Bethesda initially envisioned a more visceral experience for Starfield, intending to include gore and dismemberment mechanics. However, technical limitations forced the team to cut these features. Former character artist Dennis Mejillones, who worked on Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Starfield, explained to Kiwi Talkz that the complexity of interacting with the game's various space suits proved insurmountable. The intricate design of the suits, including helmets, hoses, and the need for realistic flesh and wound interactions, created a massive technical challenge. The evolving character creator, allowing for significant body size variations, further complicated the implementation. These systems, according to Mejillones, became overly complex and unwieldy.
While some fans expressed disappointment at the absence of gore and dismemberment—features present in Fallout 4—Mejillones suggested that these mechanics are more fitting for Fallout's humorous tone. He noted that the "tongue in cheek" nature of Fallout lends itself to such features, whereas Starfield’s setting might not have been as appropriate.
Despite this omission, Starfield, Bethesda's first full single-player RPG in eight years, launched to considerable success in September 2023, attracting over 15 million players. IGN's 7/10 review highlighted the game's expansive quests and engaging combat as key strengths, outweighing certain shortcomings. Since launch, Bethesda has addressed player feedback, improving performance with a 60fps option in performance mode, and releasing the Shattered Space expansion. A separate report from another former Bethesda developer also highlighted unexpected loading issues, particularly in Neon, which have also been addressed post-launch.
