Not so long ago, Phil Spencer declared that he would Starfield to be the most played Todd Howard game to date. These are without a doubt great boots to fill, with games like Skyrim and Fallout 4 also under the belt, but Starfield has a secret weapon: the Xbox Game Pass.
There is no doubt about the value and popularity of the Xbox Game Pass. Even looking forward to May, there are quite a few games in line and fans are treated to new announcements and surprises throughout the month. Its success can not really be underestimated, and Starfield is perhaps the biggest game of the year. However, that is not how Starfield ends 2022 with Game Pass that matters but how Game Pass follows Starfield in 2023.
Game Pass: The answer to Xbox’s exclusive reviews from the first party
It’s no secret that Microsoft struggled throughout most of the Xbox One era to release defining first-party titles. There are probably a handful, but compared to the competition, there was no game or game that made fans really have to pick up an Xbox One console. Game Pass is an answer to that. With various offers, it is constantly stacked with third-party games, but how it pushes first-party games is going to matter the most.
To say Starfield leading the charge is not to say that there have not been first-party titles on the Xbox Game Pass yet, as everyone knows games like Halo infinite is on service. But specifically, Xbox plans to release a major AAA game every quarter relatively soon. With this plan in full effect, which could begin this year and well into next year, fans will see a steady influx of first-party games on the Xbox Game Pass.
Starfield is a great get, no matter how you look at it, and it is not to be ignored Redness which will also be launched on Game Pass sometime this summer. Both games are an excellent starting point for this release pattern, speculatively speaking. Redfall, Starfieldand what else is added in 2022 is a good start.
You do not know too much Starfield, which speaks to the pure pedigree around Bethesda, but fans will learn more this summer. If it hits that landing, it’s easy to see how Game Pass could be where Starfield absolutely runs away from it. For many, this may be the true moment when the Xbox Series X / S throws the baggage from the Xbox One gen, and it may set the tone for 2023.
Game Pass: Starfield, Fable, State of Decay 3, Avowed and more
It will be interesting to see if this Game Pass release makes this the most played Todd Howard game to date, proving both the developer’s pedigree and Game Pass’ true endurance (not that it really needs to be tested). But, Starfield is just the first of many games fans can expect to hit Game Pass, Day One, as a first-class title over the next few years. It does not even count unknown third-party titles.
Looking at the above, speculative roadmap made by Xbox Insider Klobrille, fans can expect all of these first-party titles day one on Game Pass: Contraband, Avowed, Hellblade 2, and Maturity 3. 2023 may look a little less secure, but there are still plenty of games ready to join the Game Pass service such as. Fable, The Outer Worlds 2, Everwild, Perfect Dark, Gears, Indiana Jonesand at some point The Elder Scrolls 6.
If you look at Starfield as the start of this charge, The Elder Scrolls 6 could be the “end” of it, of course, for the foreseeable future. More are likely to join between the two games and there will definitely be more to come after them. But if Starfield running away with its Game Pass launch, there will be a host of games to pick up the ball and keep it going thereafter.
Starfield will be released on November 11 for PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X.
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