Starfield: Unveiling the Mysterious Fate of Canine Companions

Highlights

Pets like dogs and cats are not included in Starfield, and there is evidence suggesting that their absence may be due to their extinction in the game's lore.

Many developers include interactive pets in video games to foster emotional connections and spark widespread social media interest. However, despite having concept art showcasing pets, Bethesda may have chosen to allocate its resources elsewhere during the development of Starfield, resulting in the absence of pets in the game and potentially leading to their extinction in the game's lore.

Pets like dogs and cats do not seem to be included in Starfield, despite initial indications. Additionally, there are indications that Bethesda may have taken it a step further and provided an in-game explanation for the absence of pets – their extinction. The rise in popularity of pets in video games has prompted many developers to incorporate dogs and cats into their own creations. However, Bethesda might have chosen to allocate their resources elsewhere for Starfield.

The impact of adding a dog or cat to a video game cannot be underestimated. People have a fondness for animals, and interacting with them in video games is a powerful way to establish an emotional connection. Moreover, one of the major reasons for incorporating interactive pets in a game is their potential to become viral sensations on social media. For instance, the Can You Pet the Dog? Twitter account boasts over 500,000 followers and has collaborated with game developers to share gameplay clips in the past, thus effectively generating attention for their games.

With Starfield now available in early access, it comes as no surprise that the Can You Pet the Dog? Twitter account has already addressed the new game. Unfortunately, it appears that Starfield lacks any dogs or other animal companions. While the account did share a concept art featuring a pet cat, it clarified that "pets do not appear to exist within the game."

What makes this discovery particularly intriguing is the unveiling of in-game Starfield lore that offers a potential explanation for the absence of pets. A screenshot depicting a tin can labeled "Chocolate Labs" reveals that it contains chocolate treats shaped like Labrador Retrievers. The lore goes on to state that this particular breed of canine is now extinct.

Starfield takes place in the year 2330, a time over 300 years in the future when technology has advanced significantly, leading to the establishment of colonies throughout the galaxy. This expansion into space is a direct result of Earth's transformation into an uninhabitable landscape, with mass extinction events unfolding, potentially affecting the existence of dogs and cats.

The query arises regarding Bethesda's intentions to include pets in Starfield. Hints from the concept art suggest that they initially considered it, but it is plausible that Bethesda chose to divert their efforts due to the magnitude of the task. Another possibility is that the concept art may have taken creative liberties by showcasing a pet that Bethesda never intended to integrate into Starfield. Regardless, Bethesda has made their decision unequivocally clear. Not only are pets absent from the game, but there is a chance that they no longer exist at all.

Starfield releases September 6 on PC and Xbox Series X/S.