With Starfield’s scope, it’s easy to see how Bethesda could work in references and Easter eggs to The Elder Scrolls and Fallout.
Starfield will see players explore the stars in search of “what’s out there,” long after the key focus of space exploration has been left behind by the game’s governments and corporations. Starfield players will have thousands of planets to explore, and while some are procedurally generated wastelands, others will give players plenty of reasons to search every nook and cranny.
While different in style and tone, Starfield will maintain a lot of the core RPG elements of other Bethesda IPs such as Fallout and The Elder Scrolls. These franchises are so important that it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them manifest in Starfield. Given its scale, these could really appear anywhere and simply add to the experience. Two potential Easter Eggs though make the most sense.
Potential Fallout References in Starfield
Fallout has not shied away from the concept of space exploration in the past, giving Starfield an easy “in.” One of the most memorable quests in Fallout New Vegas is Come Fly With Me, which saw the player interact with a cult of Ghouls by overseeing their mission to fly to a different planet. The end of the quest is notably open-ended, with the player not knowing how the expedition ultimately turned out for the Ghouls. Starfield could finally answer this question, showing either the Ghoul’s doomed spacecraft or showcasing them thriving on their new homeworld.
The Fallout franchise has also overtly shown alien lifeforms, with Fallout 3 confirming the existence of aliens known as Zetans within the IP. The portrayal of Zetans in Starfield would be an easy and perfect way to make reference to Fallout, further bridging the two franchises and rewarding dedicated fans. Even a passing Easter egg or reference would be enough to appease many fans.
Potential Elder Scrolls References in Starfield
Starfield may have an easier time dropping Easter Eggs for Fallout, but The Elder Scrolls would not be a stretch either. One of the most interesting ways in which Starfield could portray TES references is by showcasing the world of Nirn. Nirn is the main planet that The Elder Scrolls games take place on and is ripe to be recreated to some extent. This reference can be as subtle as simply naming one of Starfield‘s planets Nirn or can be more complex by recreating some of its landmass. Of course, the most iconic province within Nirn is Tamriel, with all TES titles taking place mostly within this region.
A reference could take a more granular approach by having its own Tamriel-style planet, perhaps showcasing its most iconic location eons before or after the events of The Elder Scrolls. Certain races from The Elder Scrolls could also feature in some form, even if they are not as fully complex as they are within their source games. However, this feels unlikely compared to a passing reference to Nirn, which would still make fans happy.
The sheer scale of Starfield would be incomplete without being wielded to put some references to other beloved Bethesda IPs. It’s such an obvious move that it truly feels like a matter of what Starfield will reference from these franchises, not if it will reference them at all.
Starfield will release on September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
