During the Starfield Direct, fans were quick to spot an intriguing detail in the gameplay footage that appears to pay homage to one of Skyrim's most beloved players, Skyrim Grandma. Given Bethesda's association with both Starfield and Skyrim, this cameo could be perceived as a nod to the studio's past successes and the gamers who contributed to making it one of the most successful video game franchises of all time.
After months of eager anticipation, players finally got a glimpse into the story and gameplay of Starfield - the first original IP from Bethesda since The Elder Scrolls. Following the world premiere trailers of Fable, Payday 3, and Cities Skylines 2 at the Xbox Games Showcase, Bethesda's Starfield Direct unveiled exclusive footage of the upcoming space RPG. Todd Howard and his team shared new insights into Starfield's gameplay, showcasing footage of planetary exploration, battles against extraterrestrial beings, and the construction of ships and bases. Additionally, Bethesda introduced some of the characters players will encounter during their journeys, as well as some of the cities they will be able to explore.
Bethesda recently shared a gameplay deep dive of Starfield, where a player is seen exploring the galaxy and encountering another spaceship belonging to a person referred to as Grandma. This character is speculated to be a nod to Shirley Curry, a renowned 87-year-old YouTuber recognized as Skyrim Grandma, who gained popularity after uploading her first Skyrim video in 2015. With over 1.22 million followers on YouTube, Curry's fans had requested Bethesda to include her in their upcoming games. Bethesda promised to feature her in The Elder Scrolls 6, and it appears that she might also make an appearance in the studio's upcoming space RPG, as her cameo was prominently featured in the Starfield Direct.
When players choose the Hero Worshipped trait in Starfield, they will encounter a boy who expresses his adoration for the player and offers gifts. This character is actually a reference to the Adoring Fan from The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, where a Bosmer child would follow the player around to cheer them up after becoming Champion of the Arena. These references will certainly delight fans of Bethesda games, but Starfield also introduces new features for gamers who are new to the Elder Scrolls or Fallout franchises. One such feature is an advanced ship customization tool that allows players to upgrade and assemble new parts in any way they desire, before embarking on an adventure to explore various planets, mine resources and meet their inhabitants.
Starfield releases September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
