Image: Bethesda Game Studio
If you think Starfield’s mods are wild now, just wait until official mod tools become available.
Starfield’s game director Todd Howard has confirmed that the open-world game will receive official mod support in 2024. Howard announced this during an interview with Famitsu, suggesting that Starfield will soon get the equivalent of Skyrim’s Creation kit, an official tool that makes modding a whole lot easier.
Howard told Famitsu (translated by PCGamesN), “When the mods are ready, you will be able to do almost anything as we have done in the past, and the mods will be supported next year, but we will do it in a big way because we love it too.” This would also allow Xbox users access to popular mods, which is a huge plus considering that these can range from fun additional content to much-needed quality-of-life fixes.
Mods already exist for Starfield of course, and PC users need only hop over to the Nexus to find them. The most popular mods currently available are mostly functional, with users turning to the website to clean up the game’s divisive UI, turn off colour filters, enable achievements when using mods, widen the FOV and make lockpicking easier. Other cosmetic mods also add Stormtrooper outfits, realistic water and overhauled eyebrows for whatever reason, so there’s something for everyone.
While these mods are likely a huge relief to PC users annoyed by Starfield’s strange UI and design choices, the introduction of official mod support would allow for far more complicated mods to be created in the future. Modders could add entirely new themed planets, storylines, characters, weapons and creatures to the game as long as they have the capacity to make them. Given the size of Starfield, waiting until 2024 to get started on those mods might not be that bad an idea.
It’s not like Starfield players will be left wanting in content for the longterm, anyway. Bethesda is set to release an expansion for the sci-fi game called Shattered Space, though Howard told Famitsu that the DLC’s release date is being kept a secret for now. If it comes out at the same time as the game’s official modding tools, players will have a wealth of content on their hands to play through.