Starfield's Mind-Blowing Concept Art vs Reality: Prepare to be Amazed!

Highlights

With the highly anticipated release of Starfield just a month away, players will soon have the opportunity to witness the visual resemblance between the in-game graphics and the breathtaking concept art that has been unveiled throughout the years. While an abundance of screenshots and videos have been shared leading up to the September launch of Starfield, fans previously relied solely on occasional concept art pieces from Bethesda to gain insight into the game. Surprisingly, Starfield's almost final version closely aligns with its concept art, exceeding the expectations of many gamers.

Early Starfield concept art revealed a sci-fi setting with its own distinct style, diverging from the typical fantastical elements associated with the genre by embracing a more realistic approach. The artwork depicted scientifically grounded representations of various aspects, ranging from the robotic companion, Vasco, to the in-game meal kits used by players. These visual renditions showcased the introduction of the "NASA Punk" aesthetic that Bethesda aimed to incorporate into the game. Recent glimpses of Starfield highlight the profound influence exerted by this concept art, particularly evident in the design of the game's cities and ships.

Starfield’s Cities Stay True to Their Roots

The game's concept art had a significant influence on the final designs of Starfield's cities, as evident from the screenshots and videos that have been released. This influence is particularly noticeable in Akila City, the capital of the Freestar Collective and the potential home of Sam Coe, a love interest in Starfield. The latest footage of Akila City, which was revealed during June's Starfield Direct presentation, showcases a locale with the same weathered and worn-down appearance depicted in the animated concept art of the city released by Bethesda in early 2022.

While the rough and rowdy streets of Akila City bear a striking resemblance to the inspiring concept art, the similarities become even more apparent when compared to New Atlantis. Serving as the capital of the United Colonies, New Atlantis boasts a futuristic skyscape that has captivated artists in numerous Starfield concept art pieces. Despite a few minor alterations to the overall layout in comparison to the initial sketches, the concept art for New Atlantis showcases many of the same design elements that can be seen in recent previews. One prime example of this is the unmistakable presence of the colossal United Colonies building, which dominates the skyline in both the early concept art and the more recent trailers.

Spaceships in Starfield Capture the Concept Art’s NASA Punk Aesthetic

Bethesda's sci-fi RPG Starfield has provided players with an extensive array of concept art, showcasing the highly detailed designs of customizable ships. These illustrations offer a glimpse into the various ways players can modify their ships to cater to their individual requirements. Whether suspended in the depths of space or stationed on the game's diverse planets, these images closely resemble the diverse ship configurations exhibited in Starfield Direct.

The starting ship for players in Starfield, called The Frontier, is a perfect example of this. It takes center stage in the ship customization portion of Starfield Direct, and its distinctive silhouette remains mostly unchanged from its appearance in various pieces of concept art. Robot companion Vasco's concept art of The Frontier reveals a ship with an extended cockpit and a frame that resembles an animal, and it closely resembles its appearance in Starfield Direct.

Bethesda went to great lengths to carefully design the world of Starfield, from the food stocked in ships' pantries to the surfaces of the planets waiting to be explored. Although gamers still have to wait a few more weeks to see and compare Starfield's concept art with the real game, the footage released so far suggests that they will notice similarities in almost every aspect they look at.

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