire Collection. This positioning indicates that the game is struggling to maintain its relevance and appeal among Game Pass subscribers, who may have already purchased the bundle for the expansion a year ago at launch.Interestingly, Starfield is now in a virtual dead heat with the nine-year-old Fallout 4 on Steam, despite the recent release of the Shattered Space expansion. This suggests that the expansion has not been able to generate enough excitement to significantly outpace the performance of an older, established title in the same franchise.

Missed Opportunity or Harbinger of Things to Come?

The lackluster performance of Shattered Space raises questions about the long-term viability of the Starfield franchise. While it's true that Starfield is not a "live" game, the expansion's failure to generate a significant spike in player activity and critical acclaim is concerning.In contrast, when Cyberpunk 2077 launched its Phantom Liberty expansion, the game saw a dramatic increase in player activity, from 32,000 nightly players to 260,000. The lack of a similar response to Shattered Space suggests that Bethesda may need to reevaluate its approach to post-launch content and player engagement.

The Road Ahead for Starfield

The performance of Shattered Space may also have implications for Bethesda's future plans for the Starfield franchise. With Microsoft breathing down Bethesda's neck to get Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5 underway, the studio may not have the luxury of a "long road of redemption" for Starfield.It remains to be seen whether Microsoft will come up with some form of data to spin the expansion's performance in a positive light. However, the available evidence suggests that Shattered Space is not resonating with the audience as hoped, which could potentially impact Bethesda's future investment in the Starfield series.As the gaming community eagerly awaits the next steps in the Starfield saga, the performance of the Shattered Space expansion serves as a cautionary tale. It highlights the importance of delivering content that truly captivates and engages the player base, and the potential consequences of falling short of those expectations.