I’m not normally a jealous type but the news that people are playing Starfield early has definitely given my envious synapse a twinge.
This news popped up as Starfield was seen by Reddit user cyberRakan in the ‘Popular with friends’ segment of Xbox. Who are those lucky few? Well, it turns out that it's Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer and Pete Hines, senior vice president at Bethesda Softworks, not regular Joes like you or I.
It’s not a huge assumption that two very senior people in the world of Xbox have access to Starfield. But what’s notable here is the game must be in a rather playable state given it’s in front of executives.
This is to be expected as Starfield is now only several weeks away from launching, with September 6 set as its release date. And as Spencer and Hines are playing it, it looks almost certain that the release date won’t slip. Starfield missed its original launch date of November 11, 2022.
I hope the experience Spencer and Hines are having is also top-notch, as big open-world Bethesda games have a reputation for launching with a host of bugs. With Microsoft’s support, I’m crossing my fingers and toes that Starfield will have less technical quirks than Skyrim did at launch.
How to get early access to Starfield
If you want early access to Starfield you can get it. It won’t be as early as Spencer and Hines’ access, but if you pre-order the Digital Premium Edition of Starfield you can play the sci-fi game up to five days ahead of its launch.
Added to that, the edition will offer access to digital extras, like a soundtrack and art book, and bundles in the first story expansion for Starifeld dubbed “Shattered Space” when it gets released at an as yet undisclosed date.
People who want even more Starfield can opt for the pricey Constellation Edition, which also throws in a form of smartwatch and extra in-game items. To track one down, check out our guide on how to pre-order Starfield Constellation Edition.
