Highlights
Dismissing any worries regarding Starfield's PC optimization, Bethesda Executive Producer Todd Howard assures that the game has undergone thorough optimization and is performing exceptionally on next-generation PCs.
Initial player feedback indicates that for optimal performance with maximum settings, Starfield requires a powerful PC due to its demanding CPU requirements and intricate mechanics.
AMD has secured an exclusive partnership with Starfield as the preferred PC hardware provider, offering an advantage to systems equipped with Ryzen processors and Radeon GPUs. Players who are not satisfied with the game's performance on their PC can consider utilizing optimization modifications.
Bethesda's Executive Producer, Todd Howard, has addressed concerns regarding the PC optimization of Starfield, following its highly anticipated release. The minimum and recommended system requirements, previously disclosed by Bethesda in June, indicated that the space-faring RPG would be a demanding title. Despite running at 30 frames per second on current-generation Xbox consoles, some fans hoped for a smoother experience with maximum settings on PC. However, initial feedback from players suggests that many have struggled to achieve this, leading to speculation about Starfield's PC optimization.
Howard has refuted the allegations recently in an interview with Bloomberg. He stated that Starfield has indeed been optimized for PC, contradicting a fan question. According to the industry veteran, the game is running smoothly and is considered a "next-gen PC" game. Howard suggests that players may need to upgrade their PCs for the optimal experience, emphasizing that it will be worthwhile.
Despite some players' dissatisfaction with the game's PC performance, the day-one version of Starfield appears to be in a significantly better condition compared to Bethesda's previous AAA RPGs. The studio's decision to delay the game twice in order to enhance its quality likely contributed to this improvement. Additionally, Howard claims that the Xbox console exclusivity played a part in making Starfield better than if it had been targeted for multiple platforms.
Starfield, like many of Bethesda's open-world RPGs, requires a powerful CPU. This is due in large part to its unique feature of object permanence, which few other developers attempt. In addition, the game's intricate ship and outpost building mechanics offer extensive creativity, but running Starfield smoothly with maximum settings requires a high-performance PC.
For now, those with Ryzen processors and Radeon GPUs may have a slight advantage, as AMD is Starfield's exclusive PC partner. Bethesda worked closely with AMD to optimize the game for their hardware, giving them an edge over Intel and Nvidia products. Players who are unsatisfied with the game's performance but are not interested in upgrading their PCs can explore Starfield optimization mods that have already been released.
Starfield is available now for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
