Cyberpunk 2077 Developer Fires Back in Epic Showdown with Starfield

Highlights

Starfield and Cyberpunk 2077 are both popular games, but some players feel that Cyberpunk 2077 has superior animations compared to Starfield.

Senior designer Patrick K. Mills of Cyberpunk 2077 has come forward to defend Starfield against these criticisms. Mills has explained that Bethesda's main focus lies in providing players with freedom and a wide array of locations rather than placing emphasis on intricate animations. While he acknowledges that players may desire more cinematic scenes in Starfield, Mills emphasizes that achieving this goal would come with a price. He also points out that no game can excel in every aspect like the leading titles in the industry.

A developer for Cyberpunk 2077 has come to the defense of Starfield against critics who claim that the animations in Bethesda's RPG are of lower quality compared to CD Projekt Red's game. Both Starfield and Cyberpunk 2077 have been heavily discussed games recently, each presenting players with unique fictional depictions of humanity.

In Starfield, players embark on a sci-fi RPG adventure as one of the few remaining space explorers, scouring the galaxy for valuable artifacts. On the other hand, Cyberpunk 2077 players have returned to Night City with the release of the Phantom Liberty DLC, which introduces new content and a story featuring actor Idris Elba. Despite their different premises, players are finding themselves favoring certain aspects of Cyberpunk 2077 over Starfield. Consequently, Starfield has faced more criticism, with an unexpected source stepping in to defend it.

Senior designer Patrick K. Mills defended Starfield against criticism of its animations, comparing them to Cyberpunk 2077. User SynthPotato stated on Twitter that revisiting Cyberpunk 2077 highlighted the outdated animations in Starfield. Mills explained that Bethesda and CD Projekt Red have different approaches to cinematics. He emphasized that Bethesda's focus is on providing players with a high level of freedom, rather than prioritizing elaborate animations. Mills also pointed out that Starfield features numerous scenes with a rotating cast of characters and a vast number of possible locations. Investing more time in developing intricate animations would significantly prolong the game's development process. Moreover, Mills acknowledged that it is reasonable for players to desire more cinematic scenes in Starfield, but emphasized that it comes with a trade-off. He mentioned examples of players expressing similar desires for Baldur's Gate 3 and RPGs in general, but acknowledged that it is not feasible for a game to excel in every aspect. Mills concluded by stating that the engine used is not the determining factor in achieving all features at the highest level.

Comparisons between popular games occur regularly, and this applies to both Cyberpunk 2077 and Starfield. However, the two games are at different stages. Cyberpunk 2077 is concluding its redemption story with the release of the Phantom Liberty DLC, while Starfield is just starting its journey to establish itself. While the base game of Starfield already offers many hours of entertainment, the upcoming DLC has the potential to further enhance the gameplay experience.

Cyberpunk 2077 is currently accessible on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Starfield is currently available on PC and Xbox Series X/S.