Ever since its launch again in 2023, reception to Bethesda’s house epic, Starfield, has been a little bit of a combined bag in some circles, however even at the moment in 2026, it has a passionate fan base looking forward to journey out amongst the celebs. There was hope from others that Starfield will comply with within the spaceboots of different “rags-to-riches” rebirths that different high-profile and big-budget video games have obtained in recent times. With the upcoming launch of each the Free Lanes replace and the Terran Armada story DLC, fingers had been crossed that this might mark that second for Starfield, however sadly it gained’t be the case. Bethesda desires to be very clear – these updates aren’t Starfield’s 2.0 second, however they may provide some fantastic enhancements and updates for individuals who have caught with the sport since launch or for newcomers.
Commercial. Preserve scrolling for extra
Notice: There might be spoilers for Starfield’s new recreation plus on this article.
Launching on April 7, alongside the brand new PlayStation 5 model, this one-two punch of content material, with the Terran Armada being the smaller of the 2 ($10 by itself), specializing in new story quests, and the Free Lanes replace for all gamers, goals to offer new goodies and toys for gamers who’ve sunk a ton of time into the Bethesda house recreation. Throughout a latest media occasion, Tim Lamb, Starfield’s Lead Artistic Director, confirmed off what’s developing and the way, particularly Free Lanes, has been designed with the group in thoughts, responding to suggestions and constructing on the foundations which have already been laid.
The media occasion largely centered on Free Lanes and new options that every one Starfield house owners will be capable of benefit from, with some fairly neat additions to stay up for, with the brand new X-tech being a serious focus. This new useful resource could be spent in a couple of methods, maybe probably the most thrilling being the power to roll Legendary modifiers on your weapons and different gear, which have been expanded even additional with a model new high quality tier, too. What I discovered significantly nifty is that you could reroll every tier as much as 5 instances earlier than Starfield merely allows you to decide the modifier you need as a substitute, actually opening up the weapon customization so that you’re all set for these particularly nasty dungeons.
Your ships may even be capable of benefit from X-Tech through the brand new Ship Optimization system. By spending the tech, it is possible for you to to optimize varied methods in your ship, akin to your weapons, cargo administration, and restore features, amongst others, that can enhance the general efficiency of these particular points of your ship. To what extent these optimizations will affect the moment-to-moment gameplay was a bit much less clear, however the idea appears sound regardless.
For these Starborn who’re extra in it for the quieter instances, outposts, and cosmetics additionally get a little bit of an replace in Free Lanes, too. A brand new elevated outpost, a completely embellished and furnished outpost, can now be dropped off, and you’re set to go, for whenever you simply wish to calm down and admire the vistas out of your new pad. If you end up with cash burning a gap in your spacesuit, although, now you can spend it by yourself secret asteroid lair, full with its personal pool. No, I’m not kidding.
What is going to maybe be extra thrilling for longtime gamers, nonetheless, is the brand new shared outpost container that you could construct at any of your outpost stations. These magical packing containers make the most of the identical tech that Capcom makes use of of their shared storage chests within the Resident Evil collection, and assist you to deposit and pull out objects you retailer in them from any outpost that has one among these chests!
Commercial. Preserve scrolling for extra
To additional deck out your outposts, what about displaying a sick assortment of motion figures? Pulling some affect from Fallout, Starfield now has its personal model of the collectible Vault Boy figures, too, within the type of 27 collectible motion figures. These futuristic motion figures which might be completely not G.I. JOE can both be saved new within the field or eliminated and displayed proudly in an motion play set. Not solely do these look nifty, however they may impart buffs to your character whenever you discover them.
That can assist you get round outdoors of your outposts and on hazardous planets, a model new automobile will quickly be added to your storage – the Moon Jumper. This can be a bigger, heavier-style rover, with soar jets that allow it hop and soar from place to put. If this makes you consider Mass Impact’s MAKO, you’d be fairly spot on, although it doesn’t appear to have an enormous gun turret on prime, alas.
If you happen to’ve performed by means of Starfield these previous few years, you’ll know that the sport doesn’t finish the primary time you roll credit. It may very well be argued that it is on the credit that the sport actually begins, because of your character getting into the Unity and mainly beginning over again. To make this course of a bit extra thrilling, a brand new machine, the Quantum Entanglement Machine, will assist you to carry over deposited objects from one run to the subsequent, with extra space for storing with the ability to be gained by spending Quantum Essence. In order that tremendous superior gun you customised with the X-Tech? Take it with you and set your self on a powerful foot from second zero the subsequent time by means of.
Fascinating as these additions are, a thought saved popping up in my head with every tidbit and new goodie that was proven – hardcore gamers are going to like this, however will this pull folks again in? The brand new $50 price ticket for the bottom model ($70 for the all-encompassing Premium version) could also be engaging, and most of the updates appear extra particularly geared toward and accessible to those that have already got a whole lot of hours sunk in. Whereas Tim did affirm you may get X-Tech from even earlier recreation boss chests, I received the sense that, to actually benefit from it, it gained’t actually repay till late recreation. Quantum Essence and the entanglement machine, being actually a type of post-game/new recreation+ system, additionally gained’t actually affect issues till you get there. For myself, nothing I noticed with Free Lanes or The Terran Armada is making me chomp on the bit to reinstall the sport, however like I mentioned, I can utterly see what the draw of this replace might be for these longtime followers, and I’m excited for them.
Requested straight if this all may very well be thought-about Starfield 2.0, Tim plainly acknowledged, “No. I might push again in opposition to that. I feel there’s a sure narrative baked in about what that might imply. I feel we’ve checked out quite a few methods the place we had curiosity or heard issues from the group and tried to degree up quite a few completely different methods… I wouldn’t name it 2.0, however quite a few methods have been made incrementally higher. We’ve added a ton of content material; it’s the perfect model of Starfield.” Tim put it greatest: Starfield has turn into a player-directed recreation, and with the discharge of Free Lanes and The Terran Armada, that feeling comes by means of.
Starfield is at the moment out there on Xbox Collection and PC platforms. It launches on April 7 for PlayStation 5. The Free Lanes replace and Terran Armada DLC launch on April 7 for all platforms.